I finally got a filament drying box and I’m using it prior to and during prints. It seems to be helping. I’m a bit of a color queen, so I keep a pretty big backlog of different filaments. I’ve been storing them in vacuum bags but the vacuum bags often seem to lose some of their vacuum after a few months; the whole process is a bit of a pain. Is this really worthwhile or as long as I’m using the drying box can I forgoe the vacuum storage? If vacuum storage is still a good idea, are there better bags I should be looking for that don’t lose some of the vacuum after a few months or is that pretty standard?
You must log in or # to comment.
Depends where you live. I live in a desert so humidity isn’t an issue, but dust is. I keep most of my filament in bags just to protect from dust. The only one I actually vacuum seal is tpu. Pla, pla+, and petg all do fine without. If I store it for more than a year though, I run it through the dryer first. Or at least have the dryer running while I print from it.
Airtight storage bins + silica beads = win.
Instead of those bags with a valve take a look a the kitchen department. They have vacuum seal machines used for sous vid cooking.
This is practically identical to the original packaging and can hold the vacuum for years to come. Leave the bag longer than required to allow it to be resealed multiple times (roughly 3cm are cut with each opening & resealing).
For the frequently used filaments place them in a drying box.
I don’t think its a big deal if vacuum bags get lose, they are still protecting the filament. Just vacuum them again and put some silica gel inside.
For PETG and TPU absolutely, for ABS, probably.
For PLA it’s alright. I live in a high humidity area and so PLA left out for a few weeks tends to get brittle or have issues. But in reality even then it’s generally ok depending on the brand.
All that is to say if you live in a high humidity area get a filament dryer (or make one) and maybe a big thing of desiccant beads.
Put those in a tub and dump your filament in there and you’re probably good to go.
I put filament in my dryer and run the filament via PTFE tube to my printer.
So new filament goes in there and dries for a few hours before I print with it.
Anything I’m printing with goes in the dryer out of the tub and is usually fine but if it’s been sitting there for a few days or it’s going to rain I run the dryer.
But if its hygroscopic like PETG, etc it goes from a bag into the dryer, the dryer’s run while it’s in there and then back into the bag (along with a small canister of gel beads)
The vacuum isn’t so much of a deal as long as there’s somewhere for the moisture to go hence the dessicant beads.
TLDR: littleblue’s comment + bag up hygroscopic filaments
How long do these beads last before you need to dehydrate the beads?
I don’t live in a humid environment at all.
I would still keep everything bagged of course, but would be nice to not have to vacuum them each time and then re vacuum after a few weeks when the seal is failing.
They have some that change colors letting you know when it’s time but it’s months. Especially if you’re in a dry climate
