PCL Polycaprolactone is a curious material, it has a v very low melt point, hot water is enough to melt it. This means it can easily be hand formed. This is the same plastic that Polymorph, Friendly Plastic, and a few other names, all intended for hand forming. it is in the polyester family. It suggests a working range of 70ºC - 140ºC.
This actually poses the first issue, printers are not typically run so low. Many printers have a safety protocols to prevent extruding cold. This means my first prints the extruder was not at all extruding.
I ended up adding an M302 ‘cold extrude’ command.
The first issue solved. The first attempt was a failure, bed adhesion.
I discovered the bed temps need to be around 35-45º
The first print that was ‘successful’ was printed too hot, 130ºC
Forefront. The print is a razor stand.
https://www.prusaprinters.org/prints/35976-12-mm-razor-stand-karve-de
The second print at 100ºC was better, not awesome.
The third at 90º this was a much better.
The fourth I fixed the seam, cleaned up retraction.
For reference a PLA (Black) and PETG (Orange)
These are all at 0.2 layer height.
The material feels like a pop bottle cap in hardness. It is flexible but not soft. The thinner it is the more flexible the thicker the more ridged it is.
I ended up using a 1 mm retraction with a direct drive.
The scrap I put into a cup of hot water, and after a few moments took it out and rolled in into a ball, and pressed a spoon into it. This material is low toxicity and general safety precautions are needed.
Hand Formning. It is odd touching molten plastic and not being burned!
