What do you guys/gals do with the short left overs of filament at the end of a role, just a few yards/meters? Is there something that they can be use for or do they go into the recycle bin. Can PLA be recycled?
I have a runout sensor so i run it till its gone.
The tiny bits left over i now keep for my 3d pen, or use as pins in projects.
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3D pen as well. Yes it can be but it is a 7 code and many (a great many) don’t take it.
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Having a Bowden setup, rather than direct drive, means that I can simply stuff the next filament in as the last previous filament is disappearing into the extruder. As long as the ends of the old and new filament are cut at roughly 90 degrees, the new one will push the old one through. This does backfire on me once in a while though. Otherwise, I use it for a 3D pen but I don’t use a 3D pen often enough to use up the filament leftovers I’ve already accumulated.
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I use my pen to glue or weld parts together. Having a little selection is nice when you have parts to connect. I never thought you could stuff it all into a bowden. I’ll have to try that.
Don’t you lose retraction on the first piece once it has been passed through the extruder. Only the second piece which is now in the extruder will retract??
Actually, that’s a good point, and yes, you do lose retraction until the new piece reaches the hot end. I’m not generally that picky about finish so I can’t say I’ve noticed what effect it has.
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