What filament for 3d printed body?

[TITANIUM94010]

What type of filament material should I use for a 1/10 scale 3d printed hardbody?

Would PETG work? I'm using this on a road car, so there won't be many rollovers, but some strength would be nice.

[Gula]

See if your printer supports lexan, print with the material that RC bodies are made from

[TITANIUM94010]

Lexan is polycarbonate (PC) and PC tends to warp a lot a lot, even more than ABS, which I don't really want to go through the hassle to print.

[QuesoDelDiablo]

Obviously ABS is what most people use. Personally, I don't use ABS (too toxic, hard to print well, too much shrinkage) so that's not an option for me.

I'm in the process of printing a fully detailed interior and body using PETG. It's going well so far but I can't say much because I'm still the printing and prepping phase. I will say that the stringing of PETG gets a bit tiresome to clean up all the time but it's not a big deal, it just costs me a bit of prep time while I get things ready to paint.

So far I'm really happy the results, the combination of PETG and 0.15mm layers is giving me some really nice surface finish; many of the parts don't even need sanding..

[Count0Interrupt]

I'd start with PLA first. Get the fitment, finish happy first. Then when it is damaged to the point of replacement, use something stronger like PETG. Personally I will just still with PLA since it is so much easier to work with and cheaper!

[TITANIUM94010]

Originally Posted by Count0Interrupt

I'd start with PLA first. Get the fitment, finish happy first. Then when it is damaged to the point of replacement, use something stronger like PETG. Personally I will just still with PLA since it is so much easier to work with and cheaper!

I guess I'll try PLA first, but it seems too weak.

[HumboldtEF]

I too would be hesitant to use PLA and go to all the effort of sanding and finishing it off which is no small task. Maybe as a quick prototype but nothing more.

[Count0Interrupt]

Not in my experience. I’ve printed plenty of large structure with thin (0.5 mm to 1 mm) wall and they are plenty strong. Settings like print speed, infill rate, infill pattern, temperature, etc. all contribute to the final strength.

Also, how strong do you really need? Won’t spend time and money for PETG unless you really need it.

[HumboldtEF]

Where I get my filament they are the same price so PETG all the way and 100% infill IMO is much stronger, surface area is everything.

[MrBlank]

I think PLA is taking a risk, even if thats what most of the guys who sell printed bodies are using. All it takes is one hot day with your crawler forgotten in the car and the body will warp/melt.

[QuesoDelDiablo]

PLA is too brittle. Plain and simple. It doesn't have any flex to it so there's no forgiveness and one nasty tumble could obliterate the body.

And if you ever leave your rig in the car in summer (admittedly a bad idea but it happens) PLA will basically melt.

PETG ftw. ABS is good if you don't mind the stink.

PLA should only be used for prototypes or decorative pieces that are replaceable.

As Humboldt mentioned, PETG is usually about the same price as PLA so it's a no-brainer in my world. I don't even buy PLA anymore.

[TITANIUM94010]

Approximately, how long does a 1kg spool of 3d printer filament last?

And is it enough to print a small RC kit, like a Tamiya Sand Scorcher?

[mikemcE]

A long time........ each model sliced will tell you how much filament is needed. Everything is different, even infill can make a difference


Hang up and Drive

[JatoTheRipper]

Originally Posted by TITANIUM94010

Approximately, how long does a 1kg spool of 3d printer filament last?

And is it enough to print a small RC kit, like a Tamiya Sand Scorcher?

I merged two of your threads. You have created somewhere around 5 new threads on 3D printing in the last month. There's no need for it. You can ask multiple questions in your threads, post them in the appropriate general 3D printing threads we have on this site (links below) or just do a few minutes of research.

Creating so many posts just clutters up the site. Please be considerate.

3d printer for rc parts

What RC parts have you 3D Printed????

[QuesoDelDiablo]

Originally Posted by TITANIUM94010

Approximately, how long does a 1kg spool of 3d printer filament last?

And is it enough to print a small RC kit, like a Tamiya Sand Scorcher?

There's no definite answer to that. I've had spools that lasted me months, I've gone through spools in 2-3 days.

As far as enough to print that, it depends on exactly what you mean by the "kit". If you're talking body, chassis, axles, accessories, the whole enchilada then no, 1 spool probably isn't enough. If you're just talking about bits & bobs, maybe a body and some bits then probably yes...

Personally, I've just gotten in the habit of ordering 4-5 spools at a time. They're cheap, they don't expire (as long as they're stored properly) and then you never have to wonder if you've got enough for that one last part you need...

This might actually be a good opportunity for you start learning slicer software. Load the models you want, set them up (infill, layer height, supports, etc) and then slice them to find out how much filament is required per part.

If you don't already have slicing software you can download PrusaSlicer for free.

[TITANIUM94010]

Looking to print a kit, everything except the body and screws, of a 1/10 buggy. Looking at the responses, it looks like that 1 spool of PETG isnt gonna last.

[QuesoDelDiablo]

Originally Posted by TITANIUM94010

Looking to print a kit, everything except the body and screws, of a 1/10 buggy. Looking at the responses, it looks like that 1 spool of PETG isnt gonna last.

Nope, 1 spool won't be enough.

For some context - I just finished printing all the parts for a (pretty heavily detailed) pick up truck body and I went through more than 1 1/2 spools.

[HumboldtEF]

I saw your new thread asking this question again (ASA vs PETG) and I'm happy to answer but please try to consolidate your threads, looks like your thread has already been deleted because you've ignored mods advice. I'm not here to rub your nose in it just to suggest you follow the site guidelines so we can actually help you.

ASA is similar to ABS in creating toxic fumes, its strong and chemical resistant but a hassle due to fumes. I'd still side with PETG due to it not putting out toxic fumes.

Here a great video going over ASA which looks to be very similar to ABS but it can hold up to UV light better. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0tYr2JH_Do