I care about the environment. I like to recycle everything I can, even to the detriment of the cluttered space I call home. When asked my favorite summertime activity, I passionately say, "composting". I don't know why, but it's something about digging out all of that amazing smelling dirt. I brag that I have the best fed bugs on the block. I'm weird.
I am getting my multi-extruder 3D printer very soon, and I've been studying up for months. In the process, I've confused many facts, especially about what types of filament I would want to print with. One of the first things I was completely wrong about, was thinking ABS was biodegradable. (This is wrong). PLA is actually the biodegradable filament, which threw me for a loop because I had decided ABS was going to be my primary material.
Purchasing is a bit tricky when you have five extruders to consider. I had to figure out a primary material (ABS) in several colors. Then I chose a secondary material (PLA), because all plastics are not equal, and different prints have different needs. I chose a special filament (T-Glase), with colors that had more clarity, and then a flexible filament (FilaFlex), because I want to combine flexible filament it in my prints. This was my beginner list. I decided not to go with the really fancy stuff yet, because I still need to learn the basics. What am I going to make with wood filament, or conducting filament? I have ideas, but none I can actually DO yet. I made all the tough cuts, and still had an insane amount of filament.
Filament is expensive. I don't like waste, and I'm cheap. I have this image in my head of all of this expensive filament filling up the insides of prints, that will never be needed or seen. I keep wanting to find something "else", some filler material that would be less wasteful. (Please let this be normal thinking). I think of support material, because the more I learn about designing prints, the more I see how important support structures are for successful prints. Support material just gets cut away after the print is done, and then what? tossed away? this BOTHERS me.
I've come up with a solution of sorts. First, because I need a support material, it will be biodegradable PLA. That way anything I cut off of my prints can go into the composter. Unless my composter begins to resemble a large plastic mess, which is a very real possibility. I don't actually know how long it will take to compost. It might have to be in a commercial compost setting, and not a backyard composter. That would really suck, but I could still sneak bits of plastic from my pockets into the lunch napkins and leftover ketchup in the compost bins at work.
I have an automatic litter box that uses ridiculously expensive plastic pellets that biodegrade after a few months of use. This is far better than litter in a landfill, but it has a lot of drawbacks, too. I found my mind wandering back to these pellets over and over again.
I did more research, and came across biopolymers. I found a company overseas who manufactures a plastic pellet from leftover potato starch. There is no oil involved, and it is very biodegradable. It is quite weak, actually. As luck would have it, there is a plant a few hours away from me who has the contract to import it, and they add different bits of (also biodegradable) PLA to their mixtures to get the desired strengths their contracts need. They use it primarily for making items with a short life, or which are disposable. Things like pots for greenhouses, plastic cutlery, dishes, coasters, golf tees, and packaging are all great for biopolymers. It can be injection molded, and it has a melting temperature, and all of a sudden, it is looking like a viable option to try as an experimental support structure filament.
I send an email. I can't help myself. I ask if I can purchase two large bags to experiment with. I explain that I have a machine that I am seeking a suitable replacement biodegradable pellet for, and that I want to experiment with creating a biodegradable support material in 3D printing. I never expected much interest from them.
This morning I got a call from overseas. He explained that this base plastic was very weak, and very biodegradable. He asked about what exact function, strength, and biodegradability I needed. He offered to put together a few different variations with PLA (also biodegradable), to try. I explained that I am too small to be worth all of that effort, and that I would be happy to try the weakest unchanged pellets first. I also explained that I would have PLA that I could experiment with if it came to needing more strength.
As luck would have it, their business had recently taken a turn in a different direction. They had more of this sitting local to me than they presently needed, and since I insisted I didn't need any special alterations to the product, and I was willing to drive four hours to pick it up, they offered it to me as a gift. They've asked that I keep them posted on how well it works, and for what purposes. New markets are always interesting, and I did specifically seek this product out.
I was not prepared to start making my own filaments yet. When I got there, I met the man from overseas online. Everyone was so nice, and so passionate about their product. They surprised me with over 350lbs of pellets, so I could experiment to my hearts content. I had considered making my own filaments at some point in the future, but this unbelievable gift sealed the deal. The expense of the equipment had been gifted to me in pellets, and I had experimenting to do!
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Of course now I'm very motivated to make my very own biodegradable potato starch golf tees.
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