Can you acetone smooth PETG?

Can you smooth PETG prints with solvents? Yes. Even though traditional acetone solvents aren't as effective, there are a number of chemicals that can help you achieve a smooth finish on your PETG prints. Unfortunately, most of these compounds are highly dangerous, and you'll need special permission to buy them.

Is PETG acetone resistant?

For example, Nylon isn't adversely affected by acetone, but can be damaged by water. Conversely, PETG isn't affected by water, but acetone will degrade it.

What filaments can be smoothed with acetone?

All ABS 3D prints can be acetone smoothed. Filaments that can be polished using this process are: ABS, ASA, PMMA, HIPS and Polycarbonate.

What will dissolve PETG?

What does dissolve PETG? Dichloromethane, toluene, cyclohexanone, and methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) are the most common solvents for PETG. They are useful and less dangerous to use and store compared to other options. However, they are still toxic and strictly regulated for various reasons.

How do you make PETG less shiny?

Slightly reducing print temperature and/or increasing fan speeds will make PETG far less shiny when it dries, giving translucent varieties an almost satin appearance.

Improve your prints with acetone smoothing

How do you get smooth surface on PETG?

There are various ways to smooth PETG. PETG can be smoothed with fine sandpaper, epoxy resin and paint. Similar to ABS with acetone, PETG can also be smoothed with dichloromethane. However, dichloromethane is very dangerous and not easy to obtain.

How do you get perfect PETG prints?

PETG will typically print at temperatures between 220 and 265 °C. But before you heat up your nozzle, remember that hot ends incorporating PTFE tubes are capped at 250 °C – anything hotter than that will damage the hot end. Nozzle temperature plays a major role in print quality.

Does acetone dissolve PLA?

PLA can be dissolved by solvents such as acetone, ethyl acetate, methyl ethyl ketone, tetrahydrofuran and caustic soda (sodium hydroxide).

Can acetone be smooth plastic?

Chemistry, you know. Acetone is used by some to finish ABS prints into a smooth, glossy surface. The acetone vapor, created by heating liquid Acetone in a chamber, slightly softens ABS plastic.

Can you use acetone to smooth 3D prints?

Acetone smoothing can be done by applying acetone vapors or liquid to a printed part, which dissolves the many 3D printed layers. This “binding” of layers is what yields that glossy and smooth finish.

Does acetone do anything to PLA?

Yes, Polylactic acid (PLA) is soluble. Polylactic acid can be dissolved using methyl ethyl ketone, acetone, ethyl acetate, tetrahydrofuran, and/or caustic soda. In general, all these chemicals react with PLA. Most substances will dissolve polymers, often depending on the concentration.

What does acetone do to PETG?

It dissolves freshly printed PETG (and glue parts together) as well as the residues on the print nozzle. Side notes: Acetone is wellknown for being absolutely useless for dissolving PETG and I can confirm this from my own experience. All you can expect is to roughen the surface a little bit.

Can you clean PETG with isopropyl alcohol?

So after I see this I go onto the Prusa website and lo and behold, under the description for Petg properties it states: "Do not use Isopropyl alcohol to clean bed before printing with Petg".

What material is resistant to acetone?

According to Palstics International's Chemical Resistance Chart, the A-rated plastics (no solvent attack) towards acetone are: ECTFE (Halar®): transparent films available. Fluorosint® PTFE: white. HDPE: transparent films available.

Can you smooth PLA with isopropyl alcohol?

There is a type of PLA whose formulation makes it soluble in isopropyl alcohol, a much less dangerous product than acetone or methylene chloride. This is why this material, of the Polymaker brand, has become quite popular among those who want to smooth their parts without getting too complicated.

How do you smooth PLA without sanding?

All you need to perform this technique is a can of spray paint that bonds well with plastic (such as Rust-Oleum)and a bottle of Fast Drying Polyurethane – Clear Satin. You'll also want to print a model that has clear layer lines, that way, you can really get a sense of how this process works.

Does isopropyl alcohol damage PLA?

For isopropyl alcohol, not all PLA will dissolve in this solvent. There are specially manufactured PLA from the Polymaker brand which can in dissolved isopropyl alcohol.

How fast does PLA dissolve in acetone?

Boiling water for about 10 minutes then soaking for 24 hours: No obvious change. Denatured alcohol soaking for 24 hours: No obvious change. Acetone soaking for 24 hours: The PLA swelled up and has a rubbery feel and it split apart into several pieces.

Does ABS dissolve in acetone?

ABS is highly reactive to acetone, and it's possible to dissolve only the topmost surface of ABS parts by using acetone in vapor form. This completely eliminates any visible layer lines and gives you a clean and smooth surface finish.

Can you flame polish PETG?

PETg sheet can be flame-polished using a standard propane torch or a hot-nitrogen welder. Both techniques require accurate control of the distance between the sheet and the heat source; otherwise, surface whitening or excessive material flow may occur.

How do you temper PETG?

A good starting point is to anneal the PETG at an approximate temperature between 75°C (167°C) and 78°C (172°F), for a time of between 40 minutes and 80 minutes and then let it cool very slowly.

Why is PETG so stringy?

PETG is especially notorious for stringing because it requires a relatively high temperature to ensure good flow. This increased temperature can encourage strings, allowing the filament to freely flow while traveling between two points.

Can you epoxy PETG?

Epoxy. Technically, epoxy isn't a type of glue, though it's a great way to bond plastics, and it works fine with PETG. The versatility and durability of epoxy are usually more than enough for many applications.