Has anyone used the ColorFabb HT clear filament?
Title says it all, actually.
ColorFabb is claiming that close-to-true-transparent pieces can be made with this, with some tedious post-processing, of course, but with better results and less drudgery than with the 'usual suspect' so-called-transparent ABS and PETg filaments.
https://colorfabb.com/let-s-make-something-clear
They are claiming that this filament has the flow characteristics to give a truly solid piece (as opposed to one with countless gaps and holidays) which can then be sanded and polished to true close-to-transparency.
Has anyone actually used this? It appears to be available Stateside from Matterhackers for $50 to the door, or about twice what the Hatchbox so-called-transparent ABS and the RepRappers so-called-transparent PETg cost. That's quite spendy, but worth it if it really produces near-transparent items.
RE: Has anyone used the ColorFabb HT clear filament?
I've used Colorfabb HT, but not for clear parts. XT strikes me as a slightly "crumby" PETG. For basic parts, it works fine, but overhangs and delicate parts can take some work to master. ColorFabb's nGen clear prints up quite nicely, but I haven't gone for "true transparency". nGen prints a lot like PETG. Those prices are for a 750g spool, so it definitely is a bit more pricey than others. MatterHacker's was very reliable.
RE: Has anyone used the ColorFabb HT clear filament?
I've come close to transparent doing Hatchbox ABS Transparent at 100 percent infill and then smoothing the surfaces with a mop brush dipped in acetone.
Not totally clear but light will shine through it. Kinda milky.
RE: Has anyone used the ColorFabb HT clear filament?
I use the ColorFabb HT to print the glazing for my O Scale F3/F7 engines and the NW2. Prior to the introduction of ironing by Prusa, I was never impressed with the results no matter how I tried to tweak the parameters. However, if you stay thin, as in skin thin and iron it, it is not a bad result. It is not as perfectly clear as acetate, but then again some modeling applications do not require a clear window pane. Or, you may require a frosty effect. Most of the lines disappear which did not happen in all my other experiments prior to experimenting with ironing. There was always a need to try and do some surface finishing which I actually do not have time for. I also print with the HT, lens for my engine headlights, sometimes hollow to accommodate an LED. Given the print temperature is higher, expect rejects if there are strings or an occasional tiny blob. I also print window frames with the HT as glazing on the first layer. I am pretty happy with the results but regardless when I ship a set of window panes printed with HT, I also send a set of acetate to give modelers options. I do not have experience printing large objects with the HT. But my expectation is a translucent print, not a fully transparent one. It does seem to perform better than PLA or PETG clear in my opinion.
John
John Wubbel
RE: Has anyone used the ColorFabb HT clear filament?
However, if you stay thin, as in skin thin and iron it, it is not a bad result. It is not as perfectly clear as acetate, but then again some modeling applications do not require a clear window pane. Or, you may require a frosty effect. Most of the lines disappear which did not happen in all my other experiments prior to experimenting with ironing. There was always a need to try and do some surface finishing which I actually do not have time for.
Thanks.
This was kind of what I was expecting in the real world.
It reinforces my impression that to get results as shown on the web, a lot of tedious manual smoothing and/or chemical smoothing would be required.
Ironically, one of my current projects needs some translucency, as I'm doing diffusers to cover white/yellow LEDs to simulate incandescent lighting in building flats. I'm using so-called-transparent PETg with 50% or so infill on the textured sheet for this.
RE: Has anyone used the ColorFabb HT clear filament?
I'm kinda confused.
I thought I was replying in this thread a few days ago but it looks like I replied in the Print With Glass thread.
NBD I'll just continue over there.
RE: Has anyone used the ColorFabb HT clear filament?
@annier
It gets worse.
The Filament Whisperer