Wouldn't have thought you should be having that much trouble to be honest. The AMS is largely sealed so with some dry pods stuffed in the front (bigger and cheaper than shelling out for the under-mount refills) you should be fine for ages. Could you have some wet filament in there that needs drying? That or do you need to remove the spent dry packs that once full will maybe release moisture when they get warm?
General Filament Chat
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It'll likely be the dry pods as the cheapo hygro display (the round common one) is showing 25% when it is usually lower. So I'll need to investigate each of them this weekend. I do take my spools out every now and again and lob them into the filament dryer. I have read that one of the Sunlu PLA variations is very well known for stringing though - just forgotten which one!
The cheap hygros seem to have a couple of different min points even within the same make and model. Some of mine go down to 10%, some I think are 14% and I think some are higher. Rather suggests that the accuracy is similarly varied!
Be aware that if you mount a hygro in the dry pod, it will always show the minimum reading as it's input is literally in the beads. Not a complete waste of time though as it does then effectively show when the dessicant needs to be replaced/regenerated.
Can't really help you with PLA I'm afraid; not something I really print.... although I really need to find something to use up some of the boxes of the stuff I've accumulated!
Be aware that if you mount a hygro in the dry pod, it will always show the minimum reading as it's input is literally in the beads. Not a complete waste of time though as it does then effectively show when the dessicant needs to be replaced/regenerated.
Can't really help you with PLA I'm afraid; not something I really print.... although I really need to find something to use up some of the boxes of the stuff I've accumulated!
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My Sovol SH02 turned up yesterday and was put straight to work. What a difference, no more "cobwebs" from the PETG Matte white, just a lovely clean print. The fan is noisy though and the reports of the humidity being trapped inside are true. The tiny vents in the top just are not big enough but opening the lid a little gets rid of it, humidity dropped from 36% down to 11%. It's easy to feed the printer direct from the dryer too.
I picked up some Jayo "marble" PLA on Ebay last night for £10.39 per 1kg spool, £9.35 for two spools, £9.25 for three spools, £8.83 for four or more spools but there is also a 20% discount code, STARTNOW20 which brought the price down to £14.96 for two spools. Never tried any fancy filaments before so I thought I would give them a go. I aalso picked up some Jayo PLA+ on Amazon, two 1kg spools for £18.68 plus two spools of eSun PET for £6.85 per spool!! Reviews are not favourable but the problems seem to be from not drying it before use so now I have a dryer I thought I would take a chance because at that price it's nothing to lose.
I picked up some Jayo "marble" PLA on Ebay last night for £10.39 per 1kg spool, £9.35 for two spools, £9.25 for three spools, £8.83 for four or more spools but there is also a 20% discount code, STARTNOW20 which brought the price down to £14.96 for two spools. Never tried any fancy filaments before so I thought I would give them a go. I aalso picked up some Jayo PLA+ on Amazon, two 1kg spools for £18.68 plus two spools of eSun PET for £6.85 per spool!! Reviews are not favourable but the problems seem to be from not drying it before use so now I have a dryer I thought I would take a chance because at that price it's nothing to lose.
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Thanks for the feedback, I've got this and the Creality 2 spool dryer in my basket ready for Amazon Black Friday this weekend, never really had a need but recently had some poor results with translucent and PETG.
Associate
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I'm liek SUnlu folament. Just tried some Bambu stuff and it's OK but the refils seem to be badly wound which is a pain as it was deared than the sunlu even in the sale.
Man of Honour
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I just picked up two 1.1kg spools of Jayo PLA Meta on Ebay for £14.53. Never tried this type before, apparently it's a stronger PLA. Wifey will be whining again as that's around a dozen spools I have bought in the last week. I have been stocking up while all the deals are on, the only problem is where to put them all!!
I am using my Sovol SH02 all the time now and my prints have improved so for just under £50 it was a good buy.
I am using my Sovol SH02 all the time now and my prints have improved so for just under £50 it was a good buy.
Soldato
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I have just received some nice cheep esun PLA+ Yellow was £11.98 a roll, Fire Engine Red £13.68 a roll and Olive Green £14.76 (I think) For 3KG Spools.. 
Plenty of stuff to play about with. 
I have already printed a desk spool holder and have ordered a coupler to give it a try.
Plenty of stuff to play about with. I have already printed a desk spool holder and have ordered a coupler to give it a try.
@ZXSpectrum Got any calipers to check the diameter of the filament? Last eSun filament I had was their TPE and the diameter was so inconsistent and sooo far out of spec at points that the extruder couldn't feed it. It's probably just a fault in my batch or in the TPE (which is soft) in particular but it's worth checking since you've got such a large quantity. Good price though. Hope they're not on flimsy roll hangers!
Soldato
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I do but I have left it at work so can check tomorrow. My friend got 3 rolls as well and he has used almost 1 and said it’s really good. The prints he showed me were really nice with no unevenness.
Thinking of pulling the trigger on the BL P2S for me and the family to use. I know there is a good discount on accessories and filament when purchasing the printer. What colours, finishes and types of filaments are a go to for someone starting out? Also is it worth buying any other diameter hot ends at the same time. I want to pull the trigger this week, so just looking to make sure I get everything we'll need at a discounted rate. Thanks
Edit: Looks like White, Black and Grey are the best starting point and then to add a couple of colours? I'm still unsure about PLA basic versus the matte finish. I generally prefer matte in most things, but seems to be a 50/50 split of people preferring it over basic? Silk I can see being nice for certain things, but I don't think it makes sense when starting out?
Edit: Looks like White, Black and Grey are the best starting point and then to add a couple of colours? I'm still unsure about PLA basic versus the matte finish. I generally prefer matte in most things, but seems to be a 50/50 split of people preferring it over basic? Silk I can see being nice for certain things, but I don't think it makes sense when starting out?
I prefer the matt range over the basic from Bambu. I started out with white, black and grey and the odd colour but quickly acquired entire range of colours. I’ve opened/used all but a couple, some a lot more than others. I prefer to keep the range in stock so I can just print anything at short notice.
As for what colours, it depends on what you want to print. I use a lot of white but that’s because I have a massive multiboard wall in the garage which is also white. What ever you order, just be prepared to sink another £150+ on filament in a few weeks When you realise you need more.
I would get a roll of ABS in case you need something with good heat resistance. PETG HF has decent UV resistance but you need a drier for that.
I’d get a complete 0.2 and a hardened 0.4 (no point/advantage to buying standard if available). I got a 0.6 and 0.8 when I got my printer a year ago, I’ve never used them. I’ve used the 0.2 a few times for doing small detailed prints.
My P1S has about 700 hours on the original hot end but I still think it’s worth having a spare.
I would also get a smooth build plate to accompany the stock textured PEI plate. I use the textured plate 90% of the time but the smooth plate comes in handy.
As for what colours, it depends on what you want to print. I use a lot of white but that’s because I have a massive multiboard wall in the garage which is also white. What ever you order, just be prepared to sink another £150+ on filament in a few weeks When you realise you need more.
I would get a roll of ABS in case you need something with good heat resistance. PETG HF has decent UV resistance but you need a drier for that.
I’d get a complete 0.2 and a hardened 0.4 (no point/advantage to buying standard if available). I got a 0.6 and 0.8 when I got my printer a year ago, I’ve never used them. I’ve used the 0.2 a few times for doing small detailed prints.
My P1S has about 700 hours on the original hot end but I still think it’s worth having a spare.
I would also get a smooth build plate to accompany the stock textured PEI plate. I use the textured plate 90% of the time but the smooth plate comes in handy.
You definitely want a hardened 0.4mm nozzle for when you want to do anything abrasive (wood, carbon fibre, glass fibre, glitter etc) and they last longer anyway.
0.2mm is good for fine details like inlaying text onto control panels (needs AMS or manual colour change) or if you're into small decorative pieces.
I didn't find any benefit in speed with a 0.6mm nozzle but it is supposed to be stronger if that's an issue. Run something like TinMorry's PETG-GF and you won't have a problem with the parts needing to be stronger
I wouldn't bother with ABS myself. It smells, is toxic, it warps hideously and there's other filaments that do pretty much everything it does but easier. PETG is my go-to as it's a bit more flexible for hinges, catches etc and isn't so brittle as PLA. Also a bit more temp tolerant. PLA will sag in a car (in summer at least!) but PETG should be ok. If you really need high heat there are other filaments like PET-CF (no G) that will go to about 200°C or various nylons (need to be dried) or PC.
Most of Bambu's filaments state you need to dry them thoroughly before use. Sometimes you do, sometimes they're fine. I've been running Sunlu's PETG for many rolls and never had problems not drying a new, sealed roll. Ditto for the Tinmorry PETG-GF. Dryer is useful but either for exotic filaments you want to make damn sure aren't going to make an expensive lump on your print bed or for stuff that's been hanging around opened. If you get a new basic roll that's too wet, you've either been unlucky or it's a bad choice of brand.
PETG is likely to do 99% of what you need. PLA might do overhangs better...or it might just be my layer fan is below spec (it is known to be). Also more colours in PLA as it's more popular - people think it's easier.
0.2mm is good for fine details like inlaying text onto control panels (needs AMS or manual colour change) or if you're into small decorative pieces.
I didn't find any benefit in speed with a 0.6mm nozzle but it is supposed to be stronger if that's an issue. Run something like TinMorry's PETG-GF and you won't have a problem with the parts needing to be stronger
I wouldn't bother with ABS myself. It smells, is toxic, it warps hideously and there's other filaments that do pretty much everything it does but easier. PETG is my go-to as it's a bit more flexible for hinges, catches etc and isn't so brittle as PLA. Also a bit more temp tolerant. PLA will sag in a car (in summer at least!) but PETG should be ok. If you really need high heat there are other filaments like PET-CF (no G) that will go to about 200°C or various nylons (need to be dried) or PC.
Most of Bambu's filaments state you need to dry them thoroughly before use. Sometimes you do, sometimes they're fine. I've been running Sunlu's PETG for many rolls and never had problems not drying a new, sealed roll. Ditto for the Tinmorry PETG-GF. Dryer is useful but either for exotic filaments you want to make damn sure aren't going to make an expensive lump on your print bed or for stuff that's been hanging around opened. If you get a new basic roll that's too wet, you've either been unlucky or it's a bad choice of brand.
PETG is likely to do 99% of what you need. PLA might do overhangs better...or it might just be my layer fan is below spec (it is known to be). Also more colours in PLA as it's more popular - people think it's easier.
Seconding the smooth build plate as it's good for anything you need a smooth flat face but I'd stay clear of Bambu's Cool Plate Super Tack. Tried it on the A1 Mini and filament just slides off it. Turn the temp up enough to get it to stick and it welds there permanently. Had better results from a cheap smooth PEI from AliExpress.
Soldato
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You already get a hardened 0.4 with the printer. So far its had no issues. I have been printing a load of ABS and it does stink but the printer is in another room on the other side of the house but if you have a family i can understand if its an issue.You definitely want a hardened 0.4mm nozzle for when you want to do anything abrasive (wood, carbon fibre, glass fibre, glitter etc) and they last longer anyway.
0.2mm is good for fine details like inlaying text onto control panels (needs AMS or manual colour change) or if you're into small decorative pieces.
I didn't find any benefit in speed with a 0.6mm nozzle but it is supposed to be stronger if that's an issue. Run something like TinMorry's PETG-GF and you won't have a problem with the parts needing to be stronger
I wouldn't bother with ABS myself. It smells, is toxic, it warps hideously and there's other filaments that do pretty much everything it does but easier. PETG is my go-to as it's a bit more flexible for hinges, catches etc and isn't so brittle as PLA. Also a bit more temp tolerant. PLA will sag in a car (in summer at least!) but PETG should be ok. If you really need high heat there are other filaments like PET-CF (no G) that will go to about 200°C or various nylons (need to be dried) or PC.
Most of Bambu's filaments state you need to dry them thoroughly before use. Sometimes you do, sometimes they're fine. I've been running Sunlu's PETG for many rolls and never had problems not drying a new, sealed roll. Ditto for the Tinmorry PETG-GF. Dryer is useful but either for exotic filaments you want to make damn sure aren't going to make an expensive lump on your print bed or for stuff that's been hanging around opened. If you get a new basic roll that's too wet, you've either been unlucky or it's a bad choice of brand.
PETG is likely to do 99% of what you need. PLA might do overhangs better...or it might just be my layer fan is below spec (it is known to be). Also more colours in PLA as it's more popular - people think it's easier.
I have got a good mixture of filament now from PLA, PLA Matte, PLA Silk, Translucent PETG, PLA+. PLA Toughness and ABS. So far So good with everything. The print quality is great however as you said most say to dry first.. Which is good if you get the combo and can do it in the AMS 2 Pro.
I use ABS for Strong and Temp sensitive, PETG and PLA/PLA+ for the rest as i have loads that i purchased cheap and dont care much about it. I do need to get a load more white tho so i can paint/colour.
You do get some great deals on filament from Bambu when you buy a printer. Remember though some comes on reels and some is refill so unless you have a load of spare reels i would go for with spool for the first load of filament you purchase. Luckily i had a load of Bambu spools from the A1 and from work which was really handy for my £9 a roll refill off ABS..
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I managed to pickup the Sunlu S4 for £67 delivered from Aliexpress with a £10 discount code about 10 days ago. Wasn't really sure what dryer to go for as I'm new to 3d printing but it has good reviews so went with that.
From Bambu Handy I printed out the underneath draw unit which raises up the dryer to almost the same height as the feed in for the P1S. This means the unit can be extremely close to the P1S with a very short ptfe tube to feed the filament.
You can also print, from Bambu Handy, a double decker enclosure, with filamnet rollers, so you can store and use 8 rolls of filament at once. Not printed this yet, as I don't need it, but even though the S4 is huge you can make use of the large foot print for extra storage.
Printed some petg using it and it worked well.
Man of Honour
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That's a cracking price for a S4 but I am guessing that warranty could be a problem if it ever goes wrong.
That is true, if it breaks then it'll go in the bin or keep for spares. However at least I have used it now and would happily pay full retail price for another as I know it works for what I need it for.
Soldato
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Great price for a S4 but only really good for PLA as it only heats to 50Degrees by the look of it. PETG needs 60 and ABS needs 65. I have been looking for one but the one that seems to be shouting at me currently is either the Creality Space P1 or just go for a EIBOS 3D Filament Dryer Polyphemus.