What is everyone doing with almost empty spools?

Just curious what others are doing with the last bit of filament on their spools? I’m starting to get quite a collection and I don’t want to just throw them out haha.

Ideas?

Unfortunately the trash.
Filament should really be dispensed without spools.
Bambu spool halves are really smart, but I use 3.5k spools.

-Uman

Start a new print in that filament with it loaded in AMS slot 1. When it runs out, have AMS automatically switch to a new roll of the same filament in slot 2-4 to finish the print.

AMS has been a game changer for me on finishing up the ass ends of my filament that never got used.

P.S. - Am I the only one that told myself I’d get around to splicing that old filament but never did because I am too lazy?

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Splicing is not popular because the filament breaks either where you spliced (not hot enough) or like welds right beside the splice. causing print failures on older machines. risking prints with several end rolls spliced into one multiplies the chances it’ll break. The plate cooling down because there was a shut down by the filament sensor and the part separating off the plate makes it not worth the risk.

If the print process is paused because of filament runout, the bed is kept warm until you resolve the problem.

BL’s printer does that 99% of previous printers don’t they simply shut down

Looks like you’ve got different printer than I have. My printer acts exactly as I said.

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I had those last pieces laying around for years, until i realized i could use them for printing filament clips on a printer that has a filament runout sensor. I have my Prusa mk3s+ for years now, but it took awhile putting the dots together and print these filament clips with all those left overs :slight_smile:
It also made me realize again how boring it can be to stay with the printer for 2 hours, printing 10 clips with 15 filament changes.
Anyway, my suggestion is to use these last pieces of filament to print small things where looks doesn’t matter that much.

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This morning I grabbed a spool that was almost out and put in another spool with the same filament in another AMS slot. It switched over perfectly and looking at the print it is very hard to tell where the old spool ended, and the new spool began.

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Great idea. But one question: I am using up a bunch of non-Bambu Labs filament. Will the runout sensor in slot 1 only work with BL spools or can I use non-BL spools? I am running low on several spools and have been wondering what I should do.

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Both of my spools were non-Bambu.

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Just make sure you have the “AMS auto switch filament” checked.

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It will still work with any filament as long as you have them listed as the same type and color in the AMS.

You have to put the spool that is nearest empty in slot 1, as it prints filament rolls of the same type and color in the slot numerical order.

You can also trick it and have it print different colors of the same type using this method. Say you had a print you didn’t care what color it was, you could load up 4 almost empty spools of various colors and label them all as “black” in the AMS. It will print all of them no problem.

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Ok, thanks everyone!! I’m eager to give it a try.

:grinning:

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@Matt Lying to an inanimate object…how could you!!! :lying_face:

:smile:

If I notice that I am near the end of the spool I sometimes just sit by the printer and push the next roll in. You could do this for small pieces.

I don’t wait for filament to run out and then go load filament because that causes the layer shift problem and ruins the print.

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Well there are some good suggestions in here, thanks everyone!

I don’t think it goes in numerical order, I’m pretty sure I just used the last 6 wraps of silver grey in slot 4 and then it switched to slot 3 where there is a new spool waiting. At least that’s how I remember it working.

4/11/2023
A week or so later, I used this feature to use up a bunch of left over filament and the AMS seemed to want to run it order from left to right so I’m not so sure and now think it does run in numerical order.

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AMS in my mind sets a perfect printer to next gen. Its opened up so many possibilities. I am now ordering second - not because I am likely to use 8 colours, but the flexibility of having spare reels of filaments to ensure if I am close to the end of a reel it doesnt halt the printing.

Now that the layer shift problem is fixed I just let it run out.