The Perfect 3D Desiccant Solution: Convenience and Longevity Combined

Activated alumina desiccant has a number of benefits over silica gel beads and I think you should consider them for use especially in 3D printing applications.

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00:00 - Introduction
00:19 - Silica Gel Problems
1:25 - Aluminum Tube
2:33 - Glue Up
3:35 - Usage Tips

#alumina #3dprinting #desiccant

[BigBenAdv]

I contemplated making the containers like you did for silica gel previously. Until I discovered that buying metal tea dust/ leaf strainers are basically easier and potentially cheaper than doing so. Not to mention, they can be opened if you ever need to remove or replace the desiccant.

[AlbaderBohamad]

4:41 when vacuum packed. The desiccant pod, in its location, is sealed off from absorbing moisture from the filament.

[mattmarzula]

I put it in an old cotton ankle sock with a pipe cleaner as a twist tie. Weigh it before, after use, and after recharge at 400°. Works just fine. I get it though. You're a crafter making content.

[brettcombs]

It definitely still breaks down, but it's over a much longer time span. We use activated alumina for industrial air drying at work. We change it out every 3 years in the order of a thousand lbs or so. We have it tested annually.

[davidahn]

I really enjoyed this video and contemplated both your DIY tubes and the tea strainers, but in the end decided on an even more convoluted scheme of buying Eva-Dry E-500's and upgrading them to alumina so I wouldn't need to recharge it in an oven, then cutting the vents open and using your steel mesh and JB Weld technique to keep the alumina from falling out.

Thank you for the inspiration!

[lpanic]

When I was checking an online marketplace, I accidentally stumbled upon empty textile teabags. One pack with 100 bags with a string to close the opening. And I got a bottle with moisture sensitive colored silica gel. Works wonders. It's easy to move it from the bottle to a bag, the bag can be closed, air moves easily and it's still very visible if silica gel is dry or wet.
And as a bonus, it fits perfectly in the same vacuum bags as you show on the video.
Very nice video though.

[agw]

You can also use a food dehydrator both to dry your filament but also refresh your desicant packs.

[joea]

But in a vacuum-sealed bag, does moisture from the filament even reach that center hole? Wouldn't you want the desiccant somewhere on the perimeter of the spool?

[josephpk]

I use colour indicating silica beads in small, round, perforated tin screw cap containers. Throw two of the tins in with the filament, drop in a small humidistat, suck out the extra air, and I'm good to go. As soon as the humidistat reads anything above 15%, the tins and the filament go into my dehydrator. Been running like that for a while and it works well.

[SiegfriedSTM]

Silica Gel is SiO2.
It doesn't break down unless you use physical force or stress them too much during the drying process...

Never heard of this before.

[joeylopezdesign]

I saw on amazon the most bought with the activated alumina is a pack of aluminum salt shakers lol, I think I might go that route :P

[dontsub]

This video was amazing, a spectacular solution for a complicated problem

[tinfore]

That eSun kit is absolutely great. I have the same one.

[patrickchase]

I appreciate your book selection at 2:45: bomb, more bomb, h-bomb, home canning. I've read all three of the bomb books and they're excellent, especially "Dark Sun".

I'm not sure what bit of profound social commentary you're making there, but I know that there must be one. Maybe that once the bombs are through with us we'll all (or at least those of us who escape the prompt effects and fallout) wish we'd done more home canning?

[Dubble_Bubble]

I just started using molecular sieve and this stuff has blown me away. In a sterilite dry box my hygrometer is reading 0% 😮

[ResistanceLion]

I personally would solder mesh with soldering iron and a few tin drops. Nevertheless, thank you for informing about activated alumina. Subscribed + new to 3d printing

[joeylopezdesign]

I’m doing it, I bought 75lbs of activated alumina - info is scarce about it, so I’m rewatching this and other vids talking about it. I’m using 3D printed canisters as cores for every spool to go from storage cabinet or food saver bags to dry box or ams - and I’m going to keep an eye on the RH in the cabinet, bags, dryboxes and ams’ with mini hygrometers and see when it starts to wear out and then dump and recharge it all en masse, still gotta figure out the time in the oven and how long the AA will last.

[Enjoymentboy]

I stopped using silica a while ago. It's ok for long term storage but it really doesn't have the oomph needed to pull enough moisture. I prefer calcium chloride. I get a 2 pack of desiccants from the dollar store for $3 and each one lasts about 6 months. I have put a new spool inside an airtight container with the calcium chloride, put the lid on and just left it at room temp for a few days. NOTICEABLY drier with zero electricity needed. Granted if you employ a little heat things dry up even better. I'm happy to wait for filament to dry and I do not need it available immediately. The best part is that once the calcium chloride fully dissolves and stops working I can drain the desiccant packs into a pyrex dish and pop it into the oven when I cook. It'll dry out to a crust which I can then put back into the pack and reuse.

[raywalteroutdoors]

Use a measuring cup to determine how many beads fit in your printed container then use it to scoop you'll always have enough without overfilling. Buy the dessicant in bulk to save.

[SliceEngineering]

Great video! We've actually been selling Activated Alumina in canisters like this since 2021 on our site and on Amazon for all the benefits you outlined!

We source our alumina here in the USA—it's a phenomenal desiccant for 3D printing and many other applications. We can't drop links to our desiccant in YouTube comments, but we'd love to connect and collaborate since we've been doing this for 3 years!