Choosing the Right Plastic - Revision history

Theshittinator at 02:09, 4 January 2026

2026-01-04T02:09:58Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:09, 3 January 2026
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	Yielding is often more desirable as it tends to constitute less of an operational risk to the wielder.		Yielding is often more desirable as it tends to constitute less of an operational risk to the wielder.
			[[Category:Guides]]
			[[Category:3D Printing]]

Theshittinator at 01:44, 4 January 2026

2026-01-04T01:44:44Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:44, 3 January 2026
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	\|Similar to ABS, ASA takes almost all of its benefits with fewer downsides, though it still doesn't make it suitable for all DIY firearm use cases.		\|Similar to ABS, ASA takes almost all of its benefits with fewer downsides, though it still doesn't make it suitable for all DIY firearm use cases.
	\|}		\|}
			These plastics should be avoided. They've been tested and tend to produce undesirable results when used to produce high-stress parts:
	{\| class="wikitable sortable"		{\| class="wikitable sortable"
	\|+Bad Plastics		\|+Bad Plastics
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	* Failure mode is breakage		* Failure mode is breakage
	* Low impact resistance		* Low impact resistance
	\| rowspan="3" \|In cases where risk is low, such as on furniture, weaker plastics may be acceptable for their UV resistance, heat resistance, or price point.		\| rowspan="4" \|In cases where risk is low, such as on furniture, weaker plastics may be acceptable for their UV resistance, heat resistance, or price point.
	\|-		\|-
	\|PLA		\|PLA
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	* Low impact resistance		* Low impact resistance
	* Low temperature resistance		* Low temperature resistance
			\|-
			\|PLA-CF
			\|
			* Typically does not contain PLA+ additives and is thus a weaker PLA
	\|-		\|-
	\|Any recycled filament		\|Any recycled filament

Theshittinator at 01:42, 4 January 2026

2026-01-04T01:42:15Z

Show changes

Theshittinator at 01:30, 4 January 2026

2026-01-04T01:30:43Z

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{Stub}}
-When 3D-printing a firearm, picking out the right plastic is important. Not all plastics are created equal, and some may fail in a way that could harm the user if used in the wrong application.
+When [[3D Printing|3D-printing]] a firearm, picking out the right plastic is important. Not all plastics are created equal, and some may fail in a way that could harm the user if used in the wrong application.
 This guide will go over some considerations and commonly-used types of plastics that tend to meet the needs of firearm design.
 == Considerations ==
-TODO: Document why one might want to use certain plastics
+The following are key reasons one may choose any given plastic over another:
-TODO: Document how GF/CF additives add rigidity, sometimes temp resist, and aid in crystallinity, but aren't a universal good
+=== Impact Resistance ===
-== Common Plastics ==
+=== Heat Resistance ===
-=== PLA+ ===
+=== Hygroscopy ===
-TODO: PLA+ gud
+The tendency for a plastic to absorb water from its environment is referred to as its hygroscopy. It is a slow, gradual process that is never driven to completion but instead hits an equilibrium with the ambient humidity in the environment. Plastics that have absorbed water often exhibit lower rigidity and higher impact resistance.
-=== Nylons ===
+Filaments that are particularly hygroscopic should be dried before printing and may even need to be printed from a specialized dry box so as to not reabsorb moisture over the duration of a print. When melting a plastic that has absorbed water, the water will boil to steam at the hotend and introduce voids in the print, ruining it.
-== Plastics to Avoid ==
+=== Creep ===
-=== PETG ===
+=== Failure Mode ===
-TODO: PETG Shatters and it's a bad time
+The way in which a plastic fails is an important consideration when risk is high, such as in the case of a printed upper-receiver. Plastics tend to fail in two ways:
-=== PLA ===
+* Breaking, in which the plastic shatters violently; or
-Not to be confused with PLA+, base PLA is incredibly rigid and tends to break more than yield.
+* Yielding, in which the plastic stretches and taffies out
-Blends of PLA that do not contain PLA+ additives, such as PLA-CF and Silk PLA, should also be avoided
+Yielding is often more desirable as it tends to constitute less of an operational risk to the wielder.
-=== Recycled Filaments ===
+== Common Plastics ==

Theshittinator: Created page with "{{Stub}} When 3D-printing a firearm, picking out the right plastic is important. Not all plastics are created equal, and some may fail in a way that could harm the user if used in the wrong application. This guide will go over some considerations and commonly-used types of plastics that tend to meet the needs of firearm design. == Considerations == TODO: Document why one might want to use certain plastics TODO: Document how GF/CF additives add rigidity, sometimes tem..."

2026-01-03T07:57:26Z

Created page with "{{Stub}} When 3D-printing a firearm, picking out the right plastic is important. Not all plastics are created equal, and some may fail in a way that could harm the user if used in the wrong application. This guide will go over some considerations and commonly-used types of plastics that tend to meet the needs of firearm design. == Considerations == TODO: Document why one might want to use certain plastics TODO: Document how GF/CF additives add rigidity, sometimes tem..."

New page

{{Stub}}

When 3D-printing a firearm, picking out the right plastic is important. Not all plastics are created equal, and some may fail in a way that could harm the user if used in the wrong application.

This guide will go over some considerations and commonly-used types of plastics that tend to meet the needs of firearm design.

== Considerations ==
TODO: Document why one might want to use certain plastics

TODO: Document how GF/CF additives add rigidity, sometimes temp resist, and aid in crystallinity, but aren't a universal good

== Common Plastics ==

=== PLA+ ===
TODO: PLA+ gud

=== Nylons ===
TODO: Nylon gud, has drying considerations

== Plastics to Avoid ==

=== PETG ===
TODO: PETG Shatters and it's a bad time

=== PLA ===
Not to be confused with PLA+, base PLA is incredibly rigid and tends to break more than yield.

Blends of PLA that do not contain PLA+ additives, such as PLA-CF and Silk PLA, should also be avoided

=== Recycled Filaments ===