Filament absorbs water from the air, and wet filament prints badly: it hisses, strings, and comes out weak and rough. Drying fixes it, but every material wants a different temperature. This gives the right one, so you dry it without cooking it.
How to use it
- Pick the material you are drying.
- Read the recommended temperature and time for that material.
- Dry in a filament dryer, food dehydrator, or a carefully watched oven at that temperature.
- Print soon after, or store the dried spool in a sealed box with desiccant.
What it does
Per material, not one size
Nylon at PLA temperatures barely dries, PLA at nylon temperatures softens. The tool matches the heat to the plastic.
Time as well as temperature
Thirsty materials need hours, not minutes. It tells you how long, not just how hot.
Safe limits
Every figure sits below the glass transition, so the spool dries rather than sags.
What people use it for
Rescuing a stringy print
A spool that suddenly strings and pops is usually wet. Dry it at the right temperature and the problem often vanishes.
Opening old stock
A spool that has sat open for months has drunk a lot of air. Dry before the first print rather than wasting a plate finding out.
Thirsty materials
Nylon, PVA and TPU need drying as routine, not as a rescue. Know the schedule up front.
Good to know
- A food dehydrator is the cheapest safe dryer: gentle, even heat and room for a whole spool.
- If you use an oven, verify the real temperature with a separate thermometer, since dials overshoot and can fuse a spool.
- Dry, then store dry: a sealed box with fresh desiccant keeps filament from re-absorbing what you just removed.
- Very wet nylon can need a long cycle. If one pass does not fix the printing, run it again rather than raising the heat.
Questions
Which filaments need drying?
All of them eventually, but some are thirsty: nylon and PVA drink water fast, PETG, TPU and ABS less so, PLA slowest. Wet filament pops, strings, and prints weak and rough.
What temperature and how long?
Pick the material and the tool gives a safe temperature and time. As a guide: PLA around 45C for 4 to 6 hours, PETG 65C for 4 to 6, ABS and ASA 65 to 70C, nylon 70 to 80C for 8 to 12 hours.
Can I dry filament in the oven?
Carefully. Home ovens overshoot their set temperature and can soften or fuse a spool. A dedicated filament dryer or a food dehydrator holds a gentler, steadier heat, which is safer.
How do I know filament is wet?
It hisses or pops at the nozzle, strings badly, and the surface looks rough or foamy. If a spool that printed cleanly starts misbehaving, moisture is the first suspect.
Also called
Looked up as a filament drying guide, filament drying temperature chart, how to dry filament, or a filament dryer settings tool. It tells you how hot and how long, per material.