# Very impressed with TPU filament. **URL:** \ **Category:** 3d Printing / Slicers / Setup / Problems\ **Created:** [March 26, 2022, 2:37pm UTC](https://forum.makewithtech.com/t/very-impressed-with-tpu-filament/3663 "2022-03-26T14:37:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![roon4660](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/forum.makewithtech.com/roon4660/32/35_2.png) [@roon4660](https://forum.makewithtech.com/u/roon4660)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2022, 2:37pm UTC](https://forum.makewithtech.com/t/very-impressed-with-tpu-filament/3663/1 "2022-03-26T14:37:43Z")
A couple of years ago I bought some ESUN TPU and two rolls of PETG. I finally got around to trying the TPU and was surprised to see how strong it is and it’s characteristics. I have been looking around for things to print with it to show off it’s qualities. If anyone has any bright ideas on the subject please share them. I am slowly trying to experiment with PETG and see what that is like. I like the feel of the filament. It seems somewhere between PLA and TPU when you play with a strand of filament. The pain in the butt I find is changing from one filament variety to another. I can see why Ender 5er changes his nozzle when doing so. Changing from TPU black to PLA white without changing the nozzle is quite an amazing experience but not one I would care to repeat often. Not only was I getting gobs of black from time to time with long stretches of white but suddenly I noticed (perhaps I’m old and crazy) that though neither filament printed with any noticeable odour this mix was very noticeable and quite alarming. I print in a closed area. The PLA white filament that had been printing so nicely before was gobby and a different texture as if it had changed it’s characteristics. ---
**Author:** ![Gramps](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/forum.makewithtech.com/gramps/32/60_2.png) [@Gramps](https://forum.makewithtech.com/u/Gramps)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2022, 2:43pm UTC](https://forum.makewithtech.com/t/very-impressed-with-tpu-filament/3663/2 "2022-03-26T14:43:44Z")
You could run some cleaning filament through when changing > **[Amazon.com: eSUN 3D Printer Cleaning Filament 1.75mm Natural 0.1kg for All...](https://www.amazon.com/eSUN-CLEANING-Filament-Printers-Cleaning/dp/B00MVIYNFW)** > > Amazon.com: eSUN 3D Printer Cleaning Filament 1.75mm Natural 0.1kg for All 1.75mm FDM 3D Printers, 1.75mm Cleaning : Industrial & Scientific ---
**Author:** ![Ender5r](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ender5r](https://forum.makewithtech.com/u/Ender5r)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2022, 3:00pm UTC](https://forum.makewithtech.com/t/very-impressed-with-tpu-filament/3663/3 "2022-03-26T15:00:14Z")
I have some cleaning filament that came with an order of filament, but I have no idea of how to use it. I mean, how is it really different from actual filament. ---
**Author:** ![Gramps](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/forum.makewithtech.com/gramps/32/60_2.png) [@Gramps](https://forum.makewithtech.com/u/Gramps)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2022, 3:19pm UTC](https://forum.makewithtech.com/t/very-impressed-with-tpu-filament/3663/4 "2022-03-26T15:19:55Z")
> **[Cleaning Filament for 3D Printers – What It Is and How to Use It](https://3dinsider.com/3d-printer-cleaning-filament/)** > > We all love our 3D printers when they are working perfectly. Sometimes, the stars align just right, and you come back to a perfectly made 3D print after leaving it for almost an entire day. ---
**Author:** ![Geit](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/forum.makewithtech.com/geit/32/44_2.png) [@Geit](https://forum.makewithtech.com/u/Geit)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2022, 12:41pm UTC](https://forum.makewithtech.com/t/very-impressed-with-tpu-filament/3663/5 "2022-03-27T12:41:07Z")
Cleaining Filament? Thats just clear filament, which sometimes has a lubricant applied and is sold overpriced. I consider those a SCAM. How should that work? Does the magic filament evaporate inside the nozzle taking the gunk along, too? I don’t think so. It just leaves transparent filament behind, which is harder to see than black filament. Do a proper cold pull a few times using the filament you want to print next and extrude some afterwards in advance. The result will be the same. If there is burned filament inside use a softer material like TPU. It will stick to the gunk. Remember it is just a pipe you need to clean and nothing more. I Without paying 15 Euro for 20cm of magic cleaning filament. ---
**Author:** ![Ender5r](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ender5r](https://forum.makewithtech.com/u/Ender5r)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2022, 4:45pm UTC](https://forum.makewithtech.com/t/very-impressed-with-tpu-filament/3663/6 "2022-03-27T16:45:25Z")
@Geit I, too, have wondered about just what ‘magic’ cleaning filament possesses. The only cleaning filament I found that might have some sort of ‘magic’ is 1 that apparently foams up inside the hotend, which supposedly allows it to scrape out the old filament better than others. I haven’t tried it, so I have no idea if it’s true or not. ---
**Author:** ![roon4660](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/forum.makewithtech.com/roon4660/32/35_2.png) [@roon4660](https://forum.makewithtech.com/u/roon4660)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2022, 4:54pm UTC](https://forum.makewithtech.com/t/very-impressed-with-tpu-filament/3663/7 "2022-03-29T16:54:05Z")
I need some neat ideas for something rubbery to print. It was much easier to print on my Ender 3 pro with a bowden tube then I ever would have thought. I was expecting more trouble with stringing and it makes me laugh when you print a vase in vase mode because it dances after it gets up to a certain height but it bounces back so quickly that it still prints. Perhaps not the way PLA would have done but more amusing. ---
**Author:** ![Ender5r](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ender5r](https://forum.makewithtech.com/u/Ender5r)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2022, 5:07pm UTC](https://forum.makewithtech.com/t/very-impressed-with-tpu-filament/3663/8 "2022-03-29T17:07:10Z")
You could always print some animals for grandchildren. ---
**Author:** ![roon4660](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/forum.makewithtech.com/roon4660/32/35_2.png) [@roon4660](https://forum.makewithtech.com/u/roon4660)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2022, 6:02pm UTC](https://forum.makewithtech.com/t/very-impressed-with-tpu-filament/3663/9 "2022-03-29T18:02:25Z")
My grandson is a year and a half old now so I plan to print stuff for him that his parents can give to him as he develops. TPU is great for tough things like tires and belts but I don’t know if I would want him chewing on it. ---
**Author:** ![Ender5r](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ender5r](https://forum.makewithtech.com/u/Ender5r)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2022, 9:29pm UTC](https://forum.makewithtech.com/t/very-impressed-with-tpu-filament/3663/10 "2022-03-29T21:29:13Z")
In case it’s a concern, TPU is classified as Food Safe. ---
**Author:** ![Geit](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/forum.makewithtech.com/geit/32/44_2.png) [@Geit](https://forum.makewithtech.com/u/Geit)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2022, 10:34pm UTC](https://forum.makewithtech.com/t/very-impressed-with-tpu-filament/3663/11 "2022-03-29T22:34:48Z")
I printed replacement door stoppers and kitchen towel holder using TPU. Some test print of a looped GT2 belt turned out to be amazing and very robust. ---
**Author:** ![roon4660](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/forum.makewithtech.com/roon4660/32/35_2.png) [@roon4660](https://forum.makewithtech.com/u/roon4660)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2022, 3:15am UTC](https://forum.makewithtech.com/t/very-impressed-with-tpu-filament/3663/12 "2022-03-30T03:15:53Z")
Maybe I will try to make a nice jack in the box. If my bed were big enough I would print myself some sandals. We tried to print at an angle but stopped the print after the sole was 2,5 mm and you could tow a car with it. I printed a lacy vase in vase mode and tested it for ages now and again by squishing it and torturing it and it is amazingly resilient. I was astonished. I would have used it a long time ago if I knew it was this easy. ---
**Author:** ![Gramps](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/forum.makewithtech.com/gramps/32/60_2.png) [@Gramps](https://forum.makewithtech.com/u/Gramps)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2022, 3:11pm UTC](https://forum.makewithtech.com/t/very-impressed-with-tpu-filament/3663/13 "2022-03-30T15:11:50Z")
I’m testing a sink strainer made with TPU to see how it holds up. I was using PLA but after a while the bottom bows down. I like TPU now that I can print it, my 1st attempts several years ago were all failures and I just gave up messing with it. Now that I have several different colors and always finding stuff to print with it. ---
**Author:** ![Ender5r](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ender5r](https://forum.makewithtech.com/u/Ender5r)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2022, 4:27pm UTC](https://forum.makewithtech.com/t/very-impressed-with-tpu-filament/3663/14 "2022-03-30T16:27:00Z")
You might well find that PETG would work much better for a strainer than PLA. ---
**Author:** ![Gramps](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/forum.makewithtech.com/gramps/32/60_2.png) [@Gramps](https://forum.makewithtech.com/u/Gramps)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2022, 7:25pm UTC](https://forum.makewithtech.com/t/very-impressed-with-tpu-filament/3663/15 "2022-03-30T19:25:48Z")
That’s the next move if the TPU doesn’t hold up ---
**Author:** ![roon4660](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/forum.makewithtech.com/roon4660/32/35_2.png) [@roon4660](https://forum.makewithtech.com/u/roon4660)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2022, 6:09pm UTC](https://forum.makewithtech.com/t/very-impressed-with-tpu-filament/3663/16 "2022-03-31T18:09:38Z")
I love TPU and know how strong it is but I woner if it is rigid enough for a strainer. ---
**Author:** ![Gramps](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/forum.makewithtech.com/gramps/32/60_2.png) [@Gramps](https://forum.makewithtech.com/u/Gramps)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2022, 9:01pm UTC](https://forum.makewithtech.com/t/very-impressed-with-tpu-filament/3663/17 "2022-03-31T21:01:17Z")
The TPU is working very well so far. I printer it at 90% infill to make it a little more rigid. ---
**Author:** ![roon4660](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/forum.makewithtech.com/roon4660/32/35_2.png) [@roon4660](https://forum.makewithtech.com/u/roon4660)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2022, 11:27pm UTC](https://forum.makewithtech.com/t/very-impressed-with-tpu-filament/3663/18 "2022-03-31T23:27:54Z")
I would be very open to any suggestions on things I could print to test the qualities of my TPU filament. ---
**Author:** ![Gramps](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/forum.makewithtech.com/gramps/32/60_2.png) [@Gramps](https://forum.makewithtech.com/u/Gramps)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2022, 1:12am UTC](https://forum.makewithtech.com/t/very-impressed-with-tpu-filament/3663/19 "2022-04-01T01:12:38Z")
If you just want to test your TPU you could print a Calcat. I printed a Octopus for my great granddaughter, the sink strainer. Just pick something that might be neat made out of rubber and print it. I just printed a cover for the steering wheel on one of my RC transmitters. [ATTACH=JSON]{“data-align”:“none”,“data-size”:“medium”,“data-attachmentid”:14780}[/ATTACH] I didn’t want it smooth so I used the texture feature in Prusaslicer to ad some texture to the outside. I printed one without texture and it was to smooth. ![IMG_3273.jpg](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/uploads/makewithtech/original/2X/7/7de5abdcd66c4ed878a20bea38eee549ddc0f219.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![roon4660](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/forum.makewithtech.com/roon4660/32/35_2.png) [@roon4660](https://forum.makewithtech.com/u/roon4660)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2022, 7:43am UTC](https://forum.makewithtech.com/t/very-impressed-with-tpu-filament/3663/20 "2022-04-01T07:43:44Z")
I have done many things to date. I was just curious what other people were doing with it. This crazy young swede had a good use in this video.[15kW Electric Snow Racer Made With 3D Printed Parts - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPUgdD31yqg) He cracks me up. [Next page](https://forum.makewithtech.com/t/very-impressed-with-tpu-filament/3663.md?page=2)