<p>PLA is just about the only common material that prints <em>well</em> on the stock Ender 3. The extruder lacks proper grip and/or torque at the hob for printing PETG well, and printing TPU with a bowden tube is very slow and error-prone. All of these should work if you're willing to go very slow (20-30 mm/s top) though. ABS and ASA are probably doable, at least with a simple enclosure, but I don't have any experience with them. Most other common materials need significantly higher temperatures than the hotend's safe limit of 250 ˚C.</p>
<p>However there are a couple uncommon materials that should print well:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>PVB (polyvinyl butyral, probably best known as Polymaker Polysmooth). It prints at temperatures similar to PLA, but is soluble (and therefore smoothable) in isopropyl alcohol (IPA).</p>
</li>
<li><p>PLC (polycaprolactone) is a very-low-temperature material most commonly used in &quot;3D pens&quot;. In fact the temperatures for it are so low (70-140 ˚C) that you'll likely need to send special gcode commands to disable the &quot;minimum extrude temperature&quot; in the printer's firmware or flash firmware without that limitation.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p>Finally, I guess I should mention that POM (Acetal/Delrin) is within the range of the stock hotend and extruder's capabilities, but is utter hell to print. It doesn't adhere to anything but itself, and warps badly as it cools.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-10-03T01:38:51.357Z
I'll definitely try PVB for my busts, miniatures etc. thanks
Tristan Adams
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-10-03T07:25:10.040Z
Also we can consider PVA, I suppose.
user30878
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-10-03T13:39:41.427Z
Yes. I didn't include materials normally used as support only. However PVA is potentially interesting for things like making custom time-release shells (think tide pods, medicine, etc.). HIPS is another material that's usually used as support but might be printable.
R.. GitHub STOP HELPING ICE
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-10-03T00:03:46.020Z
2021-10-03T00:03:46.020Z
R.. GitHub STOP HELPING ICE
<p>A (pre-2019) stock ender3 can't print tpu because of a 3mm gap between the driver in the extruder and the bowden tube.  But there are multiple adapter plates on thingiverse that close this gap, and then tpu works fine (with some tuning).</p>
<p>I got tpu to work for small parts even without the adapter plate.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-10-02T23:51:27.653Z
This is incorrect. The stock Ender 3, at least since 2019, has not had this problem. While there are other reasons printing TPU on it is painful, I used the stock extruder for the first 2 years I owned mine and never once had TPU buckle between the hob and the bowden.
R.. GitHub STOP HELPING ICE
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-10-02T23:59:31.180Z
Not incorrect, but perhaps out of date.  My ender3 is older than 2019.   I'll adjust my answer.  I've had no pain in printing tpu ince I calibrated it.
user10489
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-10-03T00:06:12.603Z
Based on things I recall reading, I think they fixed it at some point in 2018, but I never saw the bad extruder myself. Mine has a sort of curved triangle form in the plastic bracket that protrudes between the idler and the hob so that the filament has nowhere to buckle.
R.. GitHub STOP HELPING ICE
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-10-04T00:32:57.503Z
Even unmodified, my stock ender3 was able to print tpu for a while but eventually it would buckle and escape the extruder driver.
user10489
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-10-02T22:17:08.703Z
2021-10-03T00:00:02.760Z
2021-10-03T00:00:02.760Z
user10489
<p>Consider <strong>Wood PLA</strong>.  It is similar to PLA but more abrasive, and with different happy-temperatures.</p>
<p>Especially useful if you want to paint your output, or if you have woodworking skills/tools then prints can be (somewhat) worked and incorporated into larger projects.</p>
<p>Imagine printing detailed <strong>scallions</strong> or <strong>crenellations</strong> or <strong>gargoyles</strong> for a spooky dollhouse - the main walls would use an inordinate amount of filament whereas sheet-wood is cheaper.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-10-02T22:14:50.300Z
Note: abrasive filaments like this will wear out your nozzle.  Have replacements ready.
user10489
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-10-02T22:50:47.557Z
that's awesome, I love woodworking so this would be super helpful for small parts.
Tristan Adams
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-10-02T22:52:13.753Z
Eryone has a 15% metal PLA is it any good?
Tristan Adams
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-10-02T23:15:56.753Z
@TristanAdams that might be a better question by itself.  Also is off topic for being "opinion"   Try rephrasing as "what are the advantages and disadvantages of Eryone's 15% metal PLA compared to other PLA?"
Criggie
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-10-02T22:01:06.450Z
2021-10-02T22:01:06.450Z
Criggie
<p>I have used PLA and PLA+ so far and I know that it can use ABS and PETG but I'm curious what other materials could I in theory use with my Ender 3?</p>
<p>It is a stock configuration, for the time being at least until after Christmas, and my grandfather and I have designed an enclosure to build together.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-10-02T20:05:55.430Z
This depends on what kind of hotend you have installed, if you have it in an enclosure and so on. This is an open ended list.....
Trish
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-10-02T21:55:25.810Z
Is it stock at this time?
Criggie
<creality-ender-3><material>
What else can I print with my stock Ender 3
Tristan Adams
# What else can I print with my stock Ender 3

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-10-02)

I have used PLA and PLA+ so far and I know that it can use ABS and PETG but I'm curious what other materials could I in theory use with my Ender 3?

It is a stock configuration, for the time being at least until after Christmas, and my grandfather and I have designed an enclosure to build together.

**Tags:** creality-ender-3, material

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: This depends on what kind of hotend you have installed, if you have it in an enclosure and so on. This is an open ended list.....  
> **username_2**: Is it stock at this time?  

---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2021-10-03. Score: 0 | Accepted answer

PLA is just about the only common material that prints *well* on the stock Ender 3. The extruder lacks proper grip and/or torque at the hob for printing PETG well, and printing TPU with a bowden tube is very slow and error-prone. All of these should work if you're willing to go very slow (20-30 mm/s top) though. ABS and ASA are probably doable, at least with a simple enclosure, but I don't have any experience with them. Most other common materials need significantly higher temperatures than the hotend's safe limit of 250 ˚C.

However there are a couple uncommon materials that should print well:

* PVB (polyvinyl butyral, probably best known as Polymaker Polysmooth). It prints at temperatures similar to PLA, but is soluble (and therefore smoothable) in isopropyl alcohol (IPA).
* PLC (polycaprolactone) is a very-low-temperature material most commonly used in "3D pens". In fact the temperatures for it are so low (70-140 ˚C) that you'll likely need to send special gcode commands to disable the "minimum extrude temperature" in the printer's firmware or flash firmware without that limitation.

Finally, I guess I should mention that POM (Acetal/Delrin) is within the range of the stock hotend and extruder's capabilities, but is utter hell to print. It doesn't adhere to anything but itself, and warps badly as it cools.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: I'll definitely try PVB for my busts, miniatures etc. thanks  
> **username_4**: Also we can consider PVA, I suppose.  
> **username_3**: Yes. I didn't include materials normally used as support only. However PVA is potentially interesting for things like making custom time-release shells (think tide pods, medicine, etc.). HIPS is another material that's usually used as support but might be printable.  

---

### Answer by username_5 on 2021-10-02. Score: 1

A (pre-2019) stock ender3 can't print tpu because of a 3mm gap between the driver in the extruder and the bowden tube. But there are multiple adapter plates on thingiverse that close this gap, and then tpu works fine (with some tuning).

I got tpu to work for small parts even without the adapter plate.

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: This is incorrect. The stock Ender 3, at least since 2019, has not had this problem. While there are other reasons printing TPU on it is painful, I used the stock extruder for the first 2 years I owned mine and never once had TPU buckle between the hob and the bowden.  
> **username_5**: Not incorrect, but perhaps out of date.  My ender3 is older than 2019.   I'll adjust my answer.  I've had no pain in printing tpu ince I calibrated it.  
> **username_3**: Based on things I recall reading, I think they fixed it at some point in 2018, but I never saw the bad extruder myself. Mine has a sort of curved triangle form in the plastic bracket that protrudes between the idler and the hob so that the filament has nowhere to buckle.  
> **username_5**: Even unmodified, my stock ender3 was able to print tpu for a while but eventually it would buckle and escape the extruder driver.  

---

### Answer by username_2 on 2021-10-02. Score: 0

Consider **Wood PLA**. It is similar to PLA but more abrasive, and with different happy-temperatures.

Especially useful if you want to paint your output, or if you have woodworking skills/tools then prints can be (somewhat) worked and incorporated into larger projects.

Imagine printing detailed **scallions** or **crenellations** or **gargoyles** for a spooky dollhouse - the main walls would use an inordinate amount of filament whereas sheet-wood is cheaper.

> **Comments:**
> **username_5**: Note: abrasive filaments like this will wear out your nozzle.  Have replacements ready.  
> **username_0**: that's awesome, I love woodworking so this would be super helpful for small parts.  
> **username_0**: Eryone has a 15% metal PLA is it any good?  
> **username_2**: @username_0 that might be a better question by itself.  Also is off topic for being "opinion"   Try rephrasing as "what are the advantages and disadvantages of Eryone's 15% metal PLA compared to other PLA?"  

---

