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Most 3D pens on the market (for example the 3Doodler Create and the Mynt3D) use rods of 1.75mm PLA filament.

This appears to be very similar to the 1.75mm PLA used by a desktop printer. Which is usually much cheaper than 3D pen refills

Has anybody every tried using desktop printer PLA with a 3D pen, and are there any guides\videos available demonstrating techniques for its use?

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Yes. I have both devices and agree that the cost is much less for the spooled filament than the manufacturer's provided small quantities. Both devices use ABS and PLA.

The 3D pen I have used 3.00 (2.88) mm filament as does one of my printers. The worst aspect of this method of use is that the curvature of the filament from the spool causes binding within the pen and requires the user to apply force periodically to ensure feeding.

I've not tried it, but I suspect one could extend a few meters of filament from a spool, apply a weight and some hair dryer heat to encourage gravity straightening. Heat from a heat gun will likely distort the filament diameter.

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  • Does the 3D pen PLA filament suffer from the same hygroscopic nature as the printer PLA?
    – agarza
    Dec 5, 2021 at 21:51
  • That's a good question. It's not out of the realm of possibility that the manufacturers take "haphazard storage" into consideration when formulating the pen supplies. I keep my spools in dehydration bins and if the stuff doesn't snap in handling, it works fine. ABS doesn't snap and is more susceptible to moisture than PLA. I've not had any pen PLA break and it does have stringing, but that's the pen's mechanics, mostly, I think. Hard to separate moisture stringing from user stringing.
    – fred_dot_u
    Dec 5, 2021 at 22:28

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