Dry Box and Active Filament Drying During Print

A dry box or heated dryer prevents filament from absorbing moisture:

📦 Types of dry boxes:
• Passive dry box: Airtight box + silica gel packets
  – Ikea Samla, Plano tackle box, custom printed
  – Cheap solution, silica needs occasional regeneration
• Active dryer: Heats filament during printing
  – Sunlu S2, eSun eBOX Lite, Bambu Dryer
  – Best for Nylon, PVA and damp filaments

🌡 Drying temperatures: • PLA: 45–50 °C for 4–6 hours • PETG: 55–65 °C for 4–6 hours • ABS/ASA: 60–80 °C for 4–6 hours • TPU: 45–55 °C for 4–6 hours • Nylon: 70–80 °C for 8–12 hours • PVA: 45–55 °C for 6–8 hours

🔧 DIY dry box tips: • Use PTFE tubing feedthroughs with seals • Buy a digital hygrometer to monitor humidity (under $3) • Target: below 15% relative humidity • Regenerate silica gel packets in oven at 120 °C for 2 hours

💡 Practical tips: • One end of PTFE goes directly into printer bowden • Label spools with date removed from packaging • Filament in dry box stays dry for months