Introducing a special, seasonal release: Winter Blue Glitter Flake. Born out of Project Winterfill, the idea was to capture the spirit of the approaching season in filament form. Created from our highest quality, translucent HTPLA v2, we carefully introduce just the right amount of blue pigment and sparkle for a cool, wintry blue. A very dynamic and deep color, the blue concentration creates a light blue color that can extend both towards a silvery green and a deep dark purple depending on form and light. The additional glitter bits sometimes disappear and in other light bring a frosty finish which make the blue look almost snow-covered. Having been developed in October, we had fun printing some wrinkly pumpkins to experience to experience the rich beauty of this dynamic color. Please enjoy creating festive holiday prints and spread good cheer with Proto-pasta's Winter Blue!

 

Print with the ease of standard PLA with standard hardware and temperatures, but make fun, mesmerizing prints that stand out. Celebrate good times by printing ornaments, toys, and treasures. If you want to make a print more fun, just add glitter. Glitter Flake has little risk of clogging or wearing your nozzle, and it won't make a glitter mess, but beware, printing with glitter is sure to be addictive! Glitter particles are relatively small but have some orientation effects, giving top/bottom surfaces more shine than sidewall, so have some fun playing with orientation to see how the result changes!

 

Like our other HTPLAs, Glitter Flake HTPLA can be "Heat Treated" to increase crystallinity for "Higher Temperature" resistance compared to amorphous PLA, ABS, and co-polyesters like PETG! Glittler Flake HTPLA prints translucence, but turns opaque when heat treated (or crystallized). With a more crystalline structure, heat treated HTPLA parts can hold form to near melting, though temperatures where the material is practically useful vary greatly depending on geometry and load conditions!

 

For this improved the performance, your prints should be baked in an oven until you see a change from translucent to opaque with reduced gloss. This visual change indicating the improved performance! We've seen the change take place in 5-10 minutes on thin walled parts but can take an hour or more. We've had good luck in a quality, at home convection oven at 110C (225F). Parts will get very "floppy" before becoming more firm, so please leave supports on your parts or support them and bake them on a flat, non-radiating surface (like glass, ceramic, or composite).