Drying Logs

Many 3D printing filaments are hygroscopic, meaning they absorb moisture from the air. This moisture can cause:

• Poor print quality (blobs, stringing)
• Weak layer adhesion
• Nozzle clogs
• Brittle prints

Spool Buddy's drying log feature helps you track when and how you dry your filaments.

Understanding Drying Logs

A drying log records:

• Date and time: When the drying session occurred
• Temperature: Drying temperature in Celsius (optional)
• Duration: How long the filament was dried in hours (optional)

The latest drying log displays in the filament detail view, showing when you last dried the material.

When to Dry Filament

Consider drying filament when:

• You hear popping or hissing during printing
• You notice excessive stringing
• The filament has been stored in open air for weeks
• You've just received new filament (moisture can accumulate during shipping)
• You're using hygroscopic materials like:
  • Nylon (PA6, PA12, PA66)
  • TPU and flexible materials
  • PETG
  • PLA (less critical but can still absorb moisture)
  • Engineering materials (PC, PBT, etc.)

Less critical: PLA, ABS, and ASA are less hygroscopic but can still benefit from drying.

Creating a Drying Log

Opening the Drying Log Form

On iOS/iPadOS

1. Select a filament from the sidebar
2. In the detail view, scroll to the "Material Information" section
3. Tap "Log Drying" button
4. Or long-press the filament in the sidebar and select "Log Drying"

On macOS

1. Select a filament from the sidebar
2. In the detail view, click "Log Drying"
3. Or right-click the filament and select "Log Drying"

Filling Out the Form

Date and Time

• Default: Current date and time
• Customize: Tap the date picker to log a past drying session
• Use this if you forgot to log immediately after drying

Temperature (Optional)

Enter the drying temperature in Celsius:

• PLA: 40-50°C
• PETG: 50-60°C
• ABS/ASA: 60-70°C
• Nylon: 70-80°C
• TPU: 40-50°C
• PC: 80-90°C
• Engineering/Industrial: Check manufacturer recommendations

Tip: If you're unsure, leave this blank - the log is still useful without temperature data.

Duration (Optional)

Enter how many hours the filament was dried:

• Typical range: 4-8 hours for most materials
• Minimum: 2-4 hours for light moisture
• Maximum: Some materials need 12-24 hours for severe moisture absorption

Tip: You can enter decimal values like 4.5 for 4.5 hours.

Saving the Log

Tap "Done" (iOS) or "Save" (Mac) to record the drying session.

Viewing Drying History

Latest Drying Log

The most recent drying session appears in the filament detail view:

Last dried: Oct 5, 2024 at 50°C for 6 hours

Or if you didn't enter temperature/duration:

Last dried: Oct 5, 2024

This quick reference helps you decide if the filament needs drying again before your next print.

Complete Drying History

To view all drying logs for a filament:

On iOS/iPadOS

1. Select the filament
2. Scroll to the "Drying History" section in the detail view
3. Tap "View All" to see the complete list

On macOS

The detail view shows all drying log entries in a table format:

• Date and time of each session
• Temperature and duration (if recorded)
• Sorted by most recent first

Drying Methods

Spool Buddy tracks your drying sessions regardless of method. Common approaches include:

Dedicated Filament Dryer

• Examples: Sunlu, EIBOS, PrintDry
• Pros: Consistent temperature, easy to set and forget
• Typical settings: Set temperature and timer, let it run

Food Dehydrator

• Examples: Presto, Excalibur, Nesco
• Pros: Affordable, large capacity
• Notes: Remove trays, ensure temperature doesn't exceed filament limits

Oven

• Pros: Most people have one
• Cons: Hard to maintain precise low temperatures
• Caution: Monitor closely, many ovens can't go low enough safely

Print Bed (Emergency)

• Heat the print bed to drying temperature
• Place spool on bed for several hours
• Not ideal but works in a pinch

Storage Drying

• Dry boxes with desiccant
• Vacuum-sealed bags with desiccant
• These prevent moisture but don't actively dry
• Good for storage after drying

Drying Best Practices

Log Immediately

Record drying sessions right after they complete:

• Details are fresh in your mind
• You know exactly when the material was last dried
• Helps establish a drying schedule

Include Temperature and Duration

Even though these are optional, they help you:

• Replicate successful drying sessions
• Troubleshoot if prints still have moisture issues
• Build a reference for future materials

Track Results

Add a note to your next print's usage log indicating print quality after drying:

• "First print after drying - no stringing"
• "Still seeing moisture issues - needs longer drying"

This helps you optimize your drying process.

Establish a Schedule

For frequently used materials:

• Dry before starting a large print
• Re-dry if not used for 2+ weeks (depending on humidity)
• Keep notes on how long materials stay dry in your environment

Material-Specific Notes

Different materials need different care:

High Priority (Dry Often)

• Nylon (PA6, PA12): Absorbs moisture quickly, dry before every print if stored in open air
• TPU: Can absorb moisture in days
• PC: Very hygroscopic
• PVA (support material): Extremely hygroscopic

Medium Priority

• PETG: Benefits from drying but less critical than nylon
• ABS/ASA: Somewhat hygroscopic

Lower Priority

• PLA: Can usually print without drying unless stored long-term in humidity
• HIPS: Similar to ABS

Common Scenarios

After Receiving New Filament

Even "new" filament can have absorbed moisture during shipping:

1. If factory-sealed in vacuum bag: No immediate drying needed
2. If sealed but not vacuumed: Consider drying hygroscopic materials
3. If open/damaged packaging: Dry before first use

Log the drying session before your first print.

Seasonal Storage

Storing filament over winter or summer when humidity changes:

1. Dry the filament thoroughly
2. Log the drying session
3. Seal in airtight container with desiccant
4. When you use it again, check the log to see how long it's been

Troubleshooting Print Issues

Print quality suddenly degraded:

1. Check when you last dried the filament
2. If it's been weeks, dry it again
3. Log the new session
4. Test print to verify improvement

Engineering Materials

High-performance materials need extra care:

1. Dry for recommended time (often 8-12 hours)
2. Log with precise temperature and duration
3. Print immediately after drying
4. If pausing mid-print for days, consider re-drying

Viewing Patterns

Over time, your drying logs help you understand:

Material Behavior in Your Environment

• How quickly different materials absorb moisture
• Whether your storage solution is working
• Which materials need frequent drying

Optimal Drying Settings

• Temperature and duration that work best
• Whether shorter sessions are sufficient
• When to invest in better storage

Usage Patterns

• If you dry before every print, you might need better storage
• If a spool hasn't been dried in 6 months, is it worth keeping?
• Which materials you use most (and therefore dry most)

Tips for Different Environments

High Humidity (Coastal, Tropical)

• Dry filaments more frequently
• Consider dry boxes or sealed storage mandatory
• May need longer drying times
• Keep desiccant refreshed

Dry Climate

• Materials stay dry longer
• May not need to dry PLA at all
• Still dry hygroscopic materials periodically
• Good insurance before critical prints

Climate Controlled Printer Enclosure

• Helps maintain dryness during printing
• May extend time between drying sessions
• Log drying sessions to track effectiveness

Troubleshooting

Forgot to Log a Drying Session

No problem:

1. Open the drying log form
2. Adjust the date/time picker to when you dried it
3. Add the temperature and duration from memory
4. Save

Need to Delete a Drying Log

Currently, you can:

1. View all drying logs
2. Select the entry to delete
3. Swipe to delete (iOS) or right-click and delete (macOS)

Material Still Wet After Drying

If print quality doesn't improve after drying:

• Try longer duration (add 2-4 hours)
• Verify temperature is correct for material
• Check if dryer is maintaining temperature
• Consider the material may be too old/degraded
• Verify it's actually a moisture issue (could be other print settings)

Log each attempt to build a reference for next time.

Integration with Usage Tracking

While drying logs and usage logs are separate, they work together:

1. Before a print: Check when last dried
2. Dry if needed: Create drying log
3. After print: Create usage log
4. Note in usage log: "First print after drying" or "Print quality excellent"

This creates a complete history of each filament's lifecycle and print quality.