PETG to -18°C ?

Nigel Crompton

Nigel Crompton

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Were I to need to print something to withstand domestic freezer temperatures would PET-G do, or will I need something more esoteric ?

It's essentially a mould in which to freeze home-made "ready meals" to subsequently re-heat (sans mould!) in the camper's air-fryer. After freezing the food would be released from the mould and bagged for storage.

(Searching G. for "PET-G" & "temperature" produces the predicable, nozzle related results)
 
You need to consider whether the material will flex enough at -18C to deal with ice expansion. And if it's food safe.
 
PET-G is food safe, but, it will probably crack at -20c. Try it. What can you loose.
Might try it myself actually.
Making a box now to fill with water and putting it in the freezer. 🤪
 
Guigsy said:
Put the food (or test water) in a freezer bag first. Before you put it in the mold. Then you don't have to worry about safety, leaks, or cracks.
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Good idea, but it'll not work for a Shepherd's Pie or Lasagne ...

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You could lay cling film over the mould before placing your grub in it.This will make it easier to separate from the mould after freezing. If the cling won’t come away from the grub, just pour a little warm water over it to release it.
My tester is freezing up nicely. Will take it out in the morning. 👍
 
Test 1. A little 3D printed PETG container 80mm diameter and 25mm tall filled with water in the freezer for a day survived very happily. The shape of the container is important for ejecting the frozen food. Sloping sides to allow it to slip out is important. No cling film was used. It took a little warm water poured over the bottom to get it out. I think cling film laid in the container first might have made it easier to get out. Will try that next time. Will try a larger container when I get a chance.
 
PaulandChrissy said:
Test 1. A little 3D printed PETG container 80mm diameter and 25mm tall filled with water in the freezer for a day survived very happily. The shape of the container is important for ejecting the frozen food. Sloping sides to allow it to slip out is important. No cling film was used. It took a little warm water poured over the bottom to get it out. I think cling film laid in the container first might have made it easier to get out. Will try that next time. Will try a larger container when I get a chance.
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Thanks for that. As our air-fryer has a more-or-less rectangular compartment I would, ideally, be interested in how a container with 90deg corners fares .......
 
Would it not be cheaper to use and reuse plastic containers of the sort used in Chinese takeaways?

Cheers
Red.
 
RedFrame said:
Would it not be cheaper to use and reuse plastic containers of the sort used in Chinese takeaways?

Cheers
Red.
Click to expand...
Definitely would.
I think maybe specific sizes are needed ?

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Our camper airfryer is 3.8lts.
We've been using tinfoil containers until now - we just throw them into the gas oven after de-frosting. Job done. But they don't fit the air-fryer.
(Bambu Labs have some hefty discounts atm :unsure:)
 
Nigel Crompton said:
Thanks for that. As our air-fryer has a more-or-less rectangular compartment I would, ideally, be interested in how a container with 90deg corners fares .......
Click to expand...
90deg sides woul make it a real problem getting the grub out. You would have to flex the container and it will most certainly crack.
 
Nigel Crompton said:
Our camper airfryer is 3.8lts.
We've been using tinfoil containers until now - we just throw them into the gas oven after de-frosting. Job done. But they don't fit the air-fryer.
(Bambu Labs have some hefty discounts atm :unsure:)
Click to expand...
Bamboo labs are really good machines. I’m a Prusa man though. Been with Prusa machines before Bamboo Labs appeared on the market. All my spare parts for my machines are mostly interchangeable, so Prusa makes sense for me. Went to the factory in Czech republic this summer. Amazing.
 
Is it not easier to find a nylon container that’s indestructible on Amazon or eBay. Probably a more suitable route to take. And cheaper. 🙂


IMG_6665.png
 
I've picked out key words from this thread...but to be honest...what you guys talking about..,🤔

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PaulandChrissy said:
Bamboo labs are really good machines. I’m a Prusa man though. Been with Prusa machines before Bamboo Labs appeared on the market. All my spare parts for my machines are mostly interchangeable, so Prusa makes sense for me. Went to the factory in Czech republic this summer. Amazing.
Click to expand...
I had a Prusa Mk2. It was a massive upgrade from my string and plywood Printrbot. I should have kept it up to date, but it just kept soldering away. And update kits are no longer available... and are probably pointless anyway as I'd have to change so much.

I got a Bambu Labs P1S with the AMS about a year ago. It's amazing. Incredibly fast. And so reliable that I don't even bother checking that it's started printing. No, I'm not keen on the fact it's a closed garden and not open source. But they do sell spares and they're pretty reasonably priced. Not that I've needed it so far.

I've given my old Prusa to my dad. He needed a hobby. Mum says if she can hear the printer whining away, she knows he's keeping out of trouble. 😆
 
I’ve had a PETG container in the freezer for a good few days now. It’s fine until you try to remove the frozen block of grub. To get the grub out involves a bit of flexibility in the container, and -20 PETG just won’t cut it reliably. 🤪
 
Surprisingly little info on this :-(

[Broken Link Removed] from US Plastics Corporation implies PETG is good at low temps. I’d suspect that the problem is more 3d printing and frozen water - the layer lines will fill with water by capillary action then it expands as it freezes pushing the layers apart and weakening them.

Also: 3d printing and food storage isn’t ideal.

If you really need a custom food container, I’d use something like this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Silicone-Making-Rubber-Elastic-Liquid/dp/B09BFGQ37Q?tag=mhf04-21 to make one you could FDM print the former for the silicon :-)

EDIT: those RTV-2 silicons are also good to ±200C so you could theoretically cook your food in it. Probably not advisable though.

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Jane And Rog said:
Surprisingly little info on this :-(

[Broken Link Removed] from US Plastics Corporation implies PETG is good at low temps. I’d suspect that the problem is more 3d printing and frozen water - the layer lines will fill with water by capillary action then it expands as it freezes pushing the layers apart and weakening them.

Also: 3d printing and food storage isn’t ideal.

If you really need a custom food container, I’d use something like this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Silicone-Making-Rubber-Elastic-Liquid/dp/B09BFGQ37Q?tag=mhf04-21 to make one you could FDM print the former for the silicon :-)

EDIT: those RTV-2 silicons are also good to ±200C so you could theoretically cook your food in it. Probably not advisable though.
Click to expand...
Totally agree. 👍
 
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We've acquired some traditional tin-foil containers which fit the airfryer, but don't use the full volume and are smaller than the ones we've used previously which held a meal for two. We'll try the staples of shepherd's pie & lasagne and assess whether they're still 'filling'.
 
Out of interest anyone printing PETG with a Creality Ender 3 Pro? If so any useful temperature/nozzle/bed settings would be appreciated as I have a reel to "test" and am aware I may need to replace the nozzle afterwards.
 

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