3D Printing for RC: Printers, Filaments & Drying Tips

3D-printed RC plane parts

My current 3D printing setup for RC and hobby projects: which printer I run, which filaments I trust, and why filament dryness is the single biggest factor in print quality.

Printer

I'm running a Prusa MK4 and very happy with it.

Previous printers I owned/built: Prusa MK3S+, Ender V3, plus several DIY builds. The MK4 is the one I keep coming back to for hobby work — reliable input shaping, easy Y-axis calibration, and good first-layer with the Nextruder. (Note: as of 2026, Prusa also offers the MK4S as a drop-in upgrade with the high-flow Nextruder; worth considering if you're buying new.)

Filament Storage & Drying — The #1 Tip

Removing humidity from filament makes a tremendous difference: cleaner surfaces, no popping, better layer adhesion. This is true for all filaments but critical for hygroscopic ones (LW-PLA, TPU, PETG, Nylon).

Rule of thumb: if a filament has been out of a sealed bag for more than a couple of weeks in normal household humidity, dry it before printing.

Filament Notes

PLA & PETG (general purpose)

On the MK4, almost any reputable PLA or PETG prints well — I just buy whatever is cheapest with reasonable reviews. When I want a known-good result for a visible part, I use Prusament.

LW-PLA (lightweight, foaming PLA — for airplanes)

For 3D-printed planes (3DLabPrint, Eclipson, etc.) LW-PLA is the standard. My current go-to is ColorFabb LW-PLA; I'm also testing PolyLight 1.0 LW-PLA Natural from 3DLabPrint.

Critical: LW-PLA is extremely hygroscopic. Always dry before printing, and run the printer at the foaming temperature recommended for your specific brand (typically 230–260 °C — too low and it won't expand; too high and it over-foams).

TPU (flexible)

I use SmartSaints TPU. Same advice as LW-PLA: must be dry, otherwise you get stringing and poor extrusion.

Wood PLA

Very brittle and abrasive — use a 0.6 mm hardened steel nozzle. Brass nozzles get worn down fast. Drying it might help with the brittleness; I haven't systematically tested it yet.

Other materials (Nylon, ASA, PC, CF blends)

I rarely need them and they're typically much harder to control (warping, enclosure required, more drying). For my hobbies, PLA / PETG / LW-PLA / TPU cover 99% of use cases.

Quick Checklist Before Hitting Print

  • ☐ Filament dried (or fresh from sealed bag with desiccant)
  • ☐ Build plate cleaned with IPA
  • ☐ Nozzle temperature matches filament brand recommendation, not just "PLA 215 °C"
  • ☐ For LW-PLA: flow / extrusion multiplier reduced to ~50% (check your slicer profile)

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