<p>I would not recommend you to try and somehow re-size the filament, since even the smallest of irregularities and error in diameter occurring from such a process would ruin your prints with sporadic over and under extrusion. Rather, if you have the tools available, you could grind the filament into pellets, and use a filament extruder to make it anew with your desired diameter. </p>

<p>Alternatively, depending on your printer setup, you might very well extrude true 3.00 filament with your 2.85 mm filament printer. If you try to do that, make sure to:</p>

<ul>
<li>Adjust filament diameter in your slicer</li>
<li>Check that your filament isn't getting squashed by the extruder wheel</li>
<li>Check that all mechanical parts actually can pass through your filament freely</li>
</ul>

<p>I do not own a 2.85 mm printer myself, and therefore have not tried this procedure. There are, however, <a href="https://ultimaker.com/en/community/4297-30mm-pla-vs-285mm-pla">several people</a> who seem to have done this successfully.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-04-20T12:37:46.550Z
I think the errors would depend on the process - I agree there are risks, but a proper process shouldn't have such issues - making pellets and going from there is indeed one way that shouldn't have such issues
user2813274
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-04-20T06:07:31.100Z
2016-04-20T06:07:31.100Z
Tormod Haugene
<p>You will need to melt it push it through a hopper, screw thread, 
then draw it out at a constant pressure, with a water bath plus a sensor to check diameter. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-04-28T05:05:48.383Z
2016-04-28T05:05:48.383Z
albseb
<p>you could put a 3 mm extruder on you're printer. or (if you're r brave) put route filament in the oven for 10 minutes and unroll it than stretch it out. if you do this outside you can attach one ent to a stride licht or something an pul on the other end, if it is hot anoth it should hold its new position. but don't get it to hot or the filament will stick to itself, you can put talk powder on it to prevent this but be shore to watch it off before using your filament. i have never tried this and not komw is it will work. you can try it on i short pease of about 2 m first to test it oud. if it works, please tell me. i would love to know.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-04-23T18:54:04.397Z
It's a joke right? Producing filament with a requested diam is very delicate process. Puting filament to oven is very bad idea. I vote -1 for this answer.
darth pixel
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-04-25T04:25:21.063Z
you can at least try it, if you have nothing to loze
Luca van Straaten
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-04-23T18:20:43.190Z
2016-04-23T18:20:43.190Z
Luca van Straaten
<p>Some 3&nbsp;mm filaments seem to actually be 3&nbsp;mm - is there any way to shave off the excess and use it as 2.85&nbsp;mm? </p>

<filament>
Is there any way to shrink 3 mm filaments down to 2.85 mm?
user2813274
# Is there any way to shrink 3 mm filaments down to 2.85 mm?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-04-20)

Some 3 mm filaments seem to actually be 3 mm - is there any way to shave off the excess and use it as 2.85 mm?

**Tags:** filament

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## 3 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2016-04-20. Score: 8

I would not recommend you to try and somehow re-size the filament, since even the smallest of irregularities and error in diameter occurring from such a process would ruin your prints with sporadic over and under extrusion. Rather, if you have the tools available, you could grind the filament into pellets, and use a filament extruder to make it anew with your desired diameter.

Alternatively, depending on your printer setup, you might very well extrude true 3.00 filament with your 2.85 mm filament printer. If you try to do that, make sure to:

* Adjust filament diameter in your slicer
* Check that your filament isn't getting squashed by the extruder wheel
* Check that all mechanical parts actually can pass through your filament freely

I do not own a 2.85 mm printer myself, and therefore have not tried this procedure. There are, however, [several people](https://ultimaker.com/en/community/4297-30mm-pla-vs-285mm-pla) who seem to have done this successfully.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: I think the errors would depend on the process - I agree there are risks, but a proper process shouldn't have such issues - making pellets and going from there is indeed one way that shouldn't have such issues  

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### Answer by username_2 on 2016-04-28. Score: 1

You will need to melt it push it through a hopper, screw thread,
then draw it out at a constant pressure, with a water bath plus a sensor to check diameter.


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### Answer by username_3 on 2016-04-23. Score: -3

you could put a 3 mm extruder on you're printer. or (if you're r brave) put route filament in the oven for 10 minutes and unroll it than stretch it out. if you do this outside you can attach one ent to a stride licht or something an pul on the other end, if it is hot anoth it should hold its new position. but don't get it to hot or the filament will stick to itself, you can put talk powder on it to prevent this but be shore to watch it off before using your filament. i have never tried this and not komw is it will work. you can try it on i short pease of about 2 m first to test it oud. if it works, please tell me. i would love to know.

> **Comments:**
> **username_4**: It's a joke right? Producing filament with a requested diam is very delicate process. Puting filament to oven is very bad idea. I vote -1 for this answer.  
> **username_3**: you can at least try it, if you have nothing to loze  

---

