lolol i love when cosplayers think they are real 3d printers, but they cant print tpu. loolol your better off with cardboard buddy. pathetic

Put "plastidip" cans in hot water for about 5 mins before spraying. It really helps. Although I've had cracking issues with the dupicolor brand.

Tips that I learned from Kamui Cosplay and her eva foam and dealing with flexible paint: the plastidip is great but you want to put the can in some real warm water, get the coating up to around 80-90F. This lets it flot and end smoother. It can then be smoothed further with mineral spirits. Hobby Lobby also carries some eva foam paint that is designed to be very flexible for use on foam but you'll be airbrushing. Hope it helps and future iterations and always appreciate your vids!

This will greatly improve cosplay. Now the world knows about it because of your amazing vids! ❤

Super cool, thanks for the video on this man. 3D printed Clone/Stormtrooper armor would benefit so greatly from this material.

That's definitely an upgrade to the madness of fine tuning slicer settings for Ninjaflex and standard TPU. I'm definitely interested in getting some now to experiment with. Thanks for the tips and tricks, Frank!

Oh man Ive had some of this for a few months now and never used it. Crazy excited now to try it out

Another great video. I always appreciate how along with your tips, you emphasize that everyone needs to experiment with different techniques and materials to find out what works best for them. Now I'm going to get some of this flexible PLA to try, hopefully before it is sold out on account of your recomendation!

i found you on TikTok last year and i just got my first 3D Printer last week! i've been binging your videos since!

In Cura you can enable a setting that lets you print rafts and supports with a different filament if you have a printer with a dual extruder, so that could be another option for printing them without them being flexible as well

I’m making a new suit so I’m definitely using this for it’s nexk

Now this is a flex. Bend the rules for cosplay frank!

Thank you for always making the content so digestible and for talking about the new tech being developed in this space! I don't print myself but my partner does so I love learning from you and being able to talk about his passions with him. Stay snazzy!

If you use an air brush or paint gun, you could probably add an automotive paint flex additive to the base coat and the clear coat.

Thank you for the once again for taking the time to experiment and share your knowledge!

Love this stuff. Really grateful for your vids sharing learning curves. Saves us all time and effort and money.

I can't believe I hadn't heard of this type of filament before, considering all of the other ones I've heard of. I will defiantly be trying this out in the near future and comparing it to my TPU. Thanks for sharing you're knowledge.

I'm so happy this is a thing now, 3d printed batman cowls might actually work now

Imagine having a multi head setup and switching out the PLA in places that are rigid, and then using flexible with the other head. Crazy set ups are about to come out.

Thanks Frank!!! I’ve been waiting for this video for a while! Once again another Great Video!!!

This stuff is a game changer for 3d print cosplay. Can’t wait to see what it’s used for!!

I try to follow all your videos. I find them very educational and informative so far. No I’ve got about 14 printers, some resin and some FDM.

I didn't even realize they made flexable pla. Definitely gonna try it when I start back up on my suit.

Excellent stuff, Frank! One trick I've seen to make plastic surfaces more receptive to paint layers is to quickly "flame" the furface by running a blowtorch - or even just a hot-air gun - over the surface just prior to painting. No idea if this would make a difference, but it's worth a go!

Just received my printer Wednesday and was looking for info on this yesterday. Incredible.

Ive been using the ataraxia art for a month now to make swords and knifes and it just works so well

Yes it looks amazing! I hope this will come out good. Can't wait future updates.

Glad I saw this. I just thought about trying to do a Green Ranger Dragon Shield with some flexible PLA I have laying around. This gives me a little hope. haha

Thanks for the heads up on the new material!

Oooh this is a game changer for Spartan undersuits !! No more plain black sports underwear or cheap motorbike protections ❤❤

Im really gonna watch your amazing videos so I will learn to make my own suit

I'm no cosplayer, but I am really interested in the potential for this stuff to make soft goods for 1/12 scale action figures (capes, skirts, etc). 😊

Oh, this gives me plenty of ideas. I think what you could do is use some of the same techniques for coating EVA foam for the flexible PLA here. I have yet to publish my video on my various experiments with getting sandable and flexible coatings on EVA foam, but that should be coming soon. I'll try experimenting with this material myself someday for my Ultraman suit. I use a combination of various types of sealants. Flexbond, which is pretty much a more flexible PVA glue. DAP Kwik Seal. Plaid FX paint. Hexflex. Rapid Fill, along with its companion Fine Finish. I haven't tried Gap Filla. What I did for my third Ultraman helmet (video coming soon, along with the suit itself) was a combination of Flexbond, Kwik Seal, Hexflex (Poly Props), and Plaid FX paint. I just mixed them all together and applied it. It resulted in a flexible and easily sandable surface, especially when applied with a flat paint brush. I then followed that up with 3 coats of Plasti-Dip and airbrushed a mix of Plaid FX paints (with a touch of Vallejo model air paints). I'm going to use a flexible clear coat (varnish) over it, although not without proper testing. All of this may work with flexible PLA as well.

Oh this is going to be spectacular for a mk7 spartan suit I’m working on

I just happened to be using this stuff this week and had all kinds of problems. Fun stuff for sure.

Also meant to tell you I'm jealous of your new workshop. Love to have a maker space half as nice. Except for that pesky 'poltergeist' at 16:30! 😊

Would love to see you print a helmet and a cowl in this new material!!

That would be amazing for the side bits of the patrol trooper armour from solo

YESSSS! Printing the hands/ fingers with this I think would be nice! My hands get eaten up with the hard plastic. And the shoe covers! I think ima try this! Thanks!

I was just thinking about this for my cosplay! Thank you again for covering this!

Car paint shops can mix flex additives in most paints. They can also make custom spray cans or you can use Preval sprayers.

Super informative video!! gonna try some flexible PLA on my Mandalorian hip armor and handplates!! Love that Rick Tee, Frank! 😆❤‍🔥

That is some cool pla.

This is super frickin cool... thanks man!

Last night I was actually testing painting a latex mask with acrylic and seeing if it would stick. Cheap walmart paint didn't work. Currently have a little test spot of Plaid FX drying to see if that will work. Same color as your shirt actually! 😅 If that doesn''t work then I'll see what else I can look into. Possibly leather paint or even mixing this acrylic with some liquid latex.

Nicely done 👍

Awesome quality content as always Frank. What I would like to suggest and think you might consider is looking into a material called SBS. I’m not sure how many international manufacturers make filament with it, but we have some incredible stuff here in South Africa from FilX. It’s more flexible than PLA, great layer adhesion, not hygroscopic and the best part, it smooths with Limonene! Safe with no harsh smells or health risks! Keep the good stuff coming!

people could make their own custom shoes for their cosplay with this stuff!

I agree with some of the other comments. From working with EVA, learned to always warm plasti-drip type materials in warm water before using and occasionally warming it back up. Really stops the glob issues. You could also try flexible paints like PlaidFX or Flexi Paint at least as a primer type layer. Both also offer metallic armor colors that might work as base coats.

So I've been printing TPU a lot lately for my own cosplay. When you use the heatgun method, the part needs to be 100% solid, otherwise you get that deformation you mentioned. Lately I've been using something called FlexBond by ROSCO for smoothing and priming. It's basically a mix of silicone and white glue that I brush on in thick layers, then I can sand that down a lot easier than TPU can be sanded. From there, just paint using flexible acrylics

a batman cowl would be sick with that fillament

Flexible pla is so sick

The true game changer

8:51 About discoloration of PLA after sanding; if you very lightly go over the affected area with a high temp heat gun/ butane lighter, it will bring the normal color back for the most part after sanding A simple butane lighter has been one of my most valuable tools for 3D printing. I also use it for getting rid of stringing. As long as you hit the area for a second or two from a good distance, it won’t hurt your print

I usually have bad luck with timing, but in this case, not having built my first set of armor and still a cosplay/con virgin, this is great news and timing! Woot! 😁Thanks for the tests & video!

16:32 gets me every time. 🤣

It is always fun when Casper makes a guest appearance. 👻 Great video. I will be referring back to it often.

In Ukraine we have local manufacturer of filaments Monofilament and its making Elastane (Spandex) D70, D100 and D160 Filaments, they print easily even without direct drive, results are amazing like PLA

Something to consider: Have you tried priming and painting the flexible PLA with the same stuff EVA foam builders prime and paint their cosplay pieces with? We tend to use primers like Flexbond (thinned down with water) to get into the pores (and maybe this could work with layer lines) and build up a paintable layer.

What you could do to make life MUCH easier for yourself would be to print a thin version in the flexible material as a skin of a baselayer, with sections of the neck glued over the 'skin' in rigid pla. That way, you'll provide structure and flexibility where and how you need whist also having the look you want as well. If only you there was a printer which could print different layers together which would fuse during curing...

Awesome thanks really informative as always 👍👍👍👏👏👏

That's awesome! I wish I had the ability to do this.

I've been on the hunt lately for a good flexible material. I have some flexible resin coming in I'm going to be testing, this is next up on the list. Thanks for the vid Frank

thats dope

15:48 "I see this as an absolute win! 😃"

Hey bud! HEAT YOUR PAINT! Warm bath works. I like to spray with cans at 70-75 degrees. The rubber stuff (plasti dip and such) responds like a dream to a little warmth. Also... have you tried adhesion promoter? Works great when painting urethane armor with Dupli-Color vinly and upholstery paint. Instead of dip primer, might keep your top coats from flaking/peeling. Awesome vid!

You are awesome! I have the Monoprice MP10 with a 300x300 print bed. I want to make a kamen rider cosplay and was worried about some of the pieces, and this fillament will be perfect! Thank you!

I look forward to printing out my halo armor undersuit with this stuff on the neck area and in between the stiff pieces

Hey man love the vids❤❤❤❤❤ you are the reason I made a lifesized Mando helmet!!!!

Great coverage on this! I'm curious, have you tried PLA welding it to other flexible PLA or even the standard PLA to see if it hold up?

Look into Halo EFX for painting flexible parts. Plastidip, rustoleum flex, etc are all rubber based, but Halo is vinyl based. The big advantage is it is more compatible with standard paints so you can use metal cast, clears and such with way less spidering due to reactions. You can actually clear coat Halo with 2K automotive clear with a flex ability additive (common for bumpers).

A paint tip. you can get a automotive paintshop to make you a paint that haave softner in it so it wont crack. RC car paint have it in them. it will make your life alot easyer to paint flex.

Flexibel material is very good for cosplay👍👍

Hey there! I just wanted to drop by and say thank you for creating that amazing video about 3D printed flexible cosplay armor. It was so helpful and informative, and I learned a lot from it. Your attention to detail and willingness to share your knowledge really shines through in your videos, and I can't wait to see what you come up with next. Keep up the great work!

Oh I, too have Ataraxia Flexible PLA in orange version & I was able to print a Batgirl cowl last year. It imperfect cuz of it absorb moisture & I had terrible setting at the time.

i wonder if you use a mosaic pallete and use pla as supports would be helpful

16:31 / 19:21 Tony Stark Came back for his suit

Can you experiment with fussing two flexible prints together? I’d like to print a full size cowel but would need to split it into two pieces. If I can’t fuse them together and had the fuse with sanding paint etc. it won’t be worth it to me.

Definitely want to try this for the same reasons kneck cover, I was having issues with tpu cracking. Thank you for sharing

Your videos are the best

Thank you for experimenting on our behalf. I really want to get into flexi-PLA.

You should create that white ranger concept design that you said you might do one day in your white ranger concept helmet video now that you have the flexible filament.

I am in the process of printing the blue beetle, armor and sword.

Time to warm up the personal use 3D Printers. Hello New Armor

i dunno how helpful this might be , can you use silicone moulding liquid as a filler (kinda like xtc3d) using a sponge brush ? maybe use something to bond it like spray adhesive..?

Theres a really cool product called Alex flex thats like a flexible bondo. I used it for tpu and worked well and tried it on this and worked decently as well!

Aww man, I tried looking up and while we do have Flashforge in Poland, no store sells the Ataraxia PLA. Oh well, maybe in a few weeks.

I bought some of the Ataraxia F-PLA a couple months ago and found it easy to print. Have t tried painting it though.

click on this video as I'm printing with ATARAXIA ART to make a phone case... I made some flexible dinos for my nephew with these and hand painted them with acrylics. Tips and tricks?: It takes some time and can be a little hard to do, but I used a lower temp soldering iron to smooth out layer lines on the Dino to make it look like an injection molded part. Flat tips would work best. You don't want to go too hot, it will discolor or warp, but a lower temp and it is fairly workable. Holes can be filled in also with spare filament like standard pla prints as well. But that also takes some care to not mess it up worse. It takes a steady hand, but gives good results if you are patient.

Ordered some flash forge as I'm scared of tpu 😂 need a neck for a 46 and a 49, the 49 is supposed to fit insanely tight

Have you thought about using a dual printer to mix up rigid and flexible PLA? Like, for the abs of the armor. It could provide you with great quality finishing while giving you just enough flexibility on specific parts.

This is exciting!! I am very much a novice at printing, but have been experimenting with more stuff lately. Been wanting to try TPU but without a direct drive printer I've been hesitant to try on my bowden-tube printer (I've read that some stiffer shore hardness TPU may work). But now with this stuff... hell yeah I'm going to get some right away and see what I can do with it!! Awesome stuff man! Your armors always come out looking fantastic!

Frank you may have to print an armor support for transport and store it

I wonder what would happen if you used flexible UV resin to help smooth it

I’m suprised that you still haven’t made an elicudator, a sword from one of the most popular sword animes

I’m going to give this a shot with mando armor and see how the graphite powder holds up.

This is definitely a game changer! Been waiting for this video since the instagram updates. Seems to be exactly what I need for my Halo undersuit. Do you think it'll be possible to pla weld these or would that not be worth the effort? Thanks for all the info!

Would love to see you do a video trying to print these pieces with Resin 3d printing rubber like resins. Wonder if that would be similar to the casting emily does but with no need for casting. Great Video.

Nice Bare Bones machete in the garage!

Good video, I like how you show the settings, explain what the do.