<p>I recently got a 3D printer and have been experimenting with it a lot, resulting in a lot of failed prints (as well as successes, fortunately).</p>

<p>I'd like to, if possible, find a way to reuse the material from these failed prints.  I am thinking about two methods:</p>

<ol>
<li>The obvious thing to do with the material is to chuck it in an old toaster oven and reuse it for injection molding.  Is this something that is reasonably easy to do? If so, what temperature would be reasonable to use? What materials would be good to use for the mold? (off the top of my head, silicone or printed ABS with some kind of sealant seem the most promising)</li>
<li>Are there other ways to easily reuse the material? I've noticed that when PLA is heated to somewhere around 50-60 degrees C (120-150 F) it becomes somewhat soft and malleable. Does anyone have experience molding hot PLA?</li>
</ol>

<p>EDIT:</p>

<p>To be clear, I'm specifically asking about ways to reuse scrap PLA material, not just leftover filament, and not ways to turn it back into filament or to just recycle it. I'm particularly interested in the viability of the two methods I suggested, and if anyone has experience (positive or negative) with either I'd like to hear about it.</p>

[{'answer_id': 4052, 'author': 'markshancock', 'author_id': 6417, 'author_profile': 'https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/6417', 'pm_score': 3, 'selected': False, 'text': '<p>Here is a great article on the subject, <a href="https://www.3dhubs.com/talk/thread/how-make-your-own-filament-recycling-old-3d-prints-part-1" rel="nofollow noreferrer">How to make your own filament by recycling old 3D prints | Part 1</a>.</p>\n\n<p>At $20/kg for new material, it is going to be hard for recycling to break even; but, if the cost is not your concern, there are some options.</p>\n\n<p>Here is another creative option that I just saw... Cue amazing electric guitar riff:</p>\n\n<p><a href="https://i.stack.imgur.com/4Ur4H.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.stack.imgur.com/4Ur4H.jpg" alt="Angus Young - ACDC"></a></p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>Guitar Picks (and jewelry)</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>Here is the video: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42c8go9A7HQ" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Failed Print Recycling Revisited // Guitar Picks, Earrings, and More</a>.</p>\n'}, {'answer_id': 4062, 'author': 'Brad', 'author_id': 7104, 'author_profile': 'https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7104', 'pm_score': 2, 'selected': False, 'text': '<p>I ended up buying a little handheld 3D pen. It comes in handy when printing models that require assembly. You can use the leftover filament in the 3D pen. If you don\'t have a 3D pen, you can use a soldering iron (as long as you can control the temp) to weld items together. I works well for part repairs and assembly.</p>\n\n<p>The 3D pens is also handy for quick simple prints, as mentioned above. A guitar pick is a good idea and very easy to make with the 3D pen. </p>\n\n<p>As for making your own filament, there are a couple of machines I would recommend looking into.</p>\n\n<p>First you will need something to prep the material.  This <a href="http://filamaker.eu/product/harddrive-destroyer/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">shredder</a> will help.</p>\n\n<p>To make your own filament, here are a couple of options</p>\n\n<ol>\n<li><a href="http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:145500" rel="nofollow noreferrer">DIY</a></li>\n<li><a href="http://d3dinnovations.com/filafab/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Off the shelf</a></li>\n</ol>\n\n<p>Regarding Injection Molding, I have never done it, however found some <a href="https://www.rtpcompany.com/technical-info/molding-guidelines/pla-compounds/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">good info</a> on molding PLA.</p>\n'}, {'answer_id': 5820, 'author': 'Hugh', 'author_id': 10529, 'author_profile': 'https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/10529', 'pm_score': 2, 'selected': False, 'text': '<p><a href="https://preciousplastic.com/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://preciousplastic.com/</a> Is a fantastic project that promotes plastic recycling into useful objects. They offer free blueprints, videos on how to build the recycling equipment, and offer suggestions on what to make of your recycled goods.</p>\n\n<p>Personally, I am looking into making garden bricks or paver stones. I have not found the ideal temperatures or heating methods just yet. </p>\n'}]
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