Great cost-effective (only $7) way to store plastic and protect it from absorbing moisture. Went to a local bulk foods store and bought a bucket with air-tight lid ($2) and some bulk rice ($5).
Ya they just have a rubber gasket. They originally were used for icing so they are water tight.
I use that but instead of rice, which can get super irritating when you take out filament, I use about 20 silica gel packs and 2 of those little dehumidifiers that you get for closets and stuff. Works really well!
I started out with a similar situation, the only problem is that you outgrow it very quickly.
Instead of rice you could use the Silica kitty litter, or packets as @James_Malenko suggested.
I just seal my spools in ziplock bags with a couple of silica packs in each.
Be sure to use an in line filament cleaner to wipe the rice dust off when printing.
@Tim_Youngblood1 I was thinking something similar for the rice. Put it into a sock like you mentioned or maybe put some cloth down between the rice and filament.
I used some more expensive buckets and calcium chlorid for my filament. https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/100491382260461243919/albums/6030798460169384321
I had a couple of Coleman coolers that were just taking up space and not being used. I used them to store filament. You can put them on a shelf with the door positioned on the side. I have about 20 silica packs inside to absorb moisture.
Could you give some examples of a bulk food store? I’d love to get an airtight bucket for $2
Remember everybody, silica gel works to stabilize humidity. That is, if the silica has a higher water content than the air, it will ADD moisture. Silica gel should be frequently dried (I use my oven at about 100C).
I recently discovered the wonder of calcium chloride, which will always remove moisture from the air, but is not rechargeable. I have a “Damp Rid” unit hanging in my gun safe, and the humidity has never been lower. I recommend CaCl, if you can use it with your filament.
I bought my buckets at a small privately owned store. It is unlikely that a chain bulk food store would have buckets like that. Look for a smaller privately owned bakery/bulk or something like that.
Just beware of using Calcium Chloride. GREAT stuff (we use it on our boat). When the moisture is removed it creates an “ice” at the bottom of the damp-rid bucket along with some “water”. That stuff NEVER dries. We made “home made” damp rids and had one leak. 3 years later and the spot it leaked is STILL moist to the touch. This is why I prefer silica gel with recharging ever few months by putting it in the oven for a few hours.
Was just thinking about it, but the spools don’t seem to take up the full diameter of the bucket. What about using two buckets instead? The perimeter of the outer one filled with rice or some other desiccant, while the inner bucket stores your spools safely away from contamination.