Complete Starter Bundle — Copper

Copper Filamet™ Print & Sinter Kit — 1.75 mm

Everything you need to print, debind and sinter real copper metal parts on a desktop FDM printer — in one purchase. Filament, Filawarmer, crucible and three refractory ballasts in a single bundle (kiln sold separately).

6 Items in the Box Save vs Buying Separately Beginner-Friendly 86–90.7% Copper Lowest TVF Sinter Temp

See What’s Inside → See How It Works

Copper Filamet Print and Sinter Kit contents

The fastest path to your first copper print

The Copper Print & Sinter Kit bundles the filament with every consumable you need to actually finish a metal part. You don’t need to research crucible sizes, source refractory ballast separately or work out which filament conditioner pairs with which spool — The Virtual Foundry has done that for you.

Add a kiln (sold separately, see the FireX Sintering Kiln) and a hardened steel nozzle for your printer, and you’re ready to make real copper metal parts on the FDM printer you already own.

Why this is the recommended starting point. Copper is the easiest TVF material to print and sinter, and it has the lowest sintering temperature in the range. The kit is everything-but-the-kiln, so you avoid the “I bought the spool but missed the crucible” problem most first-time buyers run into.

What’s in the box

Six items, packed and shipped together — ready to print and sinter.

Copper Filamet™ Spool

0.5 kg of 1.75 mm copper-loaded filament. Sinters to 86–90.7% pure copper. Prints like PLA on any open FDM printer with a hardened steel nozzle.

Filawarmer

In-line filament heater that warms the spool to 60°C before it hits the extruder — resets spool memory and reduces brittleness. Pays for itself the first time it stops a snap.

300 mL Alumina Crucible

93 mm × 93 mm refractory crucible — rated for hundreds of sinter cycles. Holds your green part and the surrounding ballast through the firing.

1 kg Alumina (Al₂O₃)

Refractory ballast that supports the green part as the binder burns off, preventing slumping at high temperature.

0.5 kg Magnesium Silicate

Secondary refractory layer used in the standard TVF packing schedule. Improves part-surface quality and prevents sticking.

0.5 kg Sintering Carbon

Carbon ballast that creates a reducing atmosphere inside the crucible during the sinter cycle — critical for clean copper without oxide contamination.

Why buy the kit instead of the parts separately?

Three reasons most first-time customers regret buying piecemeal:

1. You actually finish your first part

The most common metal-FDM failure isn’t the print — it’s realising you’re missing a crucible or ballast on sinter day. The kit eliminates that.

2. The right ratios, pre-matched

TVF has matched the crucible size to the spool weight and the ballast quantities to the standard sinter schedule — you don’t need to do the maths.

3. Better value than à la carte

The kit is priced below the sum of the individual items, plus you save the freight cost of multiple shipments from the US.

How it works — the 4-step process

From spool to solid copper metal in four steps. Allow roughly 1–2 days total for a typical small part — most of which is the sinter cycle running unattended.

1~2–6 hrs

Print

Print your part on any FDM printer with a hardened steel nozzle. Use the Filawarmer in-line to keep the filament supple.

2~10 mins

Pack

Nest the green part in the alumina crucible using the included sintering carbon, alumina and magnesium silicate as ballast.

3~12–24 hr cycle

Sinter

Fire the crucible in your kiln up to ~970°C. Mostly unattended ramp, hold and cool-down. Binder burns off and the copper particles fuse into solid metal.

4~30 mins

Finish

Once cool, brush off the ballast and clean your part. Expect roughly 15–20% linear shrinkage — design for it by scaling your model up ~120–125% in the slicer.

Who this kit is for

Buy this kit if…

You’re new to metal FDM and want everything-but-the-kiln in one purchase
You already have a kiln rated to 970°C+ and want a copper-printing workflow ready to go
You don’t want to research crucible/ballast specs separately
You’re a maker, jeweller, educator or designer adding metal to a hobbyist or small-shop workflow

Skip this kit if…

You already have crucibles and ballast — just buy the spool by itself
You want to start with bronze instead — see the Getting Started Bundle
You want a tiny sample to evaluate first — see the Evaluation Kit
You don’t have a hardened steel nozzle yet (brass nozzles wear quickly with metal filament)

Specifications

Specification	Details
Filament metal content (post-sinter)	86.0–90.7% copper
Filament density	4.3–5.0 g/cc
Filament diameter	1.75 mm (±0.05 mm)
Spool weight	0.5 kg
Crucible	300 mL alumina, 93 mm × 93 mm
Refractory ballast	1 kg alumina + 0.5 kg magnesium silicate + 0.5 kg sintering carbon
Filawarmer	60°C in-line filament conditioner, 1.75 mm/2.85 mm compatible
Required (not included)	FDM printer, hardened steel 0.6 mm nozzle, sintering kiln rated to 970°C+
Origin	Made in South Central Wisconsin, USA

Frequently asked questions

Does the kit include the kiln?

No. The kiln is sold separately because most buyers are choosing between a new kiln, a pottery kiln they already own, or a kiln they’re sourcing locally. The TVF FireX Sintering Kiln is purpose-built for this material.

How many parts can I make from this kit?

Depends on part size. The 0.5 kg spool prints roughly 8–15 small parts (under ~50 g each). The crucible is rated for hundreds of sinter cycles, and the ballast quantities will support roughly 5–10 sinter runs depending on how densely you pack the crucible.

Why does the kit include a Filawarmer?

Metal-loaded filament is heavier and stiffer than PLA, which means it remembers the spool curl. The Filawarmer heats the filament to 60°C inline before it hits the extruder, resetting that memory and reducing snap risk — especially important for Bowden setups and longer prints.

What kind of printer do I need?

Any open-architecture FDM printer with a hardened steel nozzle — Bambu Lab, Prusa, Creality Ender, Flashforge and similar. See the trusted printers list →

Why copper instead of bronze or steel?

Copper sinters at the lowest temperature in the TVF range (~970°C), so a hobbyist kiln can do the job. Steel and bronze are also supported but copper is the gentlest first project. If you specifically want bronze, see the Getting Started Bundle.

Is sintering safe to do at home?

Sintering reaches ~970°C and the binder burns off as smoke and odour during the early ramp. Place your kiln in a well-ventilated area such as a garage, workshop or outbuilding (never indoors near living spaces), keep flammable items clear, and use heat-resistant gloves. Always read the SDS and follow your kiln manufacturer’s safety instructions.

Resources & documentation

Everything you need to plan, print, sinter and verify your first copper part — straight from The Virtual Foundry.

Printer Compatibility

Trusted Printers List

Check whether your machine is tested before you buy.

Check the trusted printers list →

Printing Guide

The Printing Process

Profile setup, slicer settings and print troubleshooting.

Read the printing guide →

Sintering Guide

Debinding & Sintering

Ramp schedules, hold times and ballast packing techniques.

View the debinding & sintering guide →

Safety & Tech Data

SDS & TDS Documents

Safety Data Sheets and Technical Data Sheets for the TVF metal range.

Download SDS & TDS documents →

Made in South Central Wisconsin, USA. World-class technical support provided for all TVF products.

(TVF-FILAMET-CU-KIT-175)

SKU	TVF-FILAMET-CU-KIT-175
Brand	The Virtual Foundry
Shipping Weight	4.0000kg
Shipping Width	0.400m
Shipping Height	0.500m
Shipping Length	0.400m
Shipping Cubic	0.080000000m3

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