Try Before You Commit

Filamet™ 3D Metal Printing Evaluation Kit

A small-format sampler so you can run the full print-and-sinter workflow before committing to a full spool and bundle. Includes 100 g of Bronze Filamet™, refractory samples, a small stainless crucible and reference green/sintered prints.

100 g Bronze Sample Run a Full Sinter Cycle Includes Sample Prints Lowest Risk Way to Try
Filamet 3D Metal Printing Evaluation Kit contents

A low-risk way to try metal FDM

Metal 3D printing involves more than just buying a spool — you also need a kiln, crucible and refractory ballast. Before committing to that whole stack, the Evaluation Kit lets you run the complete workflow once with a small sample, so you can prove out your printer, your kiln access and your process.

You get a 100 g spoolless coil of Bronze Filamet™ (TVF’s easiest material), refractory samples, a small stainless crucible and reference parts so you can compare your green print and sinter result to known-good examples.

Important — you still need a kiln. The Evaluation Kit lets you try the full workflow but does not include a kiln. If you don’t have access to one, see the FireX Sintering Kiln or borrow time on a pottery kiln rated to 1000°C+.

What’s in the box

A complete-but-compact kit so you can run a full sinter cycle once.

Bronze Filamet™ sample (100 g)

Spoolless coil of 1.75 mm Bronze Filamet™. Enough to print a small test part or two and feed your evaluation through the full process.

118 mL stainless crucible

Small evaluation-only crucible. Rated for 3–4 sinter cycles — enough to validate your process. For ongoing production, upgrade to the 300 mL alumina crucible in the full kits.

Refractory samples

Sample quantities of alumina (Al2O3) and magnesium silicate — the refractory ballast used to support the green part during firing.

Sintering carbon & kiln paper

Sample of the carbon ballast that creates a reducing atmosphere inside the crucible, plus kiln paper to protect the kiln floor.

Reference green & sintered prints

Pre-printed green part and a finished sintered counterpart, so you can compare your own results to a known-good benchmark before, during and after.

Who this kit is for

Buy this kit if…

  • You’re evaluating metal FDM and don’t want to commit to a full spool yet
  • You want to validate your printer + kiln combination before scaling up
  • You’re an educator wanting a single classroom demo run
  • You’re a maker comparing green vs sintered output side by side
  • You’re an R&D buyer running a low-stakes test before procurement

Skip this kit if…

  • You’re ready to commit — go straight to the Getting Started Bundle for better value
  • You want copper specifically — the eval kit is bronze only
  • You don’t have a kiln rated to 970°C+ available
  • You don’t have a hardened steel nozzle for your printer

How to use the Evaluation Kit

A condensed end-to-end run of the full TVF process — designed to fit on a single weekend.

1

Inspect the reference prints

Compare the included green part and sintered part. This is what success looks like — aim to match it.

2

Print a small test part

Use ~50–80 g of the included filament to print something simple — a Benchy or test cube works perfectly.

3

Pack & sinter

Pack the green part in the included refractories and crucible, then run a full sinter cycle in your kiln (~12–24 hours).

4

Decide

If your sintered result matches the reference, you’re ready to scale up to the full bundle. If not, you’ve identified your bottleneck cheaply.

Specifications

Specification Details
Filament metal Bronze Filamet™ (89/11 tin bronze)
Filament weight 100 g (spoolless coil)
Final metal content (post-sinter) 86.0–90.0% bronze
Filament density 4.10–4.50 g/cc
Filament diameter options 1.75 mm or 2.85 mm
Crucible 118 mL stainless steel (3–4 cycle lifespan)
Refractory samples Alumina, magnesium silicate, sintering carbon, kiln paper
Reference parts Sample green print + sample sintered print included
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

What can I make with 100 g of filament?

Roughly one or two small test parts — a Benchy, test cube, small ring or coin-sized part. The intent isn’t volume, it’s validating your end-to-end workflow on a representative part before committing to a full spool.

Why bronze and not copper?

Bronze is The Virtual Foundry’s easiest material to print and sinter, so it’s the best fit for an evaluation. If your goal is specifically copper, the Copper Print & Sinter Kit is the next step up — copper still has the lowest sintering temperature in the TVF range.

Why is the crucible only good for 3–4 cycles?

The Eval Kit ships with a small stainless crucible to keep cost down. Stainless degrades faster at sintering temperatures than alumina, so it’s rated for a few cycles. Once you commit to ongoing production, upgrade to the 300 mL alumina crucible in the Getting Started Bundle — rated for hundreds of cycles.

Do I need a kiln to use this kit?

Yes — for the full sinter step. A kiln capable of ~970°C is required. If you don’t own one, options include the FireX Sintering Kiln, a standard pottery kiln rated to 1000°C+, or paid time on a local makerspace/ceramics studio kiln.

Why are sample green and sintered prints included?

So you have a known-good reference. New users often don’t know whether their green part “looks right” before sintering, or whether their sintered output matches the expected appearance and weight. The reference parts give you a baseline to compare against at every stage.

After the evaluation — what to buy next

If your evaluation goes well, here’s the typical upgrade path.

Getting Started Bundle (Bronze)

A full 0.5 kg bronze spool, Filawarmer, full-size alumina crucible and bulk refractories. The natural next step after a successful Evaluation Kit run.

Copper Print & Sinter Kit

Same bundle structure but with copper instead of bronze. Lowest sintering temperature in the TVF range — great if your interest is electrical or thermal applications.

TVF FireX Sintering Kiln

If your evaluation showed the kiln access is your bottleneck, this is the purpose-built option. Reaches the temps copper, bronze and steel need.

Resources & documentation

Read these before you start — they’ll save you a wasted sinter cycle.

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-EVAL-KIT)

SKU TVF-FILAMET-EVAL-KIT
Brand The Virtual Foundry
Shipping Weight 2.0000kg
Shipping Width 0.300m
Shipping Height 0.300m
Shipping Length 0.300m
Shipping Cubic 0.027000000m3

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