# Alternative to coffee filters and excelsior



## 55105 (Jan 27, 2015)

Fresh of the printer!

Haven’t tested them yet but the files are available here:

https://tinkercad.com/things/2bFIBb76ylY

https://tinkercad.com/things/7AbT4ArNIi4


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## JMims (Jul 15, 2013)

I'm interested in how these work out. How do they compare in price to coffee filters and excelsior? Do you plan to reuse these?


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## 55105 (Jan 27, 2015)

JMims said:


> I'm interested in how these work out. How do they compare in price to coffee filters and excelsior? Do you plan to reuse these?


If you have a 3D printer they cost a few cents to make. I'm hoping they will be reusable, I made them extra study. My biggest concern is cleaning them. I might do an acetone vapor finish to smooth them out, but there’s a lot of places for bacteria to hide...

I'll try to keep this updated as I go. I'll be making cultures this weekend.


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## 55105 (Jan 27, 2015)

Update

Just made cultures with the new FF lattice. I was worried that the media might not be enough to hold them in place but so far they look pretty solid.










They look a lot nicer than a wad of excelsior or coffee filters. I think for the next design I'll try a rigid frame and double the lattice by cutting it down to 1mm. It should print faster but won't be very durable.


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## k5MOW (Jun 19, 2015)

They look great let us know how it cultures flies. 

Roger


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## kingfisherfleshy (Mar 17, 2012)

Hydei or melanogaster? They seem to vary in what they like. 

I might have made them a little larger.


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## 55105 (Jan 27, 2015)

kingfisherfleshy said:


> Hydei or melanogaster? They seem to vary in what they like.
> 
> I might have made them a little larger.


I've got a culture of each going.

The hydei seem to like it but you’re right the melanogaster aren’t too pleased.


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## kingfisherfleshy (Mar 17, 2012)

Hydei seem to enjoy a bit larger spaces to crawl through. 

It will be interesting to see how this works.


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## jturner (Nov 26, 2014)

I really like the idea. I think that you may need to create a lot more surface area for the flies for that to work well though.


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## Aldross (Dec 30, 2013)

I've been using the plastic cross-stitch stuff the sell in the craft stores. Its normally in the kids section. It works really well and its easy to wash.


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## Wusserton (Feb 21, 2014)

Great idea but it might need a feet on the posts to keep it embedded in media


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## 55105 (Jan 27, 2015)

Wusserton said:


> Great idea but it might need a feet on the posts to keep it embedded in media


Surprisingly, they hold pretty well. I shook them around and tapped them on the counter a lot but we will see on actual harvest.

As many people have mentioned - the climbing area will be increased in the next design. There is actually a lot of surface area because the cross members are 2mm square tubes but I think the smaller flies will prefer more & smaller cross members.

If that makes sense...


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## Wusserton (Feb 21, 2014)

port_plz said:


> Surprisingly, they hold pretty well. I shook them around and tapped them on the counter a lot but we will see on actual harvest.
> 
> As many people have mentioned - the climbing area will be increased in the next design. There is actually a lot of surface area because the cross members are 2mm square tubes but I think the smaller flies will prefer more & smaller cross members.
> 
> If that makes sense...


So I cut down some ceiling material used for false bottoms and tried this very same thing, so far so good but definitely a lack of surface area, my larvae are up top and even on the lid, I ordered filtered lids though because I hate the pinhole punched kind which is what I am using, I have like 3 sheets of the false bottom stuff though so I might use this method, it needs to be shorter than what I cut is what Im thinking, its just below the lid so flies are everywhere once the lid opens lol


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## Wusserton (Feb 21, 2014)

Oh btw, I didnt leave posts like you have, I just pressed it right in and its solid


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## Firstman (Aug 18, 2015)

What if instead you made the design like a number sign (#), two vertical and two horizontal. That would increase your surface area pretty easily. Just my .02


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## 55105 (Jan 27, 2015)

Hi! Sorry for not updating this... The hydei did great! But experimenting is over. I'm going back to excelsior. I also tried window screen but the problem I'm having is that the waste doesn’t have anything to cling to and whenever I harvest I end up with a lot of cocoons.


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## LadyMac (Jul 31, 2015)

port_plz said:


> Hi! Sorry for not updating this... The hydei did great! But experimenting is over. I'm going back to excelsior. I also tried window screen but the problem I'm having is that the waste doesn’t have anything to cling to and whenever I harvest I end up with a lot of cocoons.



This is interesting! I have just gotten my first ff culture, and it is in a vial. I am trying to make one better. Reading about all this is a lot to take in.  

Thanks so much for sharing!


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