Article is in PROGRESS FOR PHOTO AND DETAILS # Printing Glass (Almost): My Experience with Transparent PETG   _A journey through swatches, profiles, humidity and... surprises._ ## Prologue: The Swatch ObsessionThis is the story of a small maker (yes, it’s going to be long, so make yourself comfortable — it might be worth it in the end) who has the flaw of wanting to do things properly.   Every time I get a new filament, the first thing I do is print my swatches: always the same models, always with my custom designs, which I’ve published on my MakerWorld profile. Some time ago, I came across a transparent filament that really intrigued me:   👉 PETG Overture Transparent  After some good research online — between guides, forum posts and YouTube videos titled things like _“Print Ice”_ or _“Print Glass”_ — I had a decent idea of the parameters to try.   You can do the same search — after all, we’re makers, we love experimenting.---## First Tests: Swatches, Profiles and SatisfactionWith a mix of patience and trial-and-error, I found settings that worked and printed my usual swatches:🧩 Bambu Lab Original Swatch    🧩 Ultimate Filament Sample Remix with Label    Yeah, I know, I’m a bit obsessed — but I love collecting swatches. They’re like little snapshots of every material I test: they tell the story of the hunt for the perfect profile.### Parameters I tweaked: - **Speed**: reduced for more accurate deposition   - **Fans**: turned off or to a minimum   - **Temperature**: slightly increased   - **Layer height**   - **Line width**: tuned for optimal fusion   - **Infill**: variable   - **Top/bottom shells**: reduced or disabled**Result?** Pretty satisfying. Clean, clear swatches. I archived them proudly, ready to show anyone interested in “crystal-clear” prints.---## The Newcomer: A Translucent DisasterThen one day, a friend gives me a new filament:   👉 Bambu Lab Translucent ClearI load it up, apply the same settings I used for Overture… and the result?   👉 A complete disaster.The printed part was **much more opaque**, with a cloudy, milky finish that had nothing to do with the transparency of the previous swatch.   *"What a crappy filament!"* I thought.I dried it just in case… but no improvement.   I was ready to label it “not worth buying.”---## Doubts (and Obsession)Then I asked myself:   **“Is it really possible that Bambu Lab, usually known for high-quality filaments, made something this bad?”**So I decided to dig deeper. With only 1–2 hours a day for my 3D printing hobby, it took me **several days**. I changed every single setting. My house filled up with swatches.   Each attempt improved one thing and worsened another. Still not happy.I even tried using the **perfect Overture profile** — slight improvement, but nothing significant.   Bambu Lab’s filament remained **noticeably more opaque**. And I was getting frustrated.---## The Plot Twist: Overture Turns Opaque TooAt some point I went back to Overture, printed a new swatch…   👉 And it came out opaque too!That's when the light bulb turned on:   **“Could this all just be a humidity issue?”** (but I *had* already dried it...)---## The Breakthrough: Extreme DryingI decided to go all in:   👉 18 hours of drying at 65°C.I wanted to be sure the filament was **100% dry**. Then I ran one final print.### The result? **Stunning.**   Even better than my very first Overture print (which probably arrived fairly dry, but definitely not at 8% humidity like both filaments were now).Looking back, I can confidently say **both filaments are equally good**. The only real difference was **moisture**.The print was flawless. (Yeah, I know the bridges are a bit weak, but we’re talking *zero cooling fan* here!)   While printing, the surface even felt **rubbery and smooth**, meaning the layers were fusing perfectly and uniformly — **no microbubbles**.---## The Takeaway: Humidity Changes EverythingI wrote all this just to highlight something Bambu Lab keeps repeating (and most of us tend to ignore):> 🛑 **DRYING FILAMENTS IS CRUCIAL.**Not just a friendly tip: **it literally transforms your prints**.   The microbubbles caused by absorbed moisture aren’t visible, but they make the plastic cloudy and even change the filament’s original color.- On **transparent filaments**, it’s obvious.   - On **colored or opaque ones**, less so — but the surface will still appear duller.---## ConclusionI hope this article helps someone out there. It definitely changed the way I approach my prints.   And if you’ve read this far: thank you for your time!### My advice?   👉 **Before tweaking endless print settings… dry your filament!**---## Extras (for the curious):🔗 My MakerWorld profile with all the swatch models  📷 Photo gallery of all my tests (coming soon...)🛠 Drying tips: use a filament dryer, convection oven, or a printer with a heated chamber. 👉  SETTINGS FOR FILAMENT:💰 Best Buy Filament Dryer Suggestions for few bucks:     Esun Dryer     Sunlu Dryer ## One Last Tip (Really)If you've made it this far, here's **one final piece of advice** — and it's an important one:> 🧼 **The build surface matters a lot**, especially for flat or low-profile prints where surface clarity is critical.A rough or textured bed will always leave a matte or frosted bottom layer, no matter how perfect your settings are.👉 **Use the smoothest surface you have** — if you own a completely smooth plate (like glass or a mirror finish bed), that’s your best choice. It can make a huge difference in achieving true clarity on flat surfaces.