MatterHackers Tan MH Build Series ABS Filament 1.75 mm, 1 kg: problems, parts and running costs

Checked: 2026-10-23

Summary

The exact Tan 1.75 mm spool (M-X68-49W3) is currently unavailable at a retained $22.99 list price, and the manufacturer’s product page, technical data sheet and safety data sheet disagree on diameter tolerance (±0.03 vs ±0.05 mm) and density (1.25 vs 1.04 vs 1.03 g/cm³). ABS also warps, lifts and splits in cool or open printers, and printing it needs an enclosed, heated, ventilated setup.

Common problems and fixes

Exact SKU unavailable — the product page says “Sorry, this product is currently unavailable” with a retained $22.99 list price and a Notify Me interface; no verified US reseller for M-X68-49W3 was found. Whether it is temporarily out of stock or discontinued is not stated. [1]
Official documents disagree on tolerance and density — the product page claims 1.75 ±0.03 mm where the TDS claims ±0.05 mm, and lists 1.25 g/cm³ where the TDS lists 1.04 and the SDS 1.03. These are source conflicts, not measured deviations on a delivered roll. [1][2][3]
Warping, lifting and splitting — ABS shrinkage causes edge lift, cracking and layer splitting on large parts and in cool or drafty printers; an April 2026 general ABS demonstration showed a large print bending a flexible build plate despite good adhesion, underscoring chamber conditions. That demonstration did not use a confirmed Tan MH Build spool. [4][16]
One 2019 owner reported poor raft adhesion — a November 27, 2019 Reddit owner switched from Hatchbox ABS to unspecified MatterHackers ABS, reused identical settings and found poor adhesion between raft and part, informally estimating MH diameter at about 1.72 mm vs 1.76 mm for Hatchbox. No calibrated measurements, exact Tan label, lot or resolution was supplied. [14]
Emissions during printing — EPA and NIOSH document ultrafine particles and VOCs from molten filament including ABS, and the SDS recommends local exhaust ventilation; a GHS label not being required for the solid stored filament does not prove heated extrusion air is safe. Actual emissions for this Tan color at 230°C were not measured. [3][10][11]
Moisture reports on other MH materials — July 2022 owners discussed wet MH Build/PRO PLA spools and non-vacuum bags; PLA is a different polymer and no exact-Tan ABS sealed-bag moisture data were given. Inspect a shipped roll rather than assume Tan ABS arrives wet. [17]
Service and fulfillment anecdotes — a March 2022 buyer reported slow fulfillment and a loosely wound PRO Flex reel, while a July 2026 respondent praised support; these are unverified single-person reports on different products. [15]
Flexural data appears transposed — the TDS prints “Flexural Modulus 66 MPa / Flexural Strength 2348 MPa” in seemingly reversed places; do not design from either without corrected documentation. [2]
No verified exact-Tan defect frequencies — confirmed reel tangle incidence, print failure age, weak part prevalence, diameter variance, clog frequency and return rate: no reports found. [1][2][14]

Parts and consumables

Main spool, M-X68-49W3 — 1 kg of Tan MH Build ABS 1.75 mm, retained list price $22.99, currently unavailable; a new matched roll is needed after nominally 1,000 g of usable filament, less purge, supports and failed layers. [1]
Same-family black spool, M-WVC-RU99 — MH Build Black ABS 1.75 mm 1 kg at $19.99 with a possible $14.99 bulk tier; changes color and needs its own calibration. [7]
Tan 2.85 mm spool, M-A84-QSWT — $27.99; fundamentally wrong diameter for a 1.75 mm extruder, not a substitute. [8]
Build-plate adhesive and brims — printer/process consumables, not proprietary Tan ABS spares; PEI, glue-on-glass and commercial adhesives mentioned. No measured per-kilo glue consumption. [2][4]
Acetone and sanding tools (optional finishing) — ABS can be solvent-welded or smoothed; acetone is combustible with inhalation concerns; neither acetone nor an enclosure is included. [4]

Yearly running cost

At the retained $22.99/kg [1], raw material runs $0.02299/g; 100 g of successful print stock nominally costs $2.30 and 250 g costs $5.75, before scrap, supports, purge, freight and tax [1]. Three kg per year totals $68.97 and twelve kg totals $275.88, assuming continuous availability that is not presently met [1]. Printing cost is safer to track by grams used than by meters, because the page’s 332.60 m implies 1.25 g/cm³ while the TDS’s 1.04 g/cm³ implies about 400 m from the same 1 kg [1][2]. Electricity cannot be quantified: 90-110°C bed and 220-260°C extruder are temperatures, not power draw, and no annual utility amount is on record [2][4]. Ventilation and filters are a real operating cost but no filter model, replacement price or interval is specified [3][10][11]. No subscription or proprietary licensing is required [1].

When it is a good buy

Observed US published offers, October 23, 2026. [1][7][8][12][13]

Exact Tan, M-X68-49W3 — manufacturer page shows $22.99 list price but currently unavailable; its “As low as $23.51” is higher than the list price and not a trustworthy discount. [1]
MH Build Black ABS 1.75 mm, 1 kg — $19.99, with a possible $14.99 bulk tier; a different color, not an exact-Tan quote. [7]
Good-buy target — $18 or less delivered for a new, correctly labeled spool with full return eligibility. [1][5][7]
$19-$23 delivered if found — a reasonable reference given the nominal $22.99 and competing ABS colors, but not currently orderable. [1][7][12]
Above $30 delivered — choose a comparably specified alternative if Tan is not essential, or verify genuine stock and return terms if the color is required. [1][5][7]

Named alternatives:

ELEGOO standard ABS 1.75 mm black, 1 kg — $18.99 on ELEGOO’s US storefront in October 2026; shipping calculated at checkout; not the same Tan. [12]
Polymaker PolyLite ABS 1.75 mm black, 1 kg — $18.99 displayed but sold out/backordered in October 2026; different temperature guidance (245-265°C nozzle, 90-100°C bed). [13]
MatterHackers PRO Series ABS 1.75 mm — $52.00/kg with advertised ±0.02 mm and US manufacture; a separate higher-tier formulation, not a confirmed Tan option. [9]