I got some metal keystock and started using that as a guide to make straight edges on objects and long straight pieces that could be put together to make structures.

I was wondering about strength vs how you make something. raw filament is pretty flexible, but melt it and it gets stiffer.

When using a printer you don't really get melting between layers so that the 2 layers are physically mixed together, they just harden onto the previous layer like inflexible hot glue and if they break free they seperate.

Using a pen you can hold the tip in one spot and melt 2 parts so they are physically a single piece of plastic.

So if I'm making a long stick to build things with, would doing many thin layers be stronger than making a "puddle" of filament and keeping the tip in it as you move so that the end item is physically a single piece?

I'm assuming that if you used a printer to make a vertical way it would become much stronger if you just took a hot tip and ran it across it melting the layers together in a few spots, even if you didn't add any plastic.

Anybody really tested anything like that out?