a method for control of a plastic filament extruder includes the steps of providing a plastic filament extruder ; introducing a quantity of plastic chips to the extruder ; activating a heater to heat a mold body of the extruder to a target temperature ; activating an electric motor in response to the mold body reaching the target temperature , thereby causing an auger to drive plastic chips the mold body and out of an extrudate sizing die ; monitoring the electric current draw of the electric motor ; and upwardly adjusting the target temperature of the mold body in response to a threshold increase in the electric current draw of the electric motor . steps may also include maintaining the mold body within a temperature range about the target temperature and of deactivating the electric motor in response to the target temperature exceeding a threshold deviation above the temperature of the mold body .