BuildTak
Price: $4.00 to $21.00 depending on size and quality
Specs:
4.5″ x 4.5″ (114*114), 6.5″ x 6.5″ (165*165), 6.5″ Diameter (165Dia), 5.83″ x 7.95″ (202*148), 8″ x 8″ (203*203), 8″ Diameter (203DIA), 6.25″ x 9.25″ (159*235), 6.5″ x 10″ (165*254), 6.5″ x 11.5″ (165*292), 8″ x 10″ (203*254), 9″ x 10″ (228*254), 10″ x 10″ (254*254), 12″ x 12″ (304*304), 12″ Diameter (304Dia), 16″ x 16″ (406*406)
http://www.buildtak.com/
https://youtu.be/QT33iMgRfRA
First I would like to thank BuildTak for sending me their build surface!
For those unaware of BuildTak, BuildTak is a thin sheet material with adhesive on the bottom side to allow the product to stick to your current build surface but due to the adhesive side once the surface is taken off the build plate you cannot reapply the surface to your build plate again. BuildTak is available in Black and White along with many different sizes but can be easily cut with scissors or an Exacto Knife to be custom fit to any size build plate. BuildTak has a rough top surface that allows the print no matter the type of filament to adhere to the surface without any messy glues, hair sprays, or expensive tapes. I have personally found that once the surface starts to lose the rough finish you can sand the surface lightly with high grit sand paper to give it a rough finish again. An advantage of BuildTak is the ability to use a heated bed and not warp the system. A problem that does arise when using the product is calibrating to close to the build surface, if this happens you will have difficulty taking your print off the build surface.
Recommendations:
I would use this on a printer such as a Da Vinci where you cannot control the heat of the bed or a printer with a removable bed. I would also recommend this surface with Proto-Pasta’s new build plate which allows you to remove the plate and bend it to pop the print off.
Advantages:
- Easy calibration due to the thickness of the plate
- Can use with a heated bed
- Allows any type of filament to adhere with glues, tapes, or hair sprays
Disadvantages:
- Cannot be removed and reapplied
- Cause problems if calibrated to close to bed
3 Likes
GIFT3D
2
Hey Cbrown35,
I’ve had a look into this and personally I think it depends on how serious you are about 3D printing. Another thing to consider is the objects planned to be printed. If you don’t mind spending a bit on the BuiltTak to gain greater results from the printer then I’d say you should probably invest in it. It seems to be good for those people who want an item to work first time to a professional quality. There are some prints that would be better done on BuiltTak like those which have small bases and are quite tall. Some of the items printed without this stuff would take a lot of glue to print, which means it would be very difficult to pull of the printer bed.
You need to consider what you are currently printing or want to print in the future. Personally I don’t think I would need this as I am perfectly fine adding my own adhesive for what I am currently producing. Just think of how well it will work for you. If you are comfortable the way you are now then carry on or even just try it, but if you feel you would be better off with it then try investing in it. I’ve found that 3D printing is one big learning curve, but it makes life easier if everyone in the community helps one another out.
Overall all that this really does is improves the quality of the print and reduces wasted prints. At the end of the day it up to you really.
I hope this helps and just ask if you have any queries
1 Like
Steer Clear of Buildtak
I started with Buildtak but it was causing a lot of problems for me. Whilst the surface was initially good, calibrating the bed properly was a big issue because it would either stick too hard or not enough. You could choose between warping your prints or being unable to remove them without destroying the Buildtak.
Buildtak is nothing more that a brand name - it is essentially a rough surface to which the print can adhere. I have switched to using Magigoo with a bit of acetone and water to distribute it evenly around the glass. This lasts many prints and can be dissolved in water if the part is stuck. It’s worked out much cheaper than Buildtak and there is no risk of damaging or destroying your expensive bed.
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Hmm I haven’t had that problem. Nice to hear the flip side of my post. Happy Printing!
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