One of the most annoying thing with the printing is to figure out how to stick your model to the print bed. I read many articles, forums, posts and mails about it and there are many ways starting with a perfect clean heated glass surface just with the right temperature, hairsprays, glue sticks, blue tape, etc. Some of them works on PLA, other works on ABS. Some of them are available in my local store but didn’t know what kind of spray or stick to use, some of them I did not able to find at all (in my country there is no such thing as a blue tape).
Still, I found a “thing” that works best with ABS and PLA, and it is worldwide available. A “White Glue”, also know as “Wood Glue”, “C-200” or just the white glue that child uses in schools.
This glue is water based, so a water can be used as a thinner. You can apply it as it is (thick) on the glass surface (aluminium surface should work as well) for stronger bond, or you can reduce it to look and feel like a low fat milk. Just apply a thin coat with brush and turn your bed heater to dry out the glue (it dries quickly).
I have printed many parts with a small contact area, without a brim, and all of them were attached very good to the surface. After the print is finish, let the bed cools to room temperature and with a little force you can remove the part very easy. When the bed is hot, the part will be very hard to remove.
One coat of glue is enough for many prints. No glue is left on the part (like the hair spray) when the part is removed. The glass can be cleaned with a simple window spray cleaner and some kind of tissue, cloth or kitchen paper. The glue dissolves from the cleaner. PC screen cleaner works as well (that’s what I use).
Hope this info helps someone. If I new it earlier, it was going to save me a lot of nerves
3D systems cubestick is fine and I have used it successfully in the past for ABS; the only downside is that the price is steadily rising due to its popularity and then its not widely available. Time to try Elmers washable glue I think.
Just a note to say I tried a new method to adhere parts to bed. I use vinyl application tape and use squege to apply a light coat of super glue to the tape after installed on the bed. Let it dry first before using. It works better than anything I have ever seen and last a long time too. first one is hardest to remove but its not bad and don’t tear the tape. thought some of you might like to know this trick works and cheap too.
Great tip. I had no luck with the glue stick method, and was about to look up which kind of hairspray to buy, when I came across this post, and I figured I might as well try it before I went shopping, since I had a liter of wood glue sitting on the shelf.
I was sceptical before starting the first print, as it didn’t really look like I had done anything after applying the wood glue mix, it just looked like the glass was slightly dirty. But the first try went better than the most of my attempts with the glue stick, which I had been struggling with for a couple of days. It’s not quite perfect, but I did mix it with water, and made a very thin batch, so I will experiments with applying several layers and adjusting the mix to make it a bit thicker.
I know this an old thread but I wanted to share this awesome spray I found, it’s almost too good to be true.
My girlfriend is one of those makeup hobbyist types, seems to be all she does. Anyways, when she was getting into Wigs and styling them, she bought this spray off Amazon. It is a little pricey but man, this stuff is like spray glue! In fact this is what it is, it is spray Wig/wig cap glue NOT Hair Spray. This stuff is easy 5x thicker than hair spray
I do 1 light sprayed layer from top to bottom and I have a very thick layer. In fact this stuff, I noticed I sprayed on my test just a small space a little bigger than my test print. When I went to do a larger print, I thought, let me clean this up so I can do more. Damn stuff took a Rag soaked with Alcohol and about 10 passes to get it all off.
I am serious when I say Glue Stick in a Can.
It might seem a little pricey but honestly, I used under 1/4 of what I would use in hair spray! I seriously did only 1 pass.
As a test, I did a single very quick layer while the printer was fully heated. The print bed, was just a hair off (on purpose) to where 1 corner would not stick and drag on a brim. I did a quick layer spray, watched it dry on the glass (20 seconds) and hit print. This print mind you failed on the Brim consistently 4 times in a row (did this on purpose though) with the rear right corner not sticking. With only a 45 second dry, I printed my test part and brim, instantly perfect results! My jaw dropped so fast that all I could think was- Why haven’t I heard of this stuff in a forum?
This stuff is called:
Brand: Schwarzkopf
Line: got2b
item: glued blasting FREEZE SPRAY
here is the Amazon link-- Try this out-- I get nothing for this BTW, I just was THAT IMPRESSED and I am a newby. https://www.amazon.com/Got2b-Glued-Blasting-Freeze-Hairspray/dp/B01MD28T59/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=11APUJXWIJZJ1&keywords=got2b+glued&qid=1561045083&s=gateway&sprefix=got2%2Caps%2C259&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1
I have gotten really lucky, 1 month in Did a RAMPS conversion with 0 issue except I broke my heater cartridge ends off while doing my MicroSwiss All Metal Hot End. I love the forums and wanted to do my part to add to the community
