i do PLA only, i did have ABS on my hub but it was troublesome for larger prints, it warped even with abs juice on the bed. it was a shame as it one material that gave super nice prints. and then there was the stink and fumes… even if it was in the livingroom i could smell it all over the flat
and it was in a chamber so it was not cold air getting to it.
so yeah… either glass or another surface…
i have seen a few recommend using a can of air and turning it upside down to use it as a freeze spray, maybe that could do the trick. of course only a very short burst is needed, but if the PEI will crack i dont know
cobnut
August 15, 2018, 10:01am
4
I gave up on ABS about 8 months ago, just too many failures, warping, splitting, etc. I use PETG mostly now for parts where PLA isn’t suitable, and Filamentum CPE is a nice product as well.
I’ve just ordered a Printbite surface for my FF Pro, it’ll be a week or so before it arrives (and I have time to fit it), but I’ll let you know how that works out!
i’m looking at it also… reading reviews and comments. and its not bad priced about ~75% more than i give for a PEI sheet
cobnut
August 15, 2018, 10:13am
6
My major problem with PEI is that it’s such a pain to remove a sheet. Freezing the bed (which, on a Prusa, means partial disassembly), then soaking in D-Limonene (everything smells of oranges for days) and the whole gooey mess that needs to be scraped away.
last time ( a few days ago ) i had to replace the PEI
i simply put on a bag of frozen vegetables and moved the bag arround to evenly cool it down
that did the trick to get it off, but i agree on the rest of the process… i only had acetone but it works the same.
but the worst part is the gooey mess that sticks everywhere… there are still small balls of it in the printer :-/
a smell of oranges would not be bad, but then again not all like that
btw… D-Limonene
where do i find that inside the EU, i have a hard time finding it
while it will stink of oranges i thinks a better pick over acetone
1 Liter, but is that to much? how long will it last me is another way to ask the same question
cobnut
August 15, 2018, 10:44am
11
I got mine from Amazon UK, the orange smell is OK (there are a lot worse scents) but it’s darn powerful. It’s the goo that’s the worst, as you say. A year or so ago I fitted a new sheet then immediately destroyed it (screwed up the z calibration and burned a hole right in the centre) so had to go through the whole process again the same day. Not happy.
It’s really quite amazing that after so many years now of domestic 3D printing that there’s no absolute best print bed solution. I like the idea of magnetic attachment, but that’s not easy to find for all printers, and there’s dozens of print surface providers. Hopefully one day soon someone will invent something that is just the total answer and we’ll all end up using it.
agreed on that we need to something that is good for all materials
i wonder how ultimaker gets abs to stick or their bed, all i know is that they use glass
btw… how many replacements do to you get from 1 liter of D-LIMONENE?
and would you mind posting an amazon link? no rush
i also found it at rs components: https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/3d-printing-parts-accessories/9181091
its listed as a hips solvent but should it not be the same thing?
Changing the PEI sheet on a MK2 is a breeze. Heat it and peel it off. For the glue that remains I fold paper towels and moisten with acetone and let sit on the bed a few minutes and scrap off (plastic spatula of course) repeat.
On the creator Pro’s I am working with the BuildTak Flex system. So far it is pretty good. Great for PLA and ABS works well but messes with the BuildTak sheet. They are addressing this.
well orballoprinting.com have also released the mk52 bed but funny enough no flex plates
i do have their “clone” of the mk42 and it has been a dream to deal with
but well there are now 2 alternatives, printbite and buildtak
Personally on a MK42 for a Mk2(s) printer with the PINDA I’d stick with PEI, pun intended!
i dont have a problem with PEI as such, its more getting the parts off without making marks or scratches on the surface
I print PLA only, no ABS, its stinks, gives me a day long hangover etc.
PETG for some reason covers the silicone sock rather quickly, not sure why. and i have to clean it off after each print… But yes its an alternative
My first test for getting parts off without making marks etc will be to get a frezze spray and give it an ultra short burst, its said that it should be enough to release without the need for tools
if that does not work i will try printbite… some might not be lucky but well it might be that i’m lucky
experimenting is what you gain knowledge from
I never have issues with PLA on PEI and getting the prints off. It is pretty easy to mark up the sheet though if not really careful.
If PETG is accumulating on the nozzle while printing then that is usually that the extrusion multiplier is a tad to high. Example … go from 0.97 to 0.96 and see how it does.
@cobnut
any chance you got and tested the printbite yet?
cobnut
August 28, 2018, 11:39am
19
Hi @Odense3DPrint no, it’s not arrived yet, annoyingly. Their website did say there’d be some delay, but it’s been a couple of weeks now. I’ll chase them!
at least they are honest… “some delay”
cobnut
September 6, 2018, 8:50am
21
Hi @Odense3DPrint hurrah! It arrived Tuesday afternoon (not sure if my email hurried things along or not), and I fitted it yesterday morning. “Installation” was straightforward, much like laying down a PEI sheet, the only issue being my impatience waiting for the “baking” periods to finish! Took a while to dial in the settings for Fillamentum CPE (I only use this machine for PETG and am now using CPE as it’s much nicer in my opinion), the first attempt the nozzle was too high, the second attempt the bed temp was too low, but I’m now 3 prints down the line and, so far, it’s working as it says on the tin.
The base of the prints are glossy smooth - as good as you get printing directly onto glass - and once the bed temperature drops 20C or so, the models can be removed with just a tiny effort, really you can just pull the model free with your fingers. I have tried any other materials yet, unfortunately (or fortunately, from a business point of view) I got a large customer order about 5 minutes after I’d finished fitting the sheet, so the machine will be tied up printing CPE until next week. I will try other materials, but this machine is really only used for PETG/CPE so even if I can’t get PLA working, it won’t be a big deal for me.
The “release” temperature is a lot higher than I expected, my second failed print used a bed temp of 70C, dropping to 65C on the third layer, and the part came free right at the end of the print, so I upped both temps by 10C. This does suggest to me the surface may not work as well in open machines so I’ll have to consider whether getting one for my Prusa.
So far then, very happy. No more tape, no more glue residue, nice shiny bottom surface and a quick turn around for prints. It really is a surprisingly big relief not to have to mess about removing models - it’s even easier than PLA on PEI.
@cobnut
nice… i think i will order one at some point when the PEI is up for renewal
btw… i just posted an “crazy” idea in the uk category about a seperate site for peer to peer printing. would like to hear your take on my idea
