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May 2016
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May 2016
May 2016
Scott_Jenkins
May '16

Ok I took your advice and bought the 2 items, Do I just use the tape to adhere it to the print bed? Im assuming I have to remove the sheet that was on there to begin with. Do I have to prepare the PEI in any way or just adhere it and go?

Woinson
May '16

Clips bend the glass. I have had this happen to me now use the silicone pads much better

advanced
May '16

This video describes it very well. The tape is tricky to work with, so watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QvZb8ej1aw 4

One thing to be careful of when laying down the tape: while you must try to lay the strips of tape down perfectly side by side, it’s better to have a tiny gap between 2 strips rather than have the 2 strips cross.

advanced
May '16

Biggest tip is to remove the BuildTak from the bed (be careful! It’s very easy to bend the bed!)

I use these silicone pads http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007PPEW52?psc=1&ref_=redir_mobile_desktop&ref_=yo_ii_img 1 to secure the glass to the bed.

I cut them into little 5cm x 5cm squares, and use 9 of them. It makes it very easy to put on or remove the bed, and they are extremely secure.

Plain glass is not a great printing surface however - most thermoplastics don’t stick to it very well without quite a bit of effort.

I recommend these 2 items:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JL8KTXA?psc=1&ref_=redir_mobile_desktop&ref_=yo_ii_img 1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0013HJBA4/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1 1

You use the tape to attach the PEI to the top of your plate of glass (the PEI sheet above is enough to make at least 3 glass beds).

PEI is a fantastic material to print on. At 50-70 degrees C other plastics stick to it without any problem, no need for painter’s tape, or wood glue, or slurry or any other nonsense. But as soon as it cools off below that you literally just click the printed object off.

I won’t print without it.

advanced
May '16

Actually borosilicate is a very nice glass to use. Borosilicate is the glass they use for lab equipment like test tubes. It tends to transfer heat better than ordinary glass. However normal glass with PEI works perfectly fine for me.

Scott_Jenkins
May '16

Hopefully the pei will work with the borosilicate. I have one more question you seem quite knowledgeable, It seems I have to adjust my z axis to make it parallel to the print bed pretty much every time. Is this normal?

advanced
May '16

I’m sure it will work. Or just go to the hardware shop and ask them to cut you some normal glass to put the PEI on, before you put PEI on the borosilicate :slight_smile:

It doesn’t seem normal that your Z-Axis goes out. Are you sure it’s the axis, and not the bed? I also use the 2 little printed Z axis alignment posts that some posted earlier in the thread (http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1138928 2), and in 5 months I have literally only had to recalibrate my Z-axis once (after traveling with the printer).

After printing, when you check with the alignment posts, are they at differing heights?