Printbite ... wont bite!

[mjf55]

I also find that, like plants, printers work best if you talk to them ;-)

I think you need to use NICE words. Not #*%! words.

[curious aardvark]

well yeah - obviously :-)

[proto-typer]

Damn .... that's where I was going wrong ... the language I was using was turning the air blue.

I'll whisper sweetly in it's USB port about what a wonder it is. I just hope it speaks English, cos the manual didn't

[curious aardvark]

well it's more of an overall attitude that's required. It's a function of a persons electromagnetic field and interaction with the quantum mechanics going on in electronic devices.

Over the years I've lost count of the number of houses I've turned up at, switched the computer on and said: 'what's wrong with that ?'
People just stare at the thing and go: 'it hasn't done that for weeks ! It was dead I tell you, dead !'

Whereas my sister can walk into a room and all the computers in it will instantly freeze up.

There's a lot to be said for anthropomorphism where electronic devices are concerned :-)

As far as level bed goes - I've got a flat sheet of aluminium on top of my flashforges original not flat bed and the printbite on top of that.
So yep - can't hurt :-)

[proto-typer]

I am going to get a piece of glass cut to fit.

My flatness hunch was proved when I started getting similar pickup issues with out the PrintBite after I re-levelled the bed. When I checked all 4 corners with the feeler gauge, they were fine. I did a test print and it ripped the first layer up and clogged up the nozzle.

I made a mental note of where the print was happening and checked the central area on the bed. This went from a light sliding fit to a definite drag. Mostly towards the front of the bed. The amount of doming is tiny, and not detectable by eye .... but with clearances of 1/100 mm making a real difference, flat has to mean FLAT!

I have re-levelled the bed specifically for the area of print and it's printing lovely now....so I will refit the PrintBite and run through the same process.

I do have one question though for securing the PB to the bed. I was using bulldog clips to start with, but they snag on the frame. I tried clothes pegs...not good either. I was considering using a bead of hotglue around the edge to stop it moving. I think this might have had a further bearing on the problem as the layer is flexible.

[Roberts_Clif]

My BuildTak surface is glued to the surface. you might what to think about a good releasable glue or ever a permanent glue you could use on the print bed.

You could even consider a double sided tape across the bed, which would not be a permanent adhesive.

[endure]

[proto-typer]

I like the idea of those clips ...... but I had one of those epiphany moments. I have been stupid with a capital STUPID. So stupid in fact I physically had to give myself a slap.

I need some kind of clip to hold the print bed on, maybe made of slightly flexible material...maybe plastic...to my very specific needs to hold it down. Now....if only I had a way of making things out of plastic to my own design.

DOH!

[curious aardvark]

when i added the 3mm plate to my flashforge to make a flat bed, I just used 25mm kapton tape at the corners.
Worked great for a couple of years.

I did redo it all a while back. That's when i stuck the printbite down with the vinyl tape - that too had been held on with kapton tape. Think I still used the kapton tape at the corners for the aluminium to aluminium connection.

[juankroi]

which 3d printing surface would you recommend people?