# 3D Printing > 3D Printer Parts, Filament & Materials >  GeckoTek Build Plate - Live on Kickstarter

## atoff

The GeckoTek build plate just went Live on Kickstarter.  I just backed this myself, it looks worth a try.

http://kck.st/1lz1hVG

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## Roxy

Atoff,    I deleted the previous thread for a couple of reasons...    One of them being the person promoting it had only made 1 post and they are trying to get people interested in sending money somewhere.   But for the same reason (and logic)...   I'll leave your post!

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## atoff

Ah, sorry about that, I didn't realize it had been posted (and deleted) previously.  Were they seeming shady?

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## Roxy

> Ah, sorry about that, I didn't realize it had been posted (and deleted) previously.  Were they seeming shady?


It's all good...   I deleted the previous thread because the person was here pushing 'awareness' of a commercial product and that was their first post.   And on top of that, several other very similar names had already had their newly created threads deleted earlier in the day because they were Spam.   But that logic doesn't apply in this case and it makes perfect sense to have this subject available for discussion!

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## jimc

well on discussion of the plate, it looks interesting. a coated piece of spring steel so should be fairly durable i guess. im all for backing i as well. it only stinks that delivery isnt until october. i hear good things about the buildtak sheets but for the cost of those things then they dont last long and you have to throw it out. this gecko thing looks better as long as it works.

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## atoff

Hm, I've heard mixed reviews about the buildtak sheets, and yeah, I'd like something that lasted a bit longer.  There's a discussion over on the SeeMe forums about using PEI.  I have 12x12" sheet here that I plan on adhering to my glass... reports are very positive.  Still, this looked interesting enough to pick one up, I'm just worried about warping with a non-magnetic base (currently not available for Delta's).

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## JRDM

I agree the current stable of solutions is increasingly unworkable. My last best hope, what was called "Ninjaplate" won't work for ABS.

I guess it might take advanced material science to solve the problem, I'm interested, but I'll wait and see if it holds up.

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## Feign

> it only stinks that delivery isnt until october.


October is four months away, securing a manufacturing partner, writing up a contract, getting federal and state approvals, adapting their equipment and starting up the line is _at least_ a ten week process, and that's if they already have a manufacturing partner in mind and everybody's lawyers and compliance people are lined up and ready to go.  October is ambitious, the September dates are almost foolish.

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## Brian_Krassenstein

After launching a very successful Kickstarter campaign over the summer, GeckoTek is ready to hit the 3D printing marketplace with their 3D Printer BuildPlate. Available now for pre-order, the BuildPlate eliminates all the mess and inconvenience plaguing harried 3D printer enthusiasts out there who would rather be involved in designing and producing new products easily, rather than dealing with hairspray, glue, tape, and a variety of uncertain methods to keep their 3D printed products from warping. The GeckoTek BuildPlate has a special steel surface which works with both heated and non-heated printer beds, and is a permanent solution. Check out more in the full article: http://3dprint.com/24281/geckotek-preorder-buildplate/

Below is a look at GeckoTek's BuildPlate in a MakerBot 3D printer:

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## curious aardvark

well it certainly looks interesting.
And the magnetic attachment - that's something I can probably adapt for use on my aluminium top plate. 
Seems obvious - but sometimes you just don't think of these things till someone else uses it :-) 


But like all these miracle solutions - I'll wait till it's been thoroughly tested by customers :-)

Also they did lie in the video. Claiming that abs doesn't stick to blue tape - hell, it's the only thing I could get it to stick to consistently.

But I can definitely make a magnetic attachment system for my existing plate :-)

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## jimc

Ummm you do know aluminum is non magnetic right?

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## curious aardvark

lmao - I was waiting for someone to say that. 

There's a number of ways to do it. 
I can attach thin steel to the base or side of the aluminium plate. I've got any number of rare earth super magnets I can fit into the existing screw holes in the original plate.  Or attach to the side. 
And at the end of the day it doesn't need to be a particularly strong attachment. Just enough to stop the plate being moved by the printers vibration. 
I've also got some magnetic sheets for 2d printing on. They might be sufficient with magents in the screw holes.  Although if I switch back to abs it'd probably melt lol
Basically there's a number of options. The fact that aluminium is non magnetic - is largely irrevelant :-) 

Once i've got  a working system I can get some more build plates made and have different surface coatings on them. 
At the moment it's attached with kapton tape on the corners. Works really well - but not exactly hot swappable. 

Sometimes you just need a nudge in the right direction to come up with a practical system that works.

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## jimc

Haha ok just making sure. Even though you seem like a smart cookie you never know someones knowledge level.

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## Zerodameaon

> well it certainly looks interesting.
> Also they did lie in the video. Claiming that abs doesn't stick to blue tape - hell, it's the only thing I could get it to stick to consistently.


ABS sticks to my blue tape so well that I have issues getting the tape off the print, and if the tape is not well enough adhered to the bed a print will warp and rip the tape off the bed.

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## mdharrington

> lmao - I was waiting for someone to say that. 
> 
> There's a number of ways to do it. 
> I can attach thin steel to the base or side of the aluminium plate. I've got any number of rare earth super magnets I can fit into the existing screw holes in the original plate.  Or attach to the side. 
> And at the end of the day it doesn't need to be a particularly strong attachment. Just enough to stop the plate being moved by the printers vibration. 
> I've also got some magnetic sheets for 2d printing on. They might be sufficient with magents in the screw holes.  Although if I switch back to abs it'd probably melt lol
> Basically there's a number of options. The fact that aluminium is non magnetic - is largely irrevelant :-) 
> 
> Once i've got  a working system I can get some more build plates made and have different surface coatings on them. 
> ...


Just be aware Neodymium magnets start to lose magnetic properties at 80c and will completely lose all magnetism at 310c
Ferrite magnets can take up to 250c before seeing any loss

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## -willy-

> It's all good...   I deleted the previous thread because the person was here pushing 'awareness' of a commercial product and that was their first post.   And on top of that, several other very similar names had already had their newly created threads deleted earlier in the day because they were Spam.   But that logic doesn't apply in this case and it makes perfect sense to have this subject available for discussion!


Juat wondering if that is what happened to the thread I had posted (trying to get the word out) about the protocycler from ReDe (ready) Tec?  (not trying to change the subject)

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## mdharrington

Ordered mine 9 weeks ago...and now they are not responding to my emails.

On the kickstarter page seems like they are having a lot of problems with ABS....they are saying the plate is now 'PLA' only and will hopefully support ABS in the summer of 2015.

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## dtiger1138

I agree with mdharrington. I recently emailed them asking some questions concerning a printer that had an aluminum heat bed already. It was mainly geared towards how to attach it. This is the response I got:

Thank you for your interest in our Products. Unfortunately,  we have run into some set backs in our development. Currently, we are  only taking orders for GeckoTek Build plates for 3D Printers with out  heated beds.


After comprehensive long  term testing the performance of our build plates with ABS has not been  up to our standards. We have been forced to remove the build plates for  3D printers with heated beds from our store. However, we are still  working towards a build plate that will work for ABS, HIPS, Nylon and  more. We estimate that it will be available in 4-6 months.


If you would like to stay up to date on our progress you can sign up for our email list at geckotek3d.com. Let me know if you have any other questions. 


Thanks,
Brad Ruff
GeckoTek

So, it's not working with ABS or printers with heat beds. I hope they get it working. It looks really promising.

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## JRDM

I'm tempted to replicate that idea but with Ultem (PEI) on spring steel. I've done ABS, PLA, flex PLA, HIPS and a couple odd blends of ABS on PEI.

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## Brian_Krassenstein

Brad Ruff and Aniket Vyas, the entrepreneurs behind the GeckoTek line of 3D printer build plates, are experiencing some problems with their plates dedicated to ABS plastic applications. While they say the build plates they created to work with PLA are working as advertised, the ABS plates are giving them fits. So many problems, in fact, that they say they're willing to offer customers and Kickstarter backers a full refund. The pair say that while they hope the problems will be solved some time this summer, they want to make sure their supporters are fully informed about the challenges they're facing. You can read the whole story here:  http://3dprint.com/37329/geckotek-build-plate-issues

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## jimc

funny but not surprising. its no easy task and alomost impossible to get something that works great with everything. since i am in the coatings business, not long after gecko was introduced i developed a plate that worked great for abs. i just couldnt get it to work with pla. just the opposite problem these guys are having. i was using my plate for awhile but in the end though i went back to my hairspray coated aluminum. it really just doesnt get any easier than that. the real issue is that you have a piece of spring steel and no matter what you do its just not flat enough. a 3d printer requires a flawlessly flat bed that you can really only get with a machined surface. even my mic6 tooling plate is out enough that i can see just by how it prints the 1st layer.

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## mdharrington

I have just filed a paypal claim against geckotek....

4 separate communication attempts over the last month with zero response. I can appreciate the difficulties in manufacturing, but customer service is inexcusable. 
Their websites twitter, facebook, and google+ links all lead to nothing

I was jazzed for this product but now am fairly upset.

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## curious aardvark

it's that kind of industry at the moment.

Lots of garage inventors with a great idea - and now we have crowdfunding they can all get money :-) 

Been stung with the makibox - no more crowdfunded things for me. Even things that look pretty simple to get into production, like this stuff.

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## mdharrington

ya live and learn I guess....

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