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  1. #1

    Removing the blue 3M platform stickers

    My FlashForge Creator Pro came with some of these platform stickers (http://www.flashforge-usa.com/shop/p...rint-tape.html) and the first one worked pretty well for a while, but eventually it tore while I was removing a print. So I removed the sticker (which was quite difficult), and now my print bed is covered in sticky residue. I've spent about an hour using elbow grease and acetone to try to clean it, and I'm about 1/3 done at best. Any suggestions for how to get it clean? This is not a process I want to repeat.

  2. #2
    Engineer-in-Training
    Join Date
    Aug 2015
    Posts
    256
    It's a pain, a rag wet with acetone and a plastic scrapper will do get it all off with some effort. I went with a glass plate after removing it.

  3. #3
    Thanks, DJ. I'm thinking the same thing. Does the glass plate work well for ABS? One source I saw said that for ABS printing, a thin layer of ABS dissolved in acetone should be placed on the glass, which is, itself, difficult to clean and restore.

  4. #4
    Engineer-in-Training
    Join Date
    Aug 2015
    Posts
    256
    Quote Originally Posted by dommer2029 View Post
    Thanks, DJ. I'm thinking the same thing. Does the glass plate work well for ABS? One source I saw said that for ABS printing, a thin layer of ABS dissolved in acetone should be placed on the glass, which is, itself, difficult to clean and restore.
    Printing ABS on glass is really simple, I use "abs juice" which is just abs dissolved in acetone to about the consistency of milk. I apply it by dampening a paper towel with a little acetone and then dropping about 5-6 drops of the juice onto the rag and wiping it down--couldn't be simpler. ABS sticks to it VERY well, sometimes too well, but since the glass bed is removable I just pop it in the freezer for a couple minutes and the parts come right off.

    There's really no need to clean the abs juice off the glass, just wipe it down with more acetone and it just respreads the juice, I usually get about 5 prints before I have to add more.

    Some people use hairspray instead, but I hate spaying that stuff in my shop.

    One thing I highly recommend when using glass is to use some 0.5mm thermal padding (the kind that people use to hold heatsinks to cpus) to keep it on the build plate, instead of metal clips which could be hit by the extruder, or the printed corner clips which come loose and ruin prints (in my experience). Thermal padding holds the plate securely but allows it to easily be removed and replaced.

    I use this stuff: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...=sr_1_4&sr=8-4

    I cut it into 5 2" squares, one for each corner and one in the middle. You could cover the entire build plate which would give you more even heating, but I suspect that would be hard to remove. These pads don't have adhesive but they physical bond they have with flat materials like glass and the build plate is pretty strong.

  5. #5
    Technician
    Join Date
    Sep 2015
    Location
    South Australia
    Posts
    89
    Hi Mate,
    I heated the bed up to about 90-100C and then peeled it off, whilst it was at that temp, WEAR GLOVES!
    there was no real residue left and the using a scraper I cleaned any adhesive off, ,
    I also brought it up to about 70C when I applied the new sticker

  6. #6
    Hi Mate,
    I heated the bed up to about 90-100C and then peeled it off, whilst it was at that temp, WEAR GLOVES!
    there was no real residue left and the using a scraper I cleaned any adhesive off, ,
    I also brought it up to about 70C when I applied the new sticker
    Thanks, Anthony. The FlashForge rep got back to me and recommended the same thing.

    I use this stuff: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...=sr_1_4&sr=8-4

    I cut it into 5 2" squares, one for each corner and one in the middle. You could cover the entire build plate which would give you more even heating, but I suspect that would be hard to remove. These pads don't have adhesive but they physical bond they have with flat materials like glass and the build plate is pretty strong.
    Thanks, DJ. I went ahead and ordered a borosilicate plate and the pads you recommended. Unfortunately, it looks like I need to print a shim before I can install the plate, so I'll need to put on another printing surface first. Hopefully Anthony's (and FlashForge's) comments are right, so removal is easier next time. Also, this way I won't have a week's downtime while I wait for the part to arrive.

  7. #7
    Engineer-in-Training
    Join Date
    Aug 2015
    Posts
    256
    Instead of messing with the build-tack just use some blue painters tape on the bare platform.

    Also, it should be trivial to make a temporary shim the thickness of your glass, just find something that's close and add layers of tape until it's the right thickness, and tape it down so it hits the vertical limit switch.

  8. #8

    Removing platform sticker resedue

    Quote Originally Posted by dommer2029 View Post
    My FlashForge Creator Pro came with some of these platform stickers (http://www.flashforge-usa.com/shop/p...rint-tape.html) and the first one worked pretty well for a while, but eventually it tore while I was removing a print. So I removed the sticker (which was quite difficult), and now my print bed is covered in sticky residue. I've spent about an hour using elbow grease and acetone to try to clean it, and I'm about 1/3 done at best. Any suggestions for how to get it clean? This is not a process I want to repeat.
    I use 3M General Purpose Adhesive Cleaner 08984 which I obtained at the local auto store, that and a razor blade scraper. Soak the adhesive and immediately scrape with the scraper. Remove the gum from the scraper and repeat. 10 minute job max.

  9. #9
    Super Moderator curious aardvark's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Posts
    8,818
    acetone works quite well too.

  10. #10
    I heat up the platform to about 70 deg and peal it off,
    Than I use acetone with strong paper towel and just rub it off ,
    Takes 5 min max to complete.

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