Glass build platform is the way to go!

[bluesmurf]

question do you place hair spray on glass first then level? thanks

[Stigern]

I see some use sticky tape between the alu and glass plate, seems like a easier way to go instead of those "clamps" ?

[memi205]

For bluesmurf :
I level on a clean glass only.

For Stigern:
The heat transfer between the alu and the glass seem to be not very good with a sticky tape.
That's why I choose using Kapton tape on corners instead of sticky tape.

[Stigern]

But those who use clamps to hold the glass, won't you loose some build area doing it that way?

[memi205]

Using Kapton tape (5 mil) on the corners (and blue tape under the bed), I do not really loose built area.
Have you seen my pictures on this thread?
I think it's safer for extruders than with binder clips.
It's installed in this way for a while and it's solid, clean, the heat transfer is very good and works very well.

[jdg56]

I use binder clips. If you look at how your parts are laid out, you'll never really get to the absolute edge of the build plate. With the dual extruder, you need to look where right-most parts are, and put the binder clip on a section of the right side that's not where the extruder is going to go. Same on the left side.
I generally run a binder clip on the right just back from where makerware will lay down its 'cleaner' strip across the front of the bed, and put a binder clip on the back of the bed all the way on the left side. Other than making heart gears, I haven't had too much trouble. I have schooled myself to look at the layout of parts and just move the clips if there's possibility they will be hit by the extruder(s).

It turns out you don't really need much 'traction' to hold the glass bed in place. If you are having glass bed movement problems, it's most likely due to curling catching the edge of the extruder, not the binder clips.

Cheers,

John

[indy3der]

I've recently switched to the 1/4" Borosilicate glass from McMaster (part 8476K74) and I wanted to get others input on changes I should make to my setup. Keep in mind, I'm only talking about printing with ABS.

Before, I was getting pretty good prints (in the middle of the bed), but the 0.070" picture frame glass was still bending or was not flat to begin with.
Before:
0.070" picture frame glass with kapton
glass still bowed, only can get good prints in the middle of the bed (biggest problem)
cleaned with alcohol prior to printing
ABS 230 degC extruders, Bed setting 105 degC

After:
1/4" Borosilicate glass from McMaster (part 8476K74) with kapton tape
EXTREMELY FLAT (within what I think I can measure using my feeler gauges)
same prep as above
I didn't try lowering bed temp, since I figured the thicker glass required more heat
Tried 110 degC and the print still separated

My part has a 45 degree overhang on the bottom, which I've noticed in printing these parts has a tendency to curl up at the edges and I can't help but think that due to that, the extruders are bumping the edge and the mechanical advantage is popping the print off.

At a bed temp of 105 degC, the print got to 5-6 layers and popped off. At 100 degC, it got to double the height before popping off.

Should I go hotter even on the bed? (I don't know what the practical limits are on this printer)
ABS slurry?
Raft or support? (I really don't want to do more work on parts after printing)

Thanks in advance for advice!

[curious aardvark]

use pla.
Abs will always warp. I found that blue tape worked better than abs slurry but I never really got decent abs prints wihtout using a raft.

Pla - that's a whole different story. Doesn't shrink - so practically no warping and what I;ve had so far on overhangs has been more or less fixed by the way simplify3d slices and uses infill.

Because I've got the duct fan adaptor on mine the whole print head is flat about 3mm above the printhead so ANY warping or curling causes the duct adaptor to hit the plastic.
It also means I can't use bulldog clips on the plate. But a bit of kapton on each corner does a better job anyway :-)

It's all about ending up witha system that works for you.

But my best advice as someone who used abs exclusively for about 4 months is switch to a good pla. Solves almost all the issue I had with abs. And simplify3d looks like solving the rest :-)

[indy3der]

use pla.
Abs will always warp. I found that blue tape worked better than abs slurry but I never really got decent abs prints wihtout using a raft.

Pla - that's a whole different story. Doesn't shrink - so practically no warping and what I;ve had so far on overhangs has been more or less fixed by the way simplify3d slices and uses infill.

Because I've got the duct fan adaptor on mine the whole print head is flat about 3mm above the printhead so ANY warping or curling causes the duct adaptor to hit the plastic.
It also means I can't use bulldog clips on the plate. But a bit of kapton on each corner does a better job anyway :-)

It's all about ending up witha system that works for you.

But my best advice as someone who used abs exclusively for about 4 months is switch to a good pla. Solves almost all the issue I had with abs. And simplify3d looks like solving the rest :-)

I will mess with PLA at some point (I actually just bought my first spool), but I'm making functional parts and I've chosen ABS for the mechanical properties. I'm looking for advice with ABS for now.

[Geoff]

use pla.
Abs will always warp. I found that blue tape worked better than abs slurry but I never really got decent abs prints wihtout using a raft.

Pla - that's a whole different story. Doesn't shrink - so practically no warping and what I;ve had so far on overhangs has been more or less fixed by the way simplify3d slices and uses infill.

Because I've got the duct fan adaptor on mine the whole print head is flat about 3mm above the printhead so ANY warping or curling causes the duct adaptor to hit the plastic.
It also means I can't use bulldog clips on the plate. But a bit of kapton on each corner does a better job anyway :-)

It's all about ending up witha system that works for you.

But my best advice as someone who used abs exclusively for about 4 months is switch to a good pla. Solves almost all the issue I had with abs. And simplify3d looks like solving the rest :-)

Sorry man, this isn't good advice.

ABS will not always warp, maybe in your experience it has but sorry, I used it for 2 years before I switched to mainly PLA and while yes, you can get warpage there are many resolutions for that. I switched because my Kossel didnt have a heated plate when I built it - that is the only reason I made the switch to PLA, so I could have both machines printing the same parts at the same time. I now have a heated bed on my kossel, so unless it's a part that needs to be a certain colour that I only have in PLA, guess what? I print in ABS.

-You switched to PLA after you tore your hair out with ABS and got fed up, big big difference, go back through your posts, it doesn't seem like you ever had success printing in ABS. I've had 1500+ hours success printing in it. Yes, it's easier to work with PLA but it's nowhere near as rigid as ABS or as long lasting.

PLA has a shelf life. Literally. Print a part in PLA and one in ABS and put both on your shelf and watch them over 6 months . And I mean a proper part, like a Kossel frame, something sizable. PLA will warp, split, crack and generally suck over time, this is a fact of life you will see eventually. I am sorry mate, but I can't idly sit back and let you blast something and say it's no good when that's not really the case and you gave up on it.