I now have perfectly level print bed :-)

[curious aardvark]

Got some newish clients. Aluminium fabricators. (yeah that's pretty much what i thought when they first phoned up - Oh yeah ! )

Popped in this afternoon to pick up an old pc for refurb and also picked up a 225x150x3mm sheet of perfectly flat aluminium.
Looks like the actual dimensions are a few mm longer. nearer 230 that 225.


Just calibrated the machine hot (new plastic knobs work a treat) - and for the first time after doing the edge adjustments, the sheet of paper also slid under the head in the middle !!!!!

This sheet of alu also has a plastic protection one side - which I'm printing on at the moment :-)
Looks like I'll probably have to use tape after a few prints.

And once this test cube with holes is done I'll try it again without a raft ! (that's a big thing for me :-)

It works, by george it works !
Might even try some kapton :-)

Next task - bed holder so I don't need any bulldog clips.
Those 4 corner bolts are looking interesting ;-)

***

just tested temps with my ir gun thermometer. The top aluminium plate runs about 8c cooler than the bottom one. Surprisingly even out to the sides
Maybe a 5 degree drop from the centre to the far edge.
I can live with that :-)