Glass Bed, What and Where would you get one?

[KenR60]

For what I have read, most people Tape or Clamp them on, I'm guessing that's because of the Holes, would cost a fortune to get the fixing Holes drilled. So do you get this from Glass Places ( like Window Makers ) and what do you ask for and need to lookout for?

[Geoff]

You want Pyrex/borosilicate glass. Clamps work fine, big ones can get in the way especially with a prusa frame and clips passing through the middle frame piece.

[Stigern]

It's come to my concern, wouldn't you loose some buildt height?

[JohnA136]

The glass is about 1/8" (~3mm) thick. I would gladly sacrifice that for a smooth. easy to print on surface? I just put glass on our Replicator XL this week and the results are awesome! Been printing ABS on it all week with Elmer's glue sticks. Last night I did one of those 8" tall fin vases, a 14 hour print that came out great!

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[Stigern]

Very true, tho mine is 6mm thick, ordered one from 3d universe. Do I need to remove the kapton before attaching it?

Also does pla print directly on glass?

[KenR60]

You want Pyrex/borosilicate glass. Clamps work fine, big ones can get in the way especially with a prusa frame and clips passing through the middle frame piece.

Thanks Geoff, I will enquire about it tomorrow from some of the Glass Places here

[Geoff]

Very true, tho mine is 6mm thick, ordered one from 3d universe. Do I need to remove the kapton before attaching it?

Also does pla print directly on glass?

Like glue!

I don't use any slurry on my prusa on the glass bed (some do, I find it just doesn't need it for me) I like a very clean (I clean it with an alcohol wipe before each print) surface, the print you get off it with PLA is just stunning... I only wish the top layers looked as good as the bottom!!

Also, I was lazy and put the glass plate over my blue tape on the aluminum hotbed, so yeah I would leave the Kapton on, it's thinner than tape and if mines ok, yours should be. I could have removed the tape, but I figured I would like a soft covering underneath the glass so it would not scratch. It does not seem to adversely affect the bed temperature at all.

[KenR60]

Just a thought, what if the Glass was cut Larger then the existing Bed, that way 4 Hold Down Clamps could be designed to be Glued to the underneath of the Class and these clipped to the existing Bed, nothing would be above the glass that may get in the way. Just a thought

[3DPBuser]

Are these clipped-on plates easy to take out an put in the freezer, and put back in, without re-levelling?

[Stigern]

Got some testing done with my glass plate now, ABS sticks very well to it.

115C bed temp and 245C extruder, so far I haven't run into any issue, but I haven't tried any large models. No need for a raft so far

PLA also sticks to it, 70C bed and 205C extruder.

EDIT:

Oh, got some warping now.
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