1/8" glass bed installation question

[blairmi2]

Consistent with most, my aluminium bed that came with my Power Spec 3D pro is warped. I would like to replace it with a 1/8" sheet of Borosilicate glass but information seemed to be scattered across forums. If you've done the installation, can you please review the following and let me know if I'm missing something?

Mcmaster_Carr 1/8" (3.2mm) 6"x9" sheet of Borosilicate glass (PN: 8476K74)
Z-axis shim I plan to use: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:515065
corner cilps I plan to use (open to a different model for 3mm): http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:546851

I believe I read that some people avoid using clips by using a silicon sheet beneath the glass above the aluminum. Anyone have comments on this?

Thanks for the help.

[blairmi2]

after reading this post it seems that I can remove the aluminum bed and forget using the shim for the z-axis. http://3dprintboard.com/showthread.p...ighlight=glass

[jfkansas]

How have you determined your aluminum plate is warped? No you shouldn't remove the aluminum. Get the 3/16" plate from McMaster.

[blairmi2]

i consistently have problems with the lower right part of the plate (closest to the door) while the rest of the plate is fine. instead of smooth lines I get wavy lines but i've lived with it. Raising the right and front doesn't seem to help much. Discussed it with a local print 3d print shop and they recommended I try a new build plate as they've had warping issues on their makerbot. Reading the google forums led me to believe its a rather common problem across makerbot/flashforge/powerspec

Why 3/16" over 1/8"? I can't seem to find any information on pros/cons of going thicker. Was this to better match the thickness of the original aluminum build plate?

[jfkansas]

Just a little more stable piece of glass. Nothing really to match the aluminum.

Are you leveling with the build plate fully heated? Very important.

[blairmi2]

actually I wasn't...i'll give that a try before purchasing anything and report back. I've been printing with PLA anyway and use a 60C bed with blue scotch 3M tape.

[Ghosty]

b4 you go the glass plate route read these posts by me

http://3dprintboard.com/showthread.p...g-to-glass-bed

http://3dprintboard.com/showthread.p...xi-Build-Plate

the second one links back to the first, however i can say without doubt the PrintinZ flex plate is absolutely amazing, prints are perfect, it does need cleaing from time to time this can be noticed when the prints dont stick, but a quick rub with rubbing alchol and all is back to printing perfection, print do really just pop off the plate, anything that is to stuck, just flex the plate and it falls right off. it reall is the best plate adaption i have ever made.

any more info plaese mail me.

[blairmi2]

Thanks for the heads up on the PrintinZ flex plate, i'll check it out

[curious aardvark]

I tried glass and eventually added a 3 mm aluminium plate on top of the existing one.
used kapton tape to secure at the corners. And haven't looked back since.

I can pretty much guarentee if I'd had a glass plate it would have broken by now.

Some of the prints have been brutal to remove. Cracked it now, for the relectant prints I just heat the plate up to 60 and I can get my scraper under a corner.

Find a local aluminium engineering firm and get tham to cut a piece of scrap to size for you. It'll be cheap.

Also for an extra 3mm you don't need a shim.
There should be more than 3mm play in the adjustment springs, so you still get full build height and don't need to fiddle with anything else.

[EagleSeven]

I have 6 x 9 x 3/32" glass and used a thick layer of hair-spray to attach it directly to aluminum plate, on CTC printer.
Used clips to hold it in place while drying, took about 12 hours for hairspray to dry completely, under the glass.

It has Stayed in place very well, knocking and prizing objects off glass has Not moved the glass.

Note: I also use hair-spray to hold printed objects on glass