Favorite Print Surface?

[MagicEngineer]

I will probably catch flak for this, but I am happy with blue painters tape over glass. Both ABS and PLA adhere well to it without any need for glues. It is quick and easy to replace and it peels up easily enough when it is time to remove the print.

ABS? That's a goddamn lie

Not at all. That is primarily what I print. If the surface area that touches the bed is very small I will apply a bit of slurry, but other than that, I just use the tape.

[insta]

What brand and series of tape, at what bed temp?

[wmgeorge]

Yes, I too am waiting to see how the blue tape handles 110 Deg C. And don't tell me you don't use heat with ABS.

[MagicEngineer]

Yes, I too am waiting to see how the blue tape handles 110 Deg C. And don't tell me you don't use heat with ABS.

I do use heat, however I have found 110 to be a bit high. I get shrinkage on the lower levels. I start out at 105 and after 15-30 layers I drop it to 100. After that I drop it another 5 degrees every 10 to 20 layers. The larger the item the longer I keep the bed hot because there is more time for the layer to cool. However, even when I ran it at 110, I never had a problem with the blue tape. In fact it actually seems to hold better when hot. Now I don't know if it makes a difference, but I only use 3M brand.

[wmgeorge]

I use my newly installed PEI covered bed and temps where I always have 245/110 never a problem. No messing with tape, glue sticks, hair spray and the rest. Print, let cool and remove.

[swbluto]

I've tried all sorts of bed and came back to glass in the end. The only solution that was incredibly easy to clean (W/ the alchohol->water method), gave a mirror finish on the part and, given the layer height was tweaked *just* right, stuck fairly well for both PLA and ABS. I've come to conclusion that for large prints that tend to curl, PLA is always the best solution.

[CCVirginia]

Rick,
A "marketing" thought: A few months ago while I was trying to navigate the features and follies of 3D printers, I remember being impressed by the TAZ-5 PEI surface. Based on what I read about PEI, I wondered why more were not offering it. I considered that a differentiator for the TAZ (but not enough to buy it).

It is clear that there are different ideas about what is best for different uses. Since it is easy to change the bed of an M2, consider offering multiple surfaces as a purchase option with others available as extras. I don't know of any printer offering this, so it would be another differentiator. That way you couldn't loose if someone had a specific material in mind and could still offer the most usable "default" based on your research.

For myself I have just used the glass you sent, I never put on the tape. I do use hairspray and have tried both clue sticks and ABS juice (for ABS of course). While there have been issues, I have not found adhesion a huge problem, but I may not be pushing the envelope as much as some here. I would probably try PEI if it were cut and tested for the M2.

[Pekish79]

I am using Zebra plate but i have trouble since is not perfectly flat it tend to warp toward the corner and is not easy to calibrate the bed not the Z-top

i will try to make it more flat tomorrow but i think glass has his advantage in that matter

[wmgeorge]

I ditto making the PEI bed an option. I put the .06 thickness on the second day I had my M2. Having owned 2 TAZ machines with it I could not see using anything else.

The .06 sheet is a pain to get sized, I think a sheet metal shear like found in a sheet metal fab shop might work. I tried cutting with my 50 watt laser and its tough stuff.

[jcspball13]

Any idea if a metal build plate (Aluminum or stainless) would work?