Kickstarter build plate

[Toby]

There's a new kickstarter campaign claiming a build plate that doesn't need any coating to work with pla or abs or nylon. They'll cut it it any size under 12x12. For $25 I'm in:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ge ... uild-plate

[jimc]

thanks toby, i would give it a go as well. would be great if it works. its coated spring steel so should be more durable that a thin plastic sheet like the buildtak. delivery is not until october though. that sux

[mudcrab]

Heat may be the enemy of a steel bed. Warping of flat plate occurs very readily with small temp range unless perfectly even distribution. Maybe it auto removes the part? Off course one would hope that is at the end of the job.

[markb]

It looks cool but $25 is closed up.

[sprior]

I signed up for one, figured $25 was cheap to find out if it works. I suppose my bigger fear is that I'll love it and won't be able to get another one.

[Lateralg]

I wonder how many gouges caused by dragging nozzle it will take.

[dpersuhn]

Guys,

For the adventurous ones that have an air cutoff tool, I have a suggestion. I like Buildtak, but things sometimes stick to it so well that it's sometimes hard to get them off of it. I've destroyed several sheets of the stuff when a print stuck so well that I ended up having to remove the Buildtak from the glass plate to get it off. I saw this kickstarter and gave some thought to what they're doing and a light bulb went off. What if I ordered a sheet of 1095 blue spring steel, cut it to size, and then applied a sheet of Buildtak to it. Clip it to the HBP, print, then remove it. Just flex to pop your parts off.

Well, I tried it and I'd be hard pressed to ever go back. You get super strong first layer adhesion, but still have a way to remove the parts when you're done. There is also an added benefit. I have three of these "build pallets" now. When one print finishes, you just pop a new pallet on and hit the print button again. No more waiting for a glass build plate to cool so that you can remove the current parts before starting the next build. The thickness of the steel and the Buildtak are both spot on, so the plates are interchangeable without mucking around to re-do bed leveling. For those worried about the steel warping due to heat, rest assured that the HBP temps aren't anywhere near high enough to cause that in 1095.

Wear resistant 1095 spring steel. .025" thick.
http://www.mcmaster.com/#catalog/120/3699/=u2f51t

Don't bother attempting shears or saws, you'll need to cut it with an abrasive disc cutter, like this:
http://www.harborfreight.com/3-in-high- ... 60374.html

I have about 40 prints or so on each plate and the Buildtak is still going strong because it has never seen any kind of spatula or scraper. Just flex the plate and pull the parts right off. I give the surface a wipe with alcohol between prints just to remove any possible residues left behind from the previous print. If the buildtak ever does wear out or something bad happens to it, just peel it off slowly and slap on a new piece.

I'll never go back to glass...

No, I'm not affiliated with the folks that make Buildtak. They'll probably hate me for posting this because using it in this manner seriously extends the useful life of a sheet.

[sprior]

When you say you "apply" the Buildtak to the steel, do you use some sort of adhesive?

[dpersuhn]

Buildtak is adhesive-backed. Just peel and stick.

[sprior]

I actually hadn't noticed that the back was peel and stick, thought it was just held down by the binder clips - duh...