How You Too Can Achieve Printing Nirvana

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Jules
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Re: How You Too Can Achieve Printing Nirvana

Post by Jules » Sun Mar 20, 2016 9:50 pm

sthone wrote:Think it's about time to try this PEI... I broke out chucks on 3 different pieces of glass this week running ABS :x Jules did you find the 3M tape for attaching the PEI on amazon too? (if so do you have a link?)
Yep....it's time. :lol:

http://www.amazon.com/TapeCase-squares- ... VRQQCX5H5J

dramsey
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Re: How You Too Can Achieve Printing Nirvana

Post by dramsey » Mon Mar 21, 2016 12:30 am

I'm guessing there's a special technique for applying a single large square of this 3M tape to the glass print bed without it turning into a smeared, globbed, tangled useless mess. I know what it isn't: cutting a square of tape the size of the print bed, removing the backing, and trying to apply it in one swell foop.

I'm also hoping there's a way to remove said mess from the glass so I can try whatever method I should have used the first time.

EDIT: Lots of "Goo Gone" and razor blade work removed the gooped adhesive.

So...how to apply? I have two alternative ideas:

1. Cut into 1-2" strips. Apply strips individually.

2. Peel backing off one sheet, lay glass plate down on exposed adhesive, trim.

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Jules
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Re: How You Too Can Achieve Printing Nirvana

Post by Jules » Mon Mar 21, 2016 1:07 am

dramsey wrote:I'm guessing there's a special technique for applying a single large square of this 3M tape to the glass print bed without it turning into a smeared, globbed, tangled useless mess. I know what it isn't: cutting a square of tape the size of the print bed, removing the backing, and trying to apply it in one swell foop.

I'm also hoping there's a way to remove said mess from the glass so I can try whatever method I should have used the first time.
:lol: :lol: :lol: (Laughing with you here, not at you. I wadded my first sheet up around my elbow.)

Okay, the best way that I found to do it was to start peeling the liner off of 1 side of the tape by slooooowly pulling the liner off one side of the full 12 inch sheet while holding the corner down flat, and doubling the liner back on itself sharply. It's impossible to describe with words, but it's a technique used by vinyl cutters to apply vinyl transfer tape and there is a video of it below. It's all in the peeling.

After you have removed one side of the tape liner, lay the tape on a flat desk, sticky side up. Lay the glass down on it. (No way you won't have bubbles in it, but they won't matter.) Cut the excess tape from around the glass with an exacto knife. Turn the glass over and brayer the tape down and pop the bubbles in the tape through the remaining liner, before you pull it off. (Small slashes cut into the remaining liner to let the air out.)
Get it as flat as you can before removing the remaining liner on the tape, using the same technique you used before, to keep from pulling the adhesive off the glass.

Remove one liner from the sheet of PEI, and lay that side facing up on the desk. Flip the sticky side of the glass facing down, and set the glass down on the exposed PEI surface. Press down well. Use the plastic cutter to score the PEI around the glass deeply. Flip the whole thing over and carefully score (using a straight edge) on the other side of the PEI, trying to line up your score marks with the ones underneath. Keep scoring until you can snap the PEI away from the glass.

Sand the edges, remove the top liner on the PEI, scuff the top with fine sand paper and you're done. :D

Video showing the technique :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-PRVLEaDRY

dramsey
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Re: How You Too Can Achieve Printing Nirvana

Post by dramsey » Mon Mar 21, 2016 2:47 am

AH, it's much easier when you know the correct way to do it!

PEI applied. Making calibration squares now.

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jhaupt
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Re: How You Too Can Achieve Printing Nirvana

Post by jhaupt » Mon Mar 28, 2016 10:44 pm

So I have an update for PC-Plus...

Didn't get the PEI for my M2 yet but we just got a TAZ5 at work which comes with PEI stock (needed the build volume) and I'm sitting next to the machine running it's first print in black PC-Plus right now. While it will take some time to dial in settings there's no hint of curling with the PEI at 100C. SO, I'm about to order the requisite materials for the M2 and experience some of this nirvana you mentioned.

As for hairspray on the MIC6, as per jimc's recommendations, it's worked wonderfully for everything but PC-Plus, which curls even with a huge brim.

~Justine

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zemlin
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Re: How You Too Can Achieve Printing Nirvana

Post by zemlin » Fri Apr 01, 2016 4:52 pm

Put a MIC6 plate with 1/16" PEI together last weekend. VERY nice results. My aluminum is 1/4" which adds a lot of mass to the Y-slide, but doesn't appear to be causing any problems. I have been running with reduced accel and speeds in the 3200-3600 range.

ABS at 80C
PLA at 70C
PETG at 70C

In order to make changing out plates of different thicknesses quick and easy, I made up a cap for the Z-Axis screw. Build it for whatever thickness you are adding to the plate. I'm using a 6.3mm version for my 1/4" plate plus .06" PEI. I also have some 3/32 G10/FR4 and use a 1.5mm cap when I run that.
https://grabcad.com/library/makergear-m2-z-axis-caps-1

Image

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Jules
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Re: How You Too Can Achieve Printing Nirvana

Post by Jules » Fri Apr 01, 2016 6:21 pm

zemlin wrote: In order to make changing out plates of different thicknesses quick and easy, I made up a cap for the Z-Axis screw. Build it for whatever thickness you are adding to the plate. I'm using a 6.3mm version for my 1/4" plate plus .06" PEI. I also have some 3/32 G10/FR4 and use a 1.5mm cap when I run that.
https://grabcad.com/library/makergear-m2-z-axis-caps-1
So do these caps of yours just sit on top of the bolt head? It's a clever idea.....might have to give some a try. I've got a bunch of different printing surfaces for the original M2.

(Just a reminder though, for others reading the thread - not needed for the Rev.E machines.) ;)

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sthone
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Re: How You Too Can Achieve Printing Nirvana

Post by sthone » Fri Apr 01, 2016 6:48 pm

Yeah very cool Idea. 8-) I thought about doing something like this for all the various attachments I play with instead of messing with the z-stop position but with the new Rev. E I just have my different heights written down and it only takes a second to key them in now. Still might be a good idea for my other printers though until I convert them all. :D
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zemlin
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Re: How You Too Can Achieve Printing Nirvana

Post by zemlin » Fri Apr 01, 2016 6:52 pm

Jules wrote:So do these caps of yours just sit on top of the bolt head? It's a clever idea.....might have to give some a try. I've got a bunch of different printing surfaces for the original M2. (Just a reminder though, for others reading the thread - not needed for the Rev.E machines.) ;)
It goes over the bolt head and the skirt drops over the lock nut so it doesn't tilt when contacting the switch.

I guess I need to read up on REV.E - my machine's only a couple months old so I was not expecting it to be obsolete just yet. ;)

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Jules
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Re: How You Too Can Achieve Printing Nirvana

Post by Jules » Fri Apr 01, 2016 7:43 pm

zemlin wrote:
Jules wrote:So do these caps of yours just sit on top of the bolt head? It's a clever idea.....might have to give some a try. I've got a bunch of different printing surfaces for the original M2. (Just a reminder though, for others reading the thread - not needed for the Rev.E machines.) ;)
It goes over the bolt head and the skirt drops over the lock nut so it doesn't tilt when contacting the switch.

I guess I need to read up on REV.E - my machine's only a couple months old so I was not expecting it to be obsolete just yet. ;)
It's not obsolete, but it is a major change in Z-Stop. The new version has a bottom set Z-Stop - no more tripping the trigger at the top of the rail.

Still prints the same, just less hassle with setting Z-Stops and Z-Offsets on everything. :D

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