The difference between different manufacturers of the glue or tape.

[ivan-lipunov 15]

Hi, folks!

The glue that came with the printer is long over, and for more than a year of printing on the UM2 I have tried many different mounting options. The two most successful among them: masking tape and AMOS Super stick, maded in South Korea. After the last, finished part is almost impossible to remove quickly from the glass. It's a nice bonus when you print carbon fiber or nylon, but for PLA, I think, is somewhat redundant. What method do you use? What variant optimal balance between adhesion and ease of removal for PLA?

[yellowshark 153]

For PLA I use extra strength hairspray. Everything stick, large surface area or small, and comes of the bed as it cools down; so for me it is optimal for both aspects.

[cloakfiend 996]

Just curious, but what brand, and how do you know its extra strength, lol, I assume it says so on the bottle? I use the grey pritt stick power, can be a bit hard to remove too soon, but pops of ok when cool also. I want to try hair sprays, but am not sure which ones to try.

The glue it comes with is just not strong enough for tiny fiddly pieces and multiple prints on the same area, it remains unused in a drawer.

Edited January 17, 2016 by Guest

[yellowshark 153]

Lol yes it does say it on the can. I use L'Oreal Elnett Satin, from Waitrose but no doubt stocked in other usual places. I do not know if brand has any implications, a conversation best had with a member of the fairer sex I suspect - I was looking for extra strength and that is what Waitrose had on the shelf.

Also no idea what impact this may have but my process is - warm the glass plate to my operating temp. of 65, remove plate and apply two layers of very light spray with 20 secs between each layer, replace plate and wait for temp to get back to 65 and go.

An application will last me several weeks to a month or so. To clean off the residue before reapplying, just hold the plate under a running hot water tap and wipe of with a J cloth or similar.

[ivan-lipunov 15]

 

@yellowshark How strong the smell of the hair spray when the bed is heated? Should I clean my glass after every print? How easy is it to separate the finished part from the glass?

[peetersm 124]

I use blue tape and have tried other brands-part# with horrible results, I only use Scotch 3M #2090 blue tape now.

[yellowshark 153]

When the plate is sprayed with the hairspray you can smell it - the same as if you are spraying it on your hair. After that I do not notice it - i.e. the heated plate does not increase the hairspray smell. No you do not clean it for every print; it normally lasts me several weeks, sometimes longer. I have not been doing many prints recently, none over Xmas, and I last sprayed the plate about two months ago. I did a print last week and it was fine.

I think it does depend on the model, but if there is a brim then normally I can remove the plate from the printer and lift the brim with a small screwdriver and the part will often release immediately. Otherwise, having removed the plate from the printer, I can remove the print after about five minutes.

[cloakfiend 996]

thanks for the info, ill give it a shot when im due a refresh.

[mastory 44]

I am using Aquanet. Chose it because it was the cheapest on the rack. Works great for PLA and ABS on heated glass.

[LePaul 354]

I use blue tape and have tried other brands-part# with horrible results, I only use Scotch 3M #2090 blue tape now.

Do the parts come out with a glossy flat bottom using tape?

[peetersm 124]

 

I use blue tape and have tried other brands-part# with horrible results, I only use Scotch 3M #2090 blue tape now.

 

Do the parts come out with a glossy flat bottom using tape?

 

No they are textured a bit by the tape surface, not smooth like glass.