Reliably removing printed objects from the bed / is using a coolant spray safe?
I've been having issue removing printed objects from the heatbed. Especially things which have a larger surface area of few solid layers, like the Prusa logo, or other larger "mechanical" parts.
I tried using fingernails, plastic cards, 50% IPA/water spray (based on this video ), but all of them feel useless.
For some parts which are larger I did successfully remove them by just pulling on the part, but last time I did this with something bigger it felt like I almost ripped a portion of the heatbed away. Or at least some parts of the bed where the part was printed look a bit different after removing it.
The only thing I tried so far that worked "reliably" is turning an air spray upside down and spraying the coolant onto the part. So far this worked every time, but it ran out fairly quickly. I see a lot of videos online where people recommend using a spatula/pallete knife, but there are loads of warnings about using sharp obejcts (yet some people recommend razor blades).
Honestly, having tried quite a bit of force with a plastic card, I don't see how something without a sharp end would ever get under the print to lift it even a tiniest bit. OTOH if the goal is to apply horizontal force, I feel that using the plastic card should do that just as well, but it doesn't seem to work for me.
How do you guys do it? This has been the scariest part of printing for me so far, as every time I try to remove a print I'm scared I'll break the printer with it.
To give an example of a larger mechanical part that I was unable to remove without just ripping it off/using coolant, take a look at the two biggest parts in this model https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2064269 .
Re: Reliably removing printed objects from the bed / is using a coolant spray safe?
I used a sharp spatula
where possible working from a sharp corner
I am still using my first PEI sheet, but it will need changing soon... it currently has three small damage areas where I obviously wasnt careful enough... but it's taken over a year to damage it...
I wonder if you could clip a mk3 steel sheet on the mk 2 heatbed, like we used to do with glass on the mk1
then it would be easier to flex the metal and pop the model off...
regards Joan
I try to make safe suggestions,You should understand the context and ensure you are happy that they are safe before attempting to apply my suggestions, what you do, is YOUR responsibility. Location Halifax UK
Re: Reliably removing printed objects from the bed / is using a coolant spray safe?
On itself it is good news, that the parts are sticking very well on to the PEI sheet 😀
I had the same issues. Sometimes it feels as tearing apart your printer. The coolant sprays works, but was not good enough.
What I always do:
ad a rond extra part (0,2 mm high, 2 cm diameter, I call it a mouse ear) to the object, export the object and the ear as one stl file
then reload the joined object with the ear attached as one stl and print the object
after printing, I can lift the ear with the spatula because it is only 0.2 mm high, so I have a starting point
then with a razor blade (look in thingiverse for a holder) I can make more room between the printed object and the PEI
then I can put my spatula onder the object and work my way around, very carefully
give it a try and let the forum know if it works for you
be careful with the razor blade, it can cut you and/or the pei sheet
Frans
Frans Krau
Europe, Holland, Apeldoorn