Buildtak  

Re: Buildtak

You could, btu the sheets now come with the PEI attached, I think.

Re: Buildtak

Yes Casey,
but you would probably have to reset Live Z, as I believe Prusa PEI and Buildtak are different thicknesses!

Joan

Re: Buildtak

Yes Casey,
but you would probably have to reset Live Z, as I believe Prusa PEI and Buildtak are different thicknesses!

Joan

The buildtak is definitely thicker and will require a new Z setting. Great point.

Re: Buildtak

Thanks everyone....I am asking because I have never had much luck with PEI on other printers. Would buildtac be a good alternative to the powder coated sheets?

Re: Buildtak

I have not used it myself but from what I read, it grabs prints and will not let go until it cools.

Re: Buildtak

I have used BuildTak sheets on a Monoprice Ultimate printer. It works well even without bed heating, and with heating the print often sticks a little too well. Getting the print off the bed is often a lot of work.

The magnetic bed with the steel sheet coated in PEI is a huge improvement. I have put all those spatulas away -- no more trying to scrape the print off the BuildTak surface. With the steel PEI sheet, removing prints is reliably easy. I wouldn't go back to using the BuildTak sheet now.

Re: Buildtak

After lots of testing. Buildtak is pretty good, but I would buy a black metal sheet.

Re: Buildtak

I've printed a lot with BuildTak on other printers, and while I like it, the smooth PEI sheet wins hands down. With BuildTak I never knew if my print would stick so tightly I ended up damaging the surface, or would fall off during printing. Most of the time it worked well but I kept having to buy and install new sheets every few weeks.

Re: Buildtak

I've printed a lot with BuildTak on other printers, and while I like it, the smooth PEI sheet wins hands down. With BuildTak I never knew if my print would stick so tightly I ended up damaging the surface, or would fall off during printing. Most of the time it worked well but I kept having to buy and install new sheets every few weeks.

Windex was my friend.

Re: Buildtak

I recommend buildtak for polycarbonate filament, although it also adheres a little too well.
Basically if you are having adhesion issues with everything else, use the black buildtak sheet, but don't say you weren't warned about how well everything sticks to it, expect to be replacing it at some point, so look at it as a consumable therefore keep it only for those critical prints where you really really need the part to stick well!, think tall and thin or small contact patch.

For everything else, PEI.

I have a spring steel sheet I bought from Amazon specifically for this and stuck the buildtak sheet to this for printing polycarbonate, this way my PEI sheet remains just for PETG and PLA. I do have different live-z values for the two sheets.

Re: Buildtak

I've used Buildtak for a while on a K8400 Velleman printer with a heated bed. With the bed correctly levelled, PLA sticks to it like the proverbial. I only wish I had a flexible bed on the K8400 as some prints needed chiselling off with a scraper.

I am half tempted to get a spare spring steel sheet for my MK3S and put a sheet of Buildtak on it as a slightly textured surface option. Less textured than the newly arrived coarse PEI textured sheet (yes, they are shipping, even across the English Channel to Brexitland) and the smooth PEI sheet bed. 😀

Re: Buildtak

The Buildtak PEI is also a fantastic surface. I find it superior to Prusa PEI.

Re: Buildtak

[...] I am half tempted to get a spare spring steel sheet for my MK3S and put a sheet of Buildtak on it as a slightly textured surface option. Less textured than the newly arrived coarse PEI textured sheet (yes, they are shipping, even across the English Channel to Brexitland) and the smooth PEI sheet bed.
I've purchased blank spring steel sheets from BuiltTak ($25) and PrintedSolid ($20). The BT is definitely thicker than Prusa's. The PS version feels very similar to the thinner textured sheets Prusa is shipping. I personally prefer the extra flex of the PS version, and it's cheaper.

I've applied BuildTak and PEI to both, and they work well. You do need to adjust Live-Z for the varying thicknesses.

I tried one of the FYSETC cheap sheets off AliEpress. The bloody sheet is thick and will slice off a toe if dropped. It also doesn't seem to be spring steel as it holds the shape if flexed. The PEI sheets were some sort of 2 part monstrosity that I didn't even bother with. I did purchase their cheap "BT clone" sheets and have that available in an emergency.

The big difference between BT and PEI is that BT is a grippy surface, period. It grips and holds, heated or not. This can be good or bad, in that it will almost always hold, but not necessarily let go. PEI will loosen grip as it cools, which can make removal easier. It is definitely possible to print materials that won't release easily with either. PEI theoretically should last longer. BT is definitely a consumable.

Re: Buildtak

I have 2 of the FYSETC sheets and with 0.2mm PEI stuck on it on one side only, I am having to adjust the LIVE z 0.3mm less than the PRUSA textured sheet or +0.300. So yes it is thicker, the sheet with the Buildtak surface stuck to it ends up even thicker! +0.450.

I wouldn't flex it as much as the PRUSA sheet, but mine does flex and returns flat, and I do find I get really good even and consistent first layers, much better than the textured PRUSA sheet can produce. I wonder if the extra thickness is helping shield the magnets ?.

I got mine from Amazon and now use the textured PRUSA sheet exclusively for PETG where it excels, the FYSETC with PEI for PLA and the FYSETC with Buildtak for Polycarbonate where it welds itself to it! 😯 a bit too well, so it is damaging the Buildtak removing the print or should I say chiselling it off!, I'm having to print a lot faster than supposedly recommended for PC, just to get poor first layer adhesion 😕 .

Oh and no Windex, no sprays nothing except a wipe beforehand with IPA.

Re: Buildtak

BT is definitely a consumable.

This is 100% true. Especially, if you accidentally use acetone to clean it.

Re: Buildtak

This is 100% true. Especially, if you accidentally use acetone to clean it.
Yes, definitely. Created BaldTak with my 1st sheet. Putting BT on one side and PEI on the other may not have been the best choice.

Re: Buildtak

This is 100% true. Especially, if you accidentally use acetone to clean it.
Yes, definitely. Created BaldTak with my 1st sheet. Putting BT on one side and PEI on the other may not have been the best choice.

Nope, that was my mstake also. I have prevented damge by being careful until a recent cleaning.

RE: Buildtak

Well, that did not last long printing polycarbonate.

Printed a part last night but started the first layer too slow so it literally welded with the buildtak.

I'll give PC it's fair dues, it's strong!, ripped holes in the buildtak surface when I had to lever it off!, unfortunately, the buildtak is ruined, but at least it is not too bad to peel the rest off the steel sheet, it comes of as one piece cleanly.

Definately going to buy another sheet though, as no warping with PC on a black genuine buildtak surface, and this is on a printer without an enclosure, also parts have been no bigger than 8cm at the longest and 2cm maximum height and 100% infill, but I will only use this for polycarbonate when I need to print something, just need to work on slightly less adhesion!.

RE: Buildtak

Posted by: chocki

Well, that did not last long printing polycarbonate.

Printed a part last night but started the first layer too slow so it literally welded with the buildtak.

I'll give PC it's fair dues, it's strong!, ripped holes in the buildtak surface when I had to lever it off!, unfortunately, the buildtak is ruined, but at least it is not too bad to peel the rest off the steel sheet, it comes of as one piece cleanly.

 

Definately going to buy another sheet though, as no warping with PC on a black genuine buildtak surface, and this is on a printer without an enclosure, also parts have been no bigger than 8cm at the longest and 2cm maximum height and 100% infill, but I will only use this for polycarbonate when I need to print something, just need to work on slightly less adhesion!.

I would not print PC on it.  I have had similar findings with some PETGs.