ABS on Textured Plate and Unloading  

ABS on Textured Plate and Unloading

Hi All,

Have been very happily printing PLA\PETG directly on the textured plate with no issues removing when cooled, also changing filament between the 2 has been no issue.

Then I tried out some ABS (wanted to be able to do the acetone smoothing on some items), made up a slightly tweaked version of the Pretty PETG profile and printed perfectly first go. Great I thought until I tried to get it off the print bed, was a complete nightmare to get off, I heated it again and while it was cooling tried to pull it off at different temps during heating and cool down but it was properly stuck. Finally I managed to tear it off the bed leaving a mark (which luckily was just ABS and could get off with acetone), really thought that the plate surface was going to rip off.

Thinking better of using ABS until doing some more research I went to switch back to PLA and did the usual preheat, unload filament for the ABS. out it came but then couldn't get the PLA to reload (still using ABS temps) for many attempts of brute force on the filament to shift the stuck ABS which eventually went.

So on to 2 questions.....
1. In order to get the ABS to stick less would the following work - Less bed temp (was at 110c on layer 1 then 100c), Less extruder temp (was at 255 for layer 1 then 245) or leave temps and use a coating which is less pure such as window cleaner?
2. Was my ABS removal and reload issue likely just unlucky and happens with the others too or is there a better unload method to get ABS out?

Overall i've been so happy with the printer, my first ever outing into 3D printing world and it's been great (got through nearly 3 rolls of filament since just after Xmas with no issues apart from the above) my only regret was not getting stuck into it a long time ago.

Many Thanks,
Mike