Printing with Prusament PC blend  

RE: Printing with Prusament PC blend

I've printed several things successfully with Prusament PC Blend, using the satin sheet and the smooth sheet. If anything, it sticks too well, so I'm using glue stick as a separating agent (after ruining a smooth sheet).  Settings are the standard PC Blend profile, and in print settings I enable the draft shield. I also found it necessary to use a brim for most parts, to avoid curling at the edges. I also run PC Blend in a Lack enclosure, with the front door closed, so the inside temperature is about 36 degrees.

RE: Printing with Prusament PC blend

I've done a number of (mostly smaller) PC Blend prints and never had any issues.

I'm using the stock .4mm nozzle.

I agree that it needs a release agent, and I've done the last several PC Blend prints with Layerneer.

I used the draft shield option before I got the enclosure.

RE: Printing with Prusament PC blend

@jsw

Do you feel like the Layerneer gave you a better result then the glue that came with the PC Blend?

RE:

Posted by: @snuffleupagus

@jsw

Do you feel like the Layerneer gave you a better result then the glue that came with the PC Blend?

I assume that the glue they still supply is the standard Kores glue stick.

The big advantage that I notice with Layerneer over the Kores is that the coat on the build plate tends to be much thinner and far more consistently even, and thus does not leave an 'image' in the bottom of the prints.

When I got my first roll of PC Blend, I had been using Layerneer with ABS and PETg, but I was a bit leery of trying it with PC Blend due to the admonitions to avoid damage to the plate.  After several prints I'm now confident using Layerneer in lieu of the Kores with PC Blend.  If you look carefully at the plate used for the PC Blend piece below, you will notice that there are a couple of 'boo-boos' to the rear left of the piece.  I used that partly-damaged side to test in the event that it stuck too well.  (That white outline is where the draft shield was.)

When I was first climbing the learning curve with the Prusa sheets, I did an ABS print with no release agent.  I was used to printing on the glass plates at our local makerspace, where it was very common to use a knife and spatula to give a sticky print a little 'encouragement' to release.  The ABS print appeared to be difficult to budge.  I grabbed a small spatula from the kitchen and pried the print loose.  Unfortunately, along with the print came a few pieces of the PEI coating.  🙁  Lesson learned the hard way!  Since then I've always used a release agent with ABS (and PC Blend and often with PETg.)

RE: Printing with Prusament PC blend

I also use Layerneer occasionally (mostly if I run into warping with large rectangular objects). As jsw said, regular glue stick is "lumpy" whereas Layerneer lays down in a smooth, uniform layer.

RE: Printing with Prusament PC blend

Not related to the PC blend discussion itself but if you want to make an application of gluestick smoother  then you can use a paper towel with IPA on it and gently rub over the glue.  The glue stick dissolves in the IPA and will spread around giving you a much thinner and smoother layer once the ipa has evaporated.  
Basically the same way that skin oils dissolve and get moved around with ipa.

RE: Printing with Prusament PC blend

@jsw & @fuchsr

OK then, I'm going to try it. I've been avoiding it because Layerneer has it listed as a unknown but I use Layerneer from time to time for troublesome ABS prints. I have 3 or 4 smooth PEI sheets so I'll take a chance on one.

I have been using the method @neophyl described for PC and TPU and its worked great, you can also use water with PVA to do the same thing but you have to wait longer.

Thanks everyone