Flexplate Group Buy  

Re: Flexplate Group Buy

Has anyone purchased the flex steel sheets from these guys they have what looks like an exact copy for $29.00 the only issue is the shipping is high. They said they could ship 1 heat bed 1 PINDA and 1 spring steel sheet for $35 to the US. https://www.3dprintronics.com/Prusa-i3-Mk52-Heated-Bed-p101073046

Re: Flexplate Group Buy

I wonder if it will cause problems if the steel sheet + PEI + Buildtec layers ends up much thicker than a powder coated sheet.

Will that not cause some sort of PINDA problem?

I wouldn't think so. The PINDA reads off of the flexplate itself, the thickness underneath would be irrelevant.
If anything, the live-Z would be slightly less than it is with the Prusa plate due to the Buildtak thickness being greater than the Prusa PEI sheet

I'm pretty sure the PINDA reads off the heatbed points and not the spring steel. Therefore if the sticker + buildtak and steel sheet is too thick you might push the PINDA into the noise zone.

Re: Flexplate Group Buy

I'm pretty sure the PINDA reads off the heatbed points and not the spring steel. Therefore if the sticker + buildtak and steel sheet is too thick you might push the PINDA into the noise zone.

Not true. The pinda triggers off the spring steel sheet. The heatbed points are only used for the xyz calibration.

Re: Flexplate Group Buy

Not true. The pinda triggers off the spring steel sheet. The heatbed points are only used for the xyz calibration.

That must be true, because it triggers with any (?ferrous) metal put close to the PINDA tip.

But, having only reached the cable-taming stage of MK3 assembly, and having read VERY diagonally across a few bits of info, I'm under the impression that the calibration is done without the flex steel sheet on the printbed. With the steel plate on, the PINDA would always trigger and could not resolve x / y location, only z-height. Unless I just don't get it jet how the MK3 works.... 😳

EDIT: OOPS, re-reading what I just included as your quote, I was restating the obvious.

So rethinking my concerns about the added thickness from PEI and Buildtac, it means that only the thickness added to one side will matter, because the z-calibration is done off the steel sheet. It will probably be necessary to QUICKLY live-adjust z-height to avoid nasty scratches in a glue-on PEI sheet, but possible.

Re: Flexplate Group Buy

It works fine with thicker plates. I made my own out of ordinary (cold rolled) steel sheet and some 0.7 or 0.8 mm thick PEI sheets. The OG sheet is about 1.1mm thick, the custom one is about 2.5mm thick. You just change your live z value and off you go.

Definitely interested if you can get the shipping cheap.

Re: Flexplate Group Buy

Hey jon,

that sounds super! I too would be interested. (Vienna, AT).

Cheers,
Fabian

Re: Flexplate Group Buy

I need this thing 🙂

Re: Flexplate Group Buy

In, and I'd love to help with setting up a group purchase thing and/or help with USA packing/shipping.

Re: Flexplate Group Buy

Alrighty, I got some final part costs, based on a order of 200 of each of the follow:

FlexPlates = $22.99 CAD ($17.84 USD)
BuildTak Original = $18.66 CAD ($14.48 USD)
BuildTak PEI = $21.39 CAD ($16.60 USD)

Got a massive discount on the steel if the size increased to 200 sheets instead of 20.

I think these prices are really good. I will get a quote for some international shipping options with, and without tracking.

I would setup a site where anyone interested can preorder. Once we hit the goal size of 200 or more, I would then place the order.

Preorder options would look like this:
Steel Sheet Only
Steel Sheet with (1) BuildTak Original
Steel Sheet with (2) BuildTak Original
Steel Sheet with (1) PEI
Steel Sheet with (2) PEI
Steel Sheet with (1) BuildTak Original and (1) PEI

Let me know what you folks think about this. Looking for honest thoughts here as I would really love to pursue this.

I compared these prices to what BuildTak offers, and they are cheaper in each configuration, and Im pretty sure shipping will be much cheaper.

so, to confirm if i wanted a double sided PEI plate, you are saying $22.99 +16.60 x2? = $56.19?

Re: Flexplate Group Buy

Can you tell me any more about the steel sheet? Is it "spring" steel?
You can get 4130 annealed (yield strength 63,100 psi - 435 MPa) .025" sheet cut to size online for about $9.00 US in quantity one from "Online Metals". They are almost always having a sale. Unfortunately, their shipping costs more than the sheet.
Bob

Re: Flexplate Group Buy

so, to confirm if i wanted a double sided PEI plate, you are saying $22.99 +16.60 x2? = $56.19?

You are mixing up the CAD and USD in your total cost there.
Your config would either be $65.77 CAD or $51.04 USD.

Re: Flexplate Group Buy

Can you tell me any more about the steel sheet? Is it "spring" steel?
You can get 4130 annealed (yield strength 63,100 psi - 435 MPa) .025" sheet cut to size online for about $9.00 US in quantity one from "Online Metals". They are almost always having a sale. Unfortunately, their shipping costs more than the sheet.
Bob

The material I have chosen to use is Spring Steel .042, 1050 annealed.

Re: Flexplate Group Buy

So I took my stock Prusa plate to CanadaPost, and the shipping rates I got were as follows:
UK = $20CAD
US = $12CAD

Lady working at the counter was a real boot, I will approach UPS today to get their rates.

Re: Flexplate Group Buy

Where is your site to pre order? I am in Canada also and I am possibly interested.

Re: Flexplate Group Buy

Any chance to make a "somewhat less flex plate"?

My prints are a bit challenging, extreme warping forces bend the flex plate upward in the corners.
I also managed to bent the entire print bed of the MK2 on one occasion....

Re: Flexplate Group Buy

So I took my stock Prusa plate to CanadaPost, and the shipping rates I got were as follows:
UK = $20CAD
US = $12CAD

Lady working at the counter was a real boot, I will approach UPS today to get their rates.

You are mixing up the CAD and USD in your total cost there.
Your config would either be $65.77 CAD or $51.04 USD.

so $51+whatever 12 cad is?
I ordered the powder coated spring steel off of ebay from another canadian (thekkiinngg]) https://www.ebay.com/itm/Prusa-i3-Mk3-Mk2-5-Double-sided-Pei-TEXTURED-Powder-Coated-spring-steel-sheet-V2/332649969907?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649
for $61.98 (us) including shipping (20% ebay fathers day coupon) So I'm going to try that out for now.

Re: Flexplate Group Buy

for $61.98 (us) including shipping (20% ebay fathers day coupon) So I'm going to try that out for now.

Where do you get the 20% coupons?

Re: Flexplate Group Buy

for $61.98 (us) including shipping (20% ebay fathers day coupon) So I'm going to try that out for now.

Where do you get the 20% coupons?

they do them every so often. usually one day only
https://pages.ebay.com/promo/2018/0606/66165.html

Re: Flexplate Group Buy

So far super pleased with the powder coated plate. 3 high temp prints, removed immediately, 0 bulges of the surface and the texture on the prints themselves is really nice. Glad I went this way rather than pei sheets on a spring steel.

example, on the right the original sping steel PEI sheet shiny smooth texture and on the left the new plate. It is slimmer so the under extrusion you see on about half of the bottom is because i was live z adjusting until i got it right. Nice matte finish. had to adjust about 0.075 more negative on the live z to make it work.

Re: Flexplate Group Buy

That looks fantastic, Chris.