Which are the best build surfaces for PETG?  

RE: Which are the best build surfaces for PETG?

Blast this inability to edit a post more than 20 seconds after its posted.  I was going to add, 

"Has anybody tried it?"

RE: Which are the best build surfaces for PETG?

@dimprov

I have one sheet that had a divot.  I filled the divot with a sandible epoxy that is high temperature and covered with a sticker.  It worked.  

RE: Which are the best build surfaces for PETG?

Posted by: @dimprov

From the standpoint of enabling future removal, what might conceivably work is pasting a PEI sticker over some other kind of sticker, like a buildtac or a GeckoTek.  Though I pretty much hate buildtac, at least it comes off spring steel without too much difficulty using a heat gun.  I'm guessing GeckoTek will be similar.  

BuildTak advertises their easy removal adhesive. Most other brands advertise their 3M adhesive which is what Prusa uses I believe. My ideal combination is the BuildTak PEI on the thinner PrintedSolid spring steel sheets. The PrintedSolid sheets don't exhibit oxidation under the PEI like the Prusa sheets do. 

All that said, this is something I've only done once. I might replace one more this year, but that's about it.

RE: Which are the best build surfaces for PETG?

I prefer to add Buildtak to steel blank bed.  I would not add it to a new or unused sheet.  

RE: Which are the best build surfaces for PETG?

Posted by: @cwbullet

I prefer to add Buildtak to steel blank bed.  I would not add it to a new or unused sheet.  

Agreed. I'm very leery of applying an expensive new sheet over a damaged old sheet. At best, it will 'work' but you're likely to have a few irregular spots. At worst, you'll end up trashing the expensive new sheet. I went down this path with my early BuildTak experiments.

RE: Which are the best build surfaces for PETG?

@bobstro

I concur.  I have one sheet that had 3 small blad spots.  Before I started filling, I just applied the sheet and it prints fine.  I did a whole sheet first player print and it only has one small spot that I can’t get a good first layer printed.    

RE: Which are the best build surfaces for PETG?

Posted by: @bobstro

Posted by: @dimprov

From the standpoint of enabling future removal, what might conceivably work is pasting a PEI sticker over some other kind of sticker, like a buildtac or a GeckoTek.  Though I pretty much hate buildtac, at least it comes off spring steel without too much difficulty using a heat gun.  I'm guessing GeckoTek will be similar.  

BuildTak advertises their easy removal adhesive. Most other brands advertise their 3M adhesive which is what Prusa uses I believe. My ideal combination is the BuildTak PEI on the thinner PrintedSolid spring steel sheets. The PrintedSolid sheets don't exhibit oxidation under the PEI like the Prusa sheets do. 

 

 

Aha.  No we're getting somewhere!  So, not just the original BuildTak (which I hate), but the BuildTak PEI sheet is easy to remove as well?

Possibly worthy of note is this comment by first reviewer, who wrote:

Michael (verified owner) – July 3, 2018

I run an Original Prusa i3 MK2S with the Complete BuildTak FlexPlate System. As soon as this PEI surface was available i ordered it and a second Flexplate.

In comparing the Prusa’s PEI surface to the BuildTak PEI Surface:
PRUSA PEI – PLA sticks great and PETG sticks almost too well. So much so pulling a PETG part from the build plate eventually damaged the PEI surface. Prompting me to buy the Complete BuildTak FlexPlate System
BuildTak PEI- PLA comes off almost too easy and the PETG sticks perfectly.

So i tend to use the Orginal BuildTak surface for PLA prints and use the PEI for my PETG prints.

(link to quotation: https://www.buildtak.com/product/buildtak-3d-printing-surface-pei/)

However, I'm suspicious as to whether that quote is merely a shill  masquerading as a review.  Are you also finding that PETG prints come off the BuildTak PEI "perfectly"?  

RE: Which are the best build surfaces for PETG?

@dimprov

I have found that it is very easy to remove as a single piece.  

RE: Which are the best build surfaces for PETG?

Posted by: @cwbullet

@dimprov

I have found that it is very easy to remove as a single piece.  

Just to be clear: you're referring to the BuildTak PEI sheet?  Or did you mean a PETG print from the BuildTak PEI sheet?

RE: Which are the best build surfaces for PETG?

Posted by: @dimprov

Aha.  No we're getting somewhere!  So, not just the original BuildTak (which I hate), but the BuildTak PEI sheet is easy to remove as well?

It is supposed to be, yes. I have not yet tried a removal with the BuildTak PEI sheet, but everything I've read has been positive.

I use the BuildTak PEI as my "hot & sticky" test sheet for testing things like PETGs. The only reason I did this was that I wanted to keep my 2 identical Prusa sheets ready for quick swaps. 

[...] However, I'm suspicious as to whether that quote is merely a shill  masquerading as a review.  Are you also finding that PETG prints come off the BuildTak PEI "perfectly"?  

No issues, though I do use separator (mostly finger wipes before printing on clean PEI, sometimes Windex, glue stick for 270C PETG) before printing PETG. No issues removing it with a range of materials.

RE: Which are the best build surfaces for PETG?

Do you guys find it preferable to apply the same sticker to both sides of the same blank spring steel to avoid warping, or has warping from one-sided application not turned out to be an issue?

RE: Which are the best build surfaces for PETG?

@dimprov

I often apply different sickers on oposite sides.  

RE: Which are the best build surfaces for PETG?

Before I attach a GeckoTek on a brand new, unused Prusa's smooth steel sheet with PEI on both sides, is it advisable to also clean the surface of the smooth steel sheet first?

I read that if the nozzle is too low,  the prints would leave unremovable traces and imprints that the subsequent prints will pick up. So, unlike the way we do the first level calibration on Prusa's sheet, we should not make the nozzle too low. What is the best way to make sure that the nozzle is not too low to leave subsequent unremovable traces and implants on the GeckoTek but at the same time now too high to have adhesion issue.

After print, is it also recommended to leave the GeckoTeak and the steel sheet to cool down before removing the prints?

RE: Which are the best build surfaces for PETG?

Hi, are we supposed to do a first level calibration after putting a GeckoTek sheet on the steal sheet or just at the beginning of the print job, do a live Z calibration?

RE: Which are the best build surfaces for PETG?

Have you Guys ever tried 3DLAC ? I had so many issues when i started printing PETG in the beginning that i also spent a lot for a buildtak magnetic sheet. That thing worked great for the first 2-3 month but after a while it lost its stickiness... a friend of mine gave me ,after i´ve told him about my issues , a nearly empty spraybottle to try. He said just give it a little .. and so i did. And what shall i say .. it worked perfekt ! I´m using it for all kind of filaments and it says on the can that it even prevents from warping.  But i never had issues with that so it cant   say that this is true.You should give it a try ! especially when you want to look at youre print without being able to tell wich side was on the bed while printing.  Im new here in this prusa community but already printing for a while on anycubic.. I hope you dont blame me now ... 

Spooner

RE: Which are the best build surfaces for PETG?

Posted by: @spooner-2

Have you Guys ever tried 3DLAC ? I had so many issues when i started printing PETG in the beginning that i also spent a lot for a buildtak magnetic sheet. That thing worked great for the first 2-3 month but after a while it lost its stickiness... a friend of mine gave me ,after i´ve told him about my issues , a nearly empty spraybottle to try. He said just give it a little .. and so i did. And what shall i say .. it worked perfekt ! I´m using it for all kind of filaments and it says on the can that it even prevents from warping.  But i never had issues with that so it cant   say that this is true.You should give it a try ! especially when you want to look at youre print without being able to tell wich side was on the bed while printing.  Im new here in this prusa community but already printing for a while on anycubic.. I hope you dont blame me now ... 

Spooner

The problem is: where to buy it?  I previously tried looking for 3DLAC (which seems popular in China), but for whatever reason none of the vendors that I found would ship it to the US.  Unless it contains something toxic, I can't imagine why.  What part of the world are you in, and where did you get yours (after your friend's initial sample to you that is)?

RE: Which are the best build surfaces for PETG?

Scratch that.  I re-checked just now and found a place that sells it:  https://www.partsbuilt.com/3dlac-plus-3d-bed-adhesive-spray-100ml/

RE: Which are the best build surfaces for PETG?

There there’s something else you can try that works for me also quite fine. If you want you can try just normal hairspray.... yeah I don’t laugh but it does!! And the best thing is it can be removed was just water. Give it a try just spray on a bit and let it dry while the print bed gets preheated. I’m from Germany and here we have stuff called Haar Lack .. that’s quite the same like the 3dlac ... as long as The heat bed is hot it will keep your print sticker on the print bed and as soon as it cools down The print can be removed easily. I just checked what you could easily get.. it’s called tremmese hairspray ... you should get it in the shop somewhere around you. Give that a try and then write back what you think. If that doesn’t work will order the 3-DLac

spooner

RE: Which are the best build surfaces for PETG?

Posted by: @spooner-2

 tremmese hairspray

Is that formulation the same or different as what you've had good luck with?

I dislike using gluestik because of the residue it leaves on a print and so  is extra work to wash off.  Does hairpsray residue need to be washed off similarly, or can it be left on the print without it being visible or sticky?  

RE: Which are the best build surfaces for PETG?

Sorry for that answer delay... so i never had to wash of anything ... it seems to disapear ... no marks on the bed and especial no marks or sticki printing parts ... just take them off an forget about that hairspray... have you tried ist yet?