Posts on Printing Surfaces and Bed Clearance

[RetireeJay]

Some newbies have found it difficult to search for info on printing surfaces, bed alignment, and the like. I have surveyed much of the forum and found these posts that look useful.



Posts regarding printing PLA:

viewtopic.php?f=80&t=11483&p=73427#p73426 - New in July 2017: Several flexible surfaces compared - well worth reading

viewtopic.php?f=74&t=8995 - New in Jan 2015: Blue painter's tape, Lexan, and Carpet Tape

viewtopic.php?f=74&t=9151 - Another survey focusing on blue tape, Lexan, and ConTac, Aluminum, and white painter's tape with room for expansion.

viewtopic.php?f=105&t=4454 - Slightly dated guide to setting up a Simple (uses string actuation and doesn't have zeroing switches.) Does mention painter's tape

viewtopic.php?f=15&t=3352&p=22197 - Troubleshooting problem with inadequate adhesion, both PLA and ABS

viewtopic.php?f=29&t=5912&p=38177 - Bed materials for PLA, and bed cleaning

viewtopic.php?f=16&t=6403 - Hairspray, painter's tape on aluminum, lexan, or glass

viewtopic.php?f=16&t=5268 - Picture of what happens when Z zero is not adjusted correctly and/or there is no adhesion, with recommendations.

viewtopic.php?f=16&t=4633#p30511 - Setting z zero on a Junior
viewtopic.php?f=16&t=6171 - Setting z zero on a Junior (picture showing adjustment screw)

viewtopic.php?f=16&t=5901 - Problem setting z zero on a Simple

viewtopic.php?f=16&t=1948 - Printing PLA with a heated bed; allow it to cool some after the first layer.

viewtopic.php?f=29&t=6769#p46552 - Oracal Oratape HT55 seems to work extremely well

viewtopic.php?f=74&t=8516 - Very specific tapes and process to get good adhesion over large area

Posts regarding printing ABS:

viewtopic.php?f=29&t=453 - Drawcut's big survey post on bed materials and preparation.

viewtopic.php?f=16&t=1381 - Floor wax on glass.

viewtopic.php?f=16&t=1350 - Sugar water on Kapton; also mention of cooling object before removing.

viewtopic.php?f=16&t=593 - Adjusting first pass height to a sheet of paper

viewtopic.php?f=16&t=2026 - Using Kapton or Painter's tape or glass, coated with Aqua Net hair spray, or Future Floor Wax, or PVA (Elmer's glue) thinned with water, or "ABS juice"... and Bounce dryer sheets to prevent ABS from sticking too much!

viewtopic.php?f=15&t=3352&p=22197 - Troubleshooting problem with inadequate adhesion, both PLA and ABS

viewtopic.php?f=16&t=2644 - Discussion of blue tape vs ABS juice vs hairspray

viewtopic.php?f=16&t=3061 - Comparison of aluminum vs glass, and discussion of different types of aluminum

viewtopic.php?f=16&t=2863 - "Formula" for making ABS juice; discussion of why use glass or some base that is very very flat.

viewtopic.php?f=16&t=3421 - Cleaning print bed with acetone - watch out, it can hurt Kapton. Also, mention of glue stick.

viewtopic.php?f=15&t=2525&p=17425 - Discussion of bed temperature, thermistor calibration etc along with Kapton, ABS juice, etc.

Post regarding printing with nylon (actually multi-material):

See Taulman3D's recommendation of Elmer's glue on glass:

[RetireeJay]

New post: viewtopic.php?f=80&t=7400 Ultem (polyetherimide) print surface for both PLA and ABS - claims to be great!