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Micro Porous Glass Bed Install

Discussion in 'Mods and Upgrades' started by Lance Weston, Jan 12, 2020.

  1. Lance Weston

    Lance Weston Active Member

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    I purchased 2 of the Cctree 235 mm x 235 mm micro porous glass beds and one 12" x 12" Creality micro porous glass bed.

    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07F6CLTD7/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

    I chose 235 mm so that it would overhang the bed slightly, it is also sold in 210 mm. The CCtree glass beds have a peel off sticky mount, the Creality does not.

    After reading much confusing and contradictory info I decided to clean with a damp rag. This did not work. I then cleaned the surfaces with alcohol. I found the both had a yellow substance that came off with the alcohol. My first prints did not adhere well, in that they would curl off. After spending awhile cleaning with alcohol until no yellow came off any more the adhesion was good. Both brands 20200112_115953.jpg 20200112_121547.jpg 20200112_124153.jpg appear to be made by the same company. The Creality had more of the yellow coating.

    The spec is 50C to 70C for the bed and I find 50C to 55C works well.

    It gives you a pattern on the plastic that looks good and is not gloss. I do not know how long it will last, but it gives a nice flat surface for only $12.99.

    The printer runs 24/7 printing the same pieces on the same spot on the glass. The glass peeled off tonight after about 50 hours of printing on the same spot.

    It seems that the hardened glass only works for so many thermal cycles. It began peeling off glass when other locations on the surface were used after just a couple of prints. I had gotten the same results with hardened glass that I used a sandblaster on.

    I would call glass surfaces a dead end, now on to the flex plate system recommended by tkoco.
     

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    #1 Lance Weston, Jan 12, 2020
    Last edited: Jan 20, 2020
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  2. tkoco

    tkoco - -.- --- -.-. ---
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    Just want to add that this mod is for anyone who has not installed the FlexPlate mod sold by partsbuilt.com
     
  3. Lance Weston

    Lance Weston Active Member

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    Update: February 02, 2020
    I have two micro porous glass beds that are working fine. The trick is: I have to use absolute minimum smush on the first layer. If I find the offset that just makes it stick and wait 1 hour after the print is done I can print over and over on the same spot. I am using 55C on the bed, and 1 hour after the print is finished it just lifts off. This is with Sunlu PLA printing at 210C and Ziro PLA printing at 225C. I find this an easier surface to work with than Buildtak once the bed height is critically adjusted. The closer to the lead screw the better quality of the print.
     
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  4. jscottb

    jscottb Member

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    I have been using the Anycubic glass for about year and a half with great success. I have the 214x214 I think but the 220x220 will fit. I use glue stick if needed based on the weather.

    As a long time 3d print user and an early R2 owner, I have to say that the first two beds where awful.
     
  5. Lance Weston

    Lance Weston Active Member

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    I love the look of parts prints on this glass. My only problem is that if there is the slightest amount too much smush on the first layer the glass comes off. I look at the surface as one that I have to periodically have to replace. For my production stuff where I am using the same PLA and printing on the same spot I can get few rolls out of one spot on the glass. Eventually that spot will peel off the glass. When changing PLA the smush can change and the familiar ah sh..t will spring forth.
     
  6. jscottb

    jscottb Member

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    I see. For that, I would just get glass then and use glue stick or hair spray. I used to use Rave on my Rep-Rap years ago. Rave was what my wife used, so that drove my choice :) I would try glue stick first though.
     
  7. Lance Weston

    Lance Weston Active Member

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    I did not express myself well. The problem is too much stick if I get just slightly too much smush. The end result is that it rips the surface off the glass even when placed in the freezer. I keep a couple of these plates in reserve as I print on the machines 24/7. Replacing micro porous glass plates is pretty easy. Plain glass does not give me the surface I want.
     
  8. tkoco

    tkoco - -.- --- -.-. ---
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    @Lance Weston , I would consider using the minimum print bed temperature needed for the type of filament used. For PLA, I would dial in 30 to 40 C on the print bed. PLA is fairly sticky even for a print bed at room temperature ( ala the C2 printer )
     
  9. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
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    How about no squish at all and use a adhesion promoter like WolfBite Nano? They have versions for each type of filament and trust me ... if you add much squish with that stuff it is effectively bonded to the glass.
     
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