Low Cost (No Cost Approach) alternate to PEI

[Khalid Khattak]

Guys..... Guys... Guys.... You will not believe i got a very very very low cost solution to ABS printing .... its not a PEI sheet....
Today i went to Car Decor Selling workshop and i asked the guy to show me Car window Tint papers ( its plastic like black sheet)..He showed me different varieties but also showed me a little different stuff that was NOT A WINDOW TINT.... It was having a transparent sheet and the backside of it was a thin paper.... The sheet was textured just like a glass sandblasted.... I selected that sheet and the guy just sprayed my tempered glass with water and pasted that sheet...i think it was similar process of installation of tinted sheet on the window glass...
I am just printing ABS directly on it...I will show you the video shortly... Tomorrow is holiday and shop will close i will check the stuff and will post description here... I am just waiting when my print complete .. so for so good....

[geneb]

Printing on window tint isn't new, but congrats on finding something that works for you.

g.

[Khalid Khattak]

No man..the stuff is not window tint..its something else.... i will post the details later when i go back to that shop...I am just trying to post a video that u itself see... its not a window tint..

[Khalid Khattak]

Here are some pictures.... No glue stick...nothing.... When the bed was hot i was unable to remove the finished part ..but it pops-up when the bed got below 45C... Will try some big print tomorrow and see the behavior..I am really very happy... Again its not window tint... The product has rough surface just like a sandblasted glass and is like a thin sheet of plastic...

[Khalid Khattak]

And the video:
http://playit.pk/watch?v=EGL2ofQmAwI

[JFettig]

The real test will be when you print something very large!

[Tincho85]

is that window tint?




just kidding
for real... nice find! I hope it works with bigger prints also.

[Khalid Khattak]

Today I will do a medium Size print... If it went well then this will be great benefit to all of us.. I wish i get the documentation/brochure of the stuff or atleast supplier.

[Khalid Khattak]

Here is my todays update:
I started large print the bed was at 75C. The print adhered to the bed for around 1Hr. And then i saw curling up of one of the four edges. I closely monitored the issue and it was found that the sheet itself coming off from the bed at that location due to shrinkage forces introduced by the print.
It is to be noted that the sheet was installed merely with water i.e. no 3M adhesive tape was used.
I don't know whether the 3M tape should work or not as it is not available with me right now. The sheet is very thin around 0.4mm.
The stuff is good but need further investigation and mock-ups.

[teoman]

Could you find a the name or application of the sheet?

My PEI sheed cracked and I need a replacement, not being in the US has disadvantages in that department...

[Tincho85]

I'm still looking for a high heat resistant spray adhesive.
Does anyone have found one?

[Khalid Khattak]

The name of prodct was OCTKI. It has adhesive film. They manufactured it for glass protection.like:
http://www.aliexpress.com/store/product ... 92324.html

I think good quality will be available in the departmental store you have. These are used for glass protection/decoration.

[Jimustanguitar]

So it's privacy film?

[Khalid Khattak]

So it's privacy film?

Yes, the texture is like fine sandblasting so a translucent but adhesive layer one side to be pasted on glass...

[teoman]

29 usd shipping

[Khalid Khattak]

No don't buy from that.... These are cheaply available at any glass/windows tint shop. for 12" x 12" you will get less than a dollar.

[bvandiepenbos]

Good find.

I have printed on window tint also, it works so,so ...not as good as PEI.

[Khalid Khattak]

Just grasp this material with sandblasted texture install it with 3M tape and i hope you will find it useful. I don't have that high temperature 3M. unfortunately cant experiment.

[Ikarius]

Another cheap alternative is a laminating pouch. Just split it and apply it with a ruler (rough side facing down). Works well for me and you can use it a bunch of times! You need to heat your bed to get it oft again though.
Regards Ika

[Jimustanguitar]

Another cheap alternative is a laminating pouch. Just split it and apply it with a ruler (rough side facing down). Works well for me and you can use it a bunch of times! You need to heat your bed to get it oft again though.
Regards Ika

Is that what Lulzbot uses? (watch at 1:41)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4RGU2jXQiE[/youtube]

[Ikarius]

Im not quite sure. Could be but I don't know what material they use for laminating. All I can say that it works like charm for me and it's really cheap.

[Khalid Khattak]

Ikarius, can you share the link of the laminating pouch. Also it will be good if you can share pictures of 3D printer with laminating pouch on bed.

[Ikarius]

Im on a fair in Italy right now - I will post some pictures as soon as I get back. I don't have a link I just used the stuff I had lying around (my girlfriend thought it would be a good idea to buy a laminating machine - turns out she was right )
Just search for laminating sheets (pouch) on amazon or the office dealer of your choice!

[bvandiepenbos]

I would think a laminating pouch would melt and get stuck permanently to the glass print surface?
Maybe you would not need additional adhesive to keep it stuck to bed?

[Ikarius]

If you try to get rid of the laminating sheet with a cold bed you are absolutely right but with a heated bed you can peel it off pretty easily.