Low Cost (No Cost Approach) alternate to PEI

[Ikarius]

As requested a link to a photo with the sheet applied.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/n448fwpjtpxjv ... 6.jpg?dl=0
You can see that the heat bed hasn't warmed all the way to the outer edges as the sheet isn't transparent yet.
I used a ruler to get it onto the bed without any air pockets.

[Khalid Khattak]

Ciao, thanks for the picture. nice..
1- Can you please tell any glue/spray etc you apply on the sheet?
2- How long the sheet work i.e. after how many prints you replace?

[Ikarius]

Ciao, thanks for the picture. nice..
1- Can you please tell any glue/spray etc you apply on the sheet?
2- How long the sheet work i.e. after how many prints you replace?

I haven't tested if any glue or spray sticks on this surface but I'm pretty sure that it will.
As far as I can tell the sheet will last a very long time.
I can't give you an exact figure because i switch between ABS and PLA quiet often and I'm happy with printing PLA on glue.

Ika

[teoman]

The sheet does not peeform well with pla?

[Ikarius]

The sheet does not peeform well with pla?

I just printed a small test part on it - works well!
Don't know if it works with bigger parts though.

[teoman]

Any updates?

I think i have found the material. It is called acetate (may not relate to chemical composition as a hot glue gun is called a hot silicone gun over here).

It can be found in print shops, used as cover for folders and binders etc...

[Khalid Khattak]

Any updates?

I think i have found the material. It is called acetate (may not relate to chemical composition as a hot glue gun is called a hot silicone gun over here).

It can be found in print shops, used as cover for folders and binders etc...

Thanks for updates must share your experience..

[teoman]

I have not purchased it yet. I saw some material that I believe is the same thing and asked where he got it from. I will be trying to acquire some soon.

[teoman]

Ok, I have purchased the stuff today. I did find fairly big sheets. I paid 5 usd each for 3 sheets. 2 of them are "frosted" and one of them is clear. Each sheet will give me 2 bed coverings.


How is your setup holding up? I have the big 12 x 12 inch M3 adhesive sheets and i will attach one of these to the bed. However I do not live in the US so it takes a month to get new ones and it costs double what you guys are paying for it. I would prefer not to waste them if this does not have a long life.

[Khalid Khattak]

Ok, I have purchased the stuff today. I did find fairly big sheets. I paid 5 usd each for 3 sheets. 2 of them are "frosted" and one of them is clear. Each sheet will give me 2 bed coverings.


How is your setup holding up? I have the big 12 x 12 inch M3 adhesive sheets and i will attach one of these to the bed. However I do not live in the US so it takes a month to get new ones and it costs double what you guys are paying for it. I would prefer not to waste them if this does not have a long life.

Thanks for the update. I will prefer the two sided tape used for attaching PEI. If you have it must try to adhere the frosted sheet. I bit the frosted sheet will really work well. Best of Luck.

[Eaglezsoar]

Ok, I have purchased the stuff today. I did find fairly big sheets. I paid 5 usd each for 3 sheets. 2 of them are "frosted" and one of them is clear. Each sheet will give me 2 bed coverings.


How is your setup holding up? I have the big 12 x 12 inch M3 adhesive sheets and i will attach one of these to the bed. However I do not live in the US so it takes a month to get new ones and it costs double what you guys are paying for it. I would prefer not to waste them if this does not have a long life.

Great that you found those. Please let us know the results after adhering and printing to these sheets.

[teoman]

I am trying the windex method and i must say i am not impressed.


I first adhered the 3M sheet to the material. Used a credit card to remove the excess material underneath. Then with a cloth i pressed hard on the back side of the sticker and performed thw wiping motions to expell any of the windex left under there. All seemed good.

Then i used an exacto knife to cut the 3m adhesive sheet. I had already cut the material that is known as acetate over here. All good.

Then with windex bottle nearby i tried to temove the backing on the adhesive. But the tape obviously had not bonded fully. So i cot tinly speckles where it slightly lifted and formed bubbles ( about 3mm in diameter )


Then i sparayed the glass with windex and laid the sheet on to it. And it floated nicely. I positionned the sheet in a cocentric manner with the glass plate, applied some force to the middle and started expelling the windex using my credit card with motions from the center to the sides. I also swithched to the cloth occasionally.

I have been at this last step for the good part of an hour but it still has not stuck on. With the slightest force the sheet slides off the plate. Might as well have used olive oil instead of windex. I am a bit tired now and do not know what to do. So i placed a 10 kg weight on the assembly and i am typing this.

Any ideas?? Pop it on to the printer and heat it up to vaporise off the excess windex??


Before the material and glass were whiped with acetone, the glass itself was washed squeaky clean prior to that.


Any ideas? I am all out.

[Eaglezsoar]

This is the thread that tells you how to use the windex, and it sounds as though you did everything right.
http://forum.seemecnc.com/viewtopic.php ... 775#p68077

I think that in your case the windex needs to dry more than an hour, I don't know why but can you try 2 hours or even three if it still is not dry.
Please let us know if you finally get it to dry and adhere. Wishing you luck.

[teoman]

I read the thread prior to starting my application.

I have turned it upside down and piled some weight on it. ( reasonning was that the glass will distribute the weight more evenly)

I will return home in a couple of hours, then ill give it another go.

[teoman]

I have stiction!


But it is not looking too promising at the moment.

Some bubbles formed underneath when i heated the material to 70 degs and after 85 degs it becomes very soft and stretchy.

The bed at 84 degrees, and it seems to be printing nicely. BUT and this is a big but, it seems that the material is deforming with the heat of the hotend.

Stupid me, I should have put a piece onthe bed and tested it how it performs under heat.

[teoman]

Bed at 40 degs, the filament got welded on the bed material.

As this material is softer it is not so easy to scrape of the part with a rasorblade either (it digs in).

Oh well, the hunt for another material (or the right material the OP described) continues....


Btw: has anyone purchased pei over aliexpress. I have been searching for some and a few vendors have appeared.

[Khalid Khattak]

Btw: has anyone purchased pei over aliexpress. I have been searching for some and a few vendors have appeared.

Unfortunately , i didnt find PEI on Aliexpress.. I got PEI from Amazon thru my friend and it is working quite well no single ABS detachment so far...

[teoman]

Yep. My pei was wonderfull untill i cracked it.