New Build Plate

New Build Plate Well, this is my latest attempt to create a flat build plate for my cheesy Plexiglass chassis I3. I started with a piece of 5/16" x 16" round aluminum tooling plate.I honed the best side until smooth.Then I had a laser and machine shop in Salt Lake mill .125" off the back side in a 10" x 10" area leaving it .187" thick and had the design lasered from that area. I honed the back to remove most of the mill marks and attached a self adhesive backed 12v 400 watt silicone heatpad.[www.aliexpress.com] [attachment 84938 DSC00861.jpg] [attachment 84941 DSC00851.jpg] [attachment 84942 DSC00852.jpg] [attachment 84940 DSC00853.jpg] I installed a .040" thick piece of PEI sheet using a piece of 3M 468MP double sided adhesive sheet. [www.mcmaster.com] [www.amazon.com] I used a "Formica" Scribe tool to cut the PEI. This tool made quick work of it. [attachment 84943 DSC00854.jpg] [attachment 84944 DSC00856.jpg] My second goal was to create a 3 point leveling system (Thanks DD). After install I did still see a slight hump in the middle in the Y direction. I'm wondering if the addition of a fourth linear bearing to my Y carriage might be the problem? At the very least, eliminating the glass and the new silicone heatpad has drastically cut my heatup time. First test got to 70C in one minute and 110C in 3 minutes. Before it was 5 minutes and 30 minutes. The first test print didn't grab at 70C so I bumped it up to 90C and that seems to be sticking good. Print is a flat area about 5 x 5. No lifting as of yet. [attachment 84945 DSC00859.jpg] I added some foam insulation between the plates. [attachment 84946 DSC00863.jpg] I was going to use Printbite but it was in Europe and was twice as much. Everything involved cost about $350.00. I'll update performance later. https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?4,714196,714196#msg-714196 Sat, 14 Mar 2026 02:28:39 -0400 Phorum 5.2.23 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?4,714196,714491#msg-714491 Re: New Build Plate https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?4,714196,714491#msg-714491 Shank man Reprappers Sun, 16 Oct 2016 19:45:14 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?4,714196,714482#msg-714482 Re: New Build Plate https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?4,714196,714482#msg-714482 JamesK Reprappers Sun, 16 Oct 2016 18:43:37 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?4,714196,714473#msg-714473 Re: New Build Plate https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?4,714196,714473#msg-714473 elwood127 Reprappers Sun, 16 Oct 2016 18:06:47 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?4,714196,714337#msg-714337 Re: New Build Plate https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?4,714196,714337#msg-714337 elwood127 Reprappers Sun, 16 Oct 2016 10:03:04 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?4,714196,714292#msg-714292 Re: New Build Plate https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?4,714196,714292#msg-714292 JamesK Reprappers Sun, 16 Oct 2016 06:56:20 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?4,714196,714246#msg-714246 Re: New Build Plate https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?4,714196,714246#msg-714246

Quote
the_digital_dentist
That's crazy expensive just for a bed plate! Why would you go to the expense of milling it down when it's already milled flat? And why wouldn't you just cut it with a band saw or even a jig saw instead of the expense of laser cutting? Why didn't you just have the guy who milled it cut it while he had it on the mill? Yowza!

I'm completely anal and it seemed the only real way to prevent any distortion from clamping and 5/16 just seemed like to much mass for my little printer. Also, flat is a relative term when it comes to metal. When a couple thousands affects printers so much I prefer to error on the safe side. And you can't take it with you so what the hell.]]> elwood127 Reprappers Sun, 16 Oct 2016 00:45:17 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?4,714196,714234#msg-714234 Re: New Build Plate https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?4,714196,714234#msg-714234 [attachment 84953 CI2A6664.jpg]
[attachment 84954 DSC00867.jpg]]]> elwood127 Reprappers Sat, 15 Oct 2016 23:35:20 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?4,714196,714230#msg-714230 Re: New Build Plate https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?4,714196,714230#msg-714230

Quote
elwood127
Only problem is that wires are not accessible on this silicone heater (see pic). They are what they are.

The losses are per unit length, so if it looks like a problem it's fine to just cut the existing wires reasonably short and solder on bigger ones. Heat shrink over the joints to keep everything safe and tidy.

I'll be interested to see how you get on with ABS on the PEI. I'd like a robust print surface (and that finish!), but I'm worried on spending that much if it doesn't work for all the filaments I use, which is mostly abs, nylon, tpu and tpe, with some pla and petg (and hopefully eventually delrin if I ever get past the warping).

Edit: just looked up that power supply, they run about $300 USD. Your printer's getting to be quite the pricey bling machine :)]]> JamesK Reprappers Sat, 15 Oct 2016 22:40:07 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?4,714196,714225#msg-714225 Re: New Build Plate https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?4,714196,714225#msg-714225 the_digital_dentist Reprappers Sat, 15 Oct 2016 21:37:49 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?4,714196,714224#msg-714224 Re: New Build Plate https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?4,714196,714224#msg-714224 [attachment 84951 DSC00865.jpg]]]> elwood127 Reprappers Sat, 15 Oct 2016 21:31:44 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?4,714196,714219#msg-714219 Re: New Build Plate https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?4,714196,714219#msg-714219 JamesK Reprappers Sat, 15 Oct 2016 21:00:46 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?4,714196,714217#msg-714217 Re: New Build Plate https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?4,714196,714217#msg-714217 elwood127 Reprappers Sat, 15 Oct 2016 20:45:58 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?4,714196,714214#msg-714214 Re: New Build Plate https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?4,714196,714214#msg-714214 JamesK Reprappers Sat, 15 Oct 2016 20:35:37 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?4,714196,714197#msg-714197 Re: New Build Plate https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?4,714196,714197#msg-714197 [attachment 84947 DSC00857.jpg]]]> elwood127 Reprappers Sat, 15 Oct 2016 18:34:38 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?4,714196,714196#msg-714196 New Build Plate https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?4,714196,714196#msg-714196 I honed the back to remove most of the mill marks and attached a self adhesive backed 12v 400 watt silicone heatpad.[www.aliexpress.com]
[attachment 84938 DSC00861.jpg]
[attachment 84941 DSC00851.jpg]
[attachment 84942 DSC00852.jpg]
[attachment 84940 DSC00853.jpg]
I installed a .040" thick piece of PEI sheet using a piece of 3M 468MP double sided adhesive sheet.
[www.mcmaster.com]
[www.amazon.com]
I used a "Formica" Scribe tool to cut the PEI.
This tool made quick work of it.
[attachment 84943 DSC00854.jpg]
[attachment 84944 DSC00856.jpg]
My second goal was to create a 3 point leveling system (Thanks DD). After install I did still see a slight hump in the middle in the Y direction. I'm wondering if the addition of a fourth linear bearing to my Y carriage might be the problem? At the very least, eliminating the glass and the new silicone heatpad has drastically cut my heatup time. First test got to 70C in one minute and 110C in 3 minutes. Before it was 5 minutes and 30 minutes. The first test print didn't grab at 70C so I bumped it up to 90C and that seems to be sticking good. Print is a flat area about 5 x 5. No lifting as of yet.
[attachment 84945 DSC00859.jpg]
I added some foam insulation between the plates.
[attachment 84946 DSC00863.jpg]
I was going to use Printbite but it was in Europe and was twice as much. Everything involved cost about $350.00. I'll update performance later.]]> elwood127 Reprappers Sat, 15 Oct 2016 18:31:13 -0400