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How do you get wide Kapton tape to adhere evenly

Posted by mchenetz

mchenetz

How do you get wide Kapton tape to adhere evenly
March 13, 2012 09:45PM

Registered: 11 years ago
Posts: 21

I have about 4" Kapton tape... What is the trick to adhering it to the bed evenly? IT seems i always have bubbles under the tape. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Mike

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fredlatesta

Re: How do you get wide Kapton tape to adhere evenly
March 13, 2012 09:56PM

Registered: 12 years ago
Posts: 74

Until I tried it myself I would have thought the following advice was nuts.

Use soapy water on the glass and tape,then let dry, and its good to go.

This video is better at explaining it

[www.youtube.com];

Regards

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jcabrer

Re: How do you get wide Kapton tape to adhere evenly
March 14, 2012 04:34PM

Registered: 16 years ago
Posts: 824

If you don't want to deal with soapy water (which does work nicely, by the way), you can use a credit card as a squeegee.

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brnrd

Re: How do you get wide Kapton tape to adhere evenly
March 14, 2012 05:41PM

Registered: 12 years ago
Posts: 1,780

I've never used 4" tape but with 2" tape, I just use my fingers (usually my thumb) to work the bubbles out as I'm pressing the tape on the glass or aluminum plate. So, I don't have to wait for it to dry like you do in that video.

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shardbearer

Re: How do you get wide Kapton tape to adhere evenly
March 14, 2012 08:38PM

Registered: 11 years ago
Posts: 11

Makerbot has a video on this.

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mchenetz

Re: How do you get wide Kapton tape to adhere evenly
March 15, 2012 08:29AM

Registered: 11 years ago
Posts: 21

Thanks for the replies... I am going to try some of these methods.

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theodleif

Re: How do you get wide Kapton tape to adhere evenly
March 17, 2012 05:13AM

Registered: 13 years ago
Posts: 1,918

I simply take sugar water, paint it on a hot glass plate (actually a mirror tile) @100°C and print ABS on it @110°C. It works like a charm. No expensive kapton, PET or even polyetherimide. Just sugar. It smells better than the acetone/ABS coating some people are using and can be easily removed with water. As the temperature drops below 80°C after printing the parts pop off the plate.

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brnrd

Re: How do you get wide Kapton tape to adhere evenly
March 17, 2012 08:08AM

Registered: 12 years ago
Posts: 1,780

One big problem with this method: ants! smiling smiley

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theodleif

Re: How do you get wide Kapton tape to adhere evenly
March 17, 2012 08:20AM

Registered: 13 years ago
Posts: 1,918

Sure, in the jungle.

But if the the "reprap revolution" arrives at the jungle - any idea where to get Kapton tape there? But sugar sounds possible. smiling smiley

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Elidor

Re: How do you get wide Kapton tape to adhere evenly
March 17, 2012 12:12PM

Registered: 12 years ago
Posts: 61

hi

take of the alum bed platform

take water with lil abit soap inside

apply water on platform and kapton tape on stiky side

place kapton tape on platform

wipe off with some robber bar or some other Straight long thing

hope this will help