Need advice on using 3M 468MP tape to adhere PEI sheets to glass

Ok, so my printer currently has an aluminum bed. I am planning to put boroclass glass on that (adhered with a Gino/Silicon heat transfer pad) for flatness, and then a PEI sheet on top of that to make the prints stick better.

So according to the RepRap wiki, and just about everyone else, 3M 468MP tape is the way to go:
[reprap.org]

Doesn't seem easy to find that stuff though, Digikey appears to be the only place that carries single pieces and not 5 to 1000 packs... is there any other place I can get it?

I am a bit confused about application however. The RepRap wiki recommended just getting this single large sheet:
[www.digikey.com]

I was trying to Google everywhere for information on this kind of tape or installing PEI beds, and while I found several videos on the performance of PEI for printing, the only video I could find about installing it was this one:
[www.youtube.com]

Who recommended the opposite, using strips. Seemed to be a lot easier to install it that way, but he was bending the plastic a LOT by installing it that way.

The only decently sized strips I could find for close to the price of the sheet was this:
[www.digikey.com]

Is this a good one? And is it it ok to bend the plastic like that in the video? After seeing that video, the tape looks pretty messy to work with, not sure how you would even use a sheet of it without getting bubbles or clumping everywhere, are there any downsides to using strips instead of a sheet? Do bubbles even matter or effect anything other than appearance? And finally, both at the end of the video, and 3M's PDF about the tape mention heat-treating the tape after applying it:
[multimedia.3m.com]

Is this necessary? Not sure how I would go about doing that if it is.

I bought mine off Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007Y7D5NQ?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00

I can't quite recall how I applied mine. I believe I followed a recommendation on a thread on SeeMeCNC. I didn't bend the PEI. I do know that. I also applied the entire sheet, not strips.

I probably started at one side with the adhesive film curved upwards and gradually pulled the lower release tape off, while pushing down the film using a wooden ruler.

I got my tape off Amazon as well [www.amazon.com] I applied the tape to the glass first (see YouTube application of vinyl signs as it's a good method) then started at on one edge of the PEI just kissing the glass to make sure it's all aligned and then gently yay it down with a very slight bow in the PEI just so it makes contact gradually across the glass. Not 1 bubble using this method and I have been using it now for many months.

Thanks for the advice.

Although, another thing I am not sure about is how to heat-treat it. The PDF from 3M (the last link in my original post) mentions "Bond strength can also be improved with firm application pressure and moderate heat, from 100°F (38°C) to 130°F (54°C) which causes the adhesive to develop improved contact with the bonding surface." and the person in the video mentioned he was going to put it in a "heat press", but they don't mention how much pressure and for how long.

Since this is going on a printer with a heated bed, the issue of how to heat it is covered, but I don't know what would be a safe way to apply pressure to it, or for how long, especially without damaging my printer. And if I need to do it off the printer to reduce chances of damaging it from pressure, well, then I am not sure what would be a good way to heat it. (Come to think of it, I'm not sure if I would need to heat the Gino Pad with pressure to make it adhere well either)

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/15/2015 12:29AM by Cyber Akuma.

I never did this and mine is fine.

I pressed mine under weights overnight, and that was it.

Quote
JonS
I pressed mine under weights overnight, and that was it.

On the print bed? Or did you use something else to heat it?

FWIW I use double sided flooring tape from my local homewares/DIY depot store, $5 for more than you will ever need, including practice and failed attempts. The type used for sticking linoleum down (not carpet tape!).

Its an acrylic tape (which is what the 3M stuff is iirc), extremely sticky, and far far cheaper than 3M tape. It comes on a roll 30-50mm widex50mtrs (depending where you get it from) and so can be applied in strips. I have little technical data about it, all i can say is it is extremely sticky, and endures the heat of the heatbeds with no problem. It Works!

Appplication can be tricky as it also has a very high tack, get a rolling pin or similar might help. I use a roller salvaged out of a laminator machine, its coated in a hard rubber so lends itself well to applying tapes without trapped air bubbles. It has a wax paper backing so is also easy to handle during the sticking process. You could also use some isopropyl alcohol in a garden spray bottle to apply a fine mist to the surface that the tape is being applied to help give you a bit of forgiveness when applying the tape aswell, in which case some books on top overnight will allow it to dry fully.

Use of heat is more about softening the adhesive so it can penetrate the surface better at a microscopic level, as opposed to anything to do with actually curing the glue. Just dont apply the tape in a cold environment.

HTH