I’ve always had good results using glue on the cool plates. It’s what I read should be done when I started printing a short time ago. I saw someone on youtube, using glue, but never cleaning the build plate between prints. Print after print, on top of the same plate, never cleaning between prints. I’ve been cleaning the build plates after each print, and re-applying glue to the clean surface. Am I wasting my time here? What’s the best practice?
You don’t really need to clean your plate between prints, especially if you move parts around the build plate when you print. When you remove the part after a print, it takes some of the glue residue with it, but it doesn’t remove it all from the build plate. This means you can get multiple prints over the same glued area before it “runs out”. Only reason I’d clean my build plate and reapply glue is if I start seeing adhesion issues, too much glue build up, or I’m looking for a very smooth bottom layer.
If you want things to be even easier, you can also purchase a PEI build plate, then you won’t even need to use glue for things like PLA filament.
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I can’t give you a long-term experience, only short time.
I never used glue on my bambu apart from one instance when printing TPU. I applied glue stick (random stick from a local store) and printed multiple parts back to back on the same exact spot. Then some pla afterwards, no cleaning between prints.
[All on the textured PEI plate]
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textured pei plate: for PLA, this plate is fantastic; no glue for most materials, but you need to take the glass top off, and leave the door open, which has an impact on noise (fans) and smell/fumes (for ABS). If you’re ok with the texture, and printing PLA, I feel the textured pei plate is superior.
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glue stick on cool plate: this is where I started. I did not clean plate between prints every time, but over a few prints build up would occur from reapplication. After a few prints, there was some impact to surface finish.
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liquid glue on cool plate: this is where I ended up if I needed a very flat surface. It’s more expensive than glue stick, but results in a better finish and saves me time as it’s easier to reply without cleaning between prints.
tl;dr: my suggestion is try the textured pei plate unless you want a very flat finish, then use the bambu liquid glue for a few prints between cleaning with dish soap to refresh the finish. The surface area of the print will have an impact on the number of prints you can get away with.
Not really. This depends on certain factors.
Fair, but as always, it’s complicated.
Taking the glass top off decreases your chances of having a filament jam, particularly with PLA. The primary factor being a desire to minimize the temperature of the filament when being pushed by the extruder gear assembly towards the hotend. The temperature where PLA starts it’s glass transition is only 60C, so when you’re running your bed at 55C, it can approach that temp at the top of a good enclosure like the x1c.
So, YMMV, but unless you understand the circumstances very well, we should be encouraging people to operate without the glass top when using the pei textured plate, in keeping with the recommended settings on the bambu site: Bambu Textured PEI Plate | Bambu Lab US
Fair points, nothing against them.
I’m just taking issue with statements like “you need to/you have to” in regards to taking off/propping up the glass. This is in general, not specifically directed at you.
It is advised/recommended - not mandatory. It all depends on your chamber temp, ambient temperatures and nozzle/Bed temps.
I print my PLA at 250c and 55c on the Bed with the textured PEI and practically never lift the glass. Not a single clog or temperature related issue.
I find a plate usually conditions itself like a cast iron frying pan, the first application of glue will usually keep you going for a while and even more if you’re not doing the exact same footprint. I’ve had the high temp plate running a week repetitively on the same model with one application, like everything though ymmv as other factors like environment and how you release (letting it cool is best practice).
The textured PEI is good, I use mine along with the High Temp and a Lightyear G10. The cool plate is great and I don’t use it enough (I currently need to change my sticker). You’ll find what works for you and have options for those odd days where things aren’t working.
PS. I run the BL liquid glue, it goes a long way and is easy to apply.
I’ve been guilty of this as well. Just layering on more glue stick after each print and not bothering with cleaning. It’s sheer laziness, but it does work–up to the point where so much is caked on that it imprints on your printed part. How much of an imprint are you willing to accept? I think that’s where your answer is. If you want as close to zero imprint as possible, then yes, you may have to clean more often, if there’s no way to print on as yet unused parts of your plate.
For an iterative design, as opposed to a final print, I don’t think it matters. Not to me anyway.
Thank you for the feedback. I think I’m going to move my prints around to the areas that were not printed, that will save some time. Also, going to give the textured PEI plate a try, sounds like it has good results.