There’s a story, but here’s the answer I’ve found: IPA and a clean paper towel!
I’d been using IPA exclusively, and the micro-fibre cloth that came with the printer. Previously, on a CR-10s Pro v2 with a Wham Bam plate I was doing the same for a year, or more. When I got the P1S I had no problems with this for a while, then it wouldn’t stick for anything but the largest footprints. I eliminated everything else, and tried washing the plate with soap (Dawn) and water, and Scotch Brite Blue (for non-stick) pads. Soap and water worked, but stopped working after a print, or three.
Clean paper towels work. I’ve tried reusing paper towels, but even using it a second time is problematic. My conclusion with regards to 99% IPA is that we have no idea what’s in the extra 1%. Also, we have no idea what might be in the micro-fibre cloths, nor the paper towels, and what the IPA may leech out of them.
I’m going to try the hot, smooth plate next.
Anyway… Can I get some testing on this, and some comments to see if we’re on the right track, please?
I just got the smooth plate, and the galaxy plate. I’m trying to print PLA and even with a glue stick I’m having issues with the print sticking to the bed on the galaxy plate. I will try smooth tomorrow, but I’m not too confident. Don’t get me wrong I don’t mind the textured plate, however for certain models I want to print the smooth finish is more desirable.
You need to be precise with the 3d effect sheets, they have requirements:
Never put glue or anything on them.
Set the print for smooth PEI / high temp plate.
Turn off Device>Print Options>Enable detection of build plate.
Create a special filament profile to raise the bed temp +10C (to 65C for PLA) for first and subsequent layers, and use it.
Turn off automatic flow dynamics calibration when you go to print.
I’ve had exceptionally good luck with those plates.
Haven’t had good luck with PETG but haven’t tried much and its not supported afaik.
I’ve just switched from my old prusa to a P1S, with the textured (standard) plate and bought the smooth plate. From my prusa days, I never had issues with the print sticking to the plate (actually, with PETG, I often had a hard time getting some of the stuff off the plate). But for the 3 years with the prusa, I washed it maybe once a year with soap and water, and mainly used IPA after a few prints, and sometimes asetone if after a while I saw some ‘ghosting’ of prints on the plate. I cannot say I was a heavy printer, but would print at least 15 prints a month.
I have not opened up the smooth plate, but I am going to stay away from the glue stick to start and see what the bed temps are set for and mimic close the the prusa stuff, since it seemed to work fine. But that will be after christmas…
Funny when I first read the OP, I though, “india Pale Ale?” Never thought of beer to clean the plate…
I would recommend starting with the default bed temp and other default settings. Forget what one learned on Prusa or Creality or other printers. It’s a different printer.
If you spend say an entire day doing nothing but reading threads in here you will find a theme. Dry the filament and clean the plate properly.
Cleaning the plate properly entails using warm water and anti-grease dish soap such as dawn or farrie with a soft sponge or a light scrubber. The best way to final dry that would be with a clean micro fiber cloth.
The plate picks up grease from fingers and also will have some printing residue that should be cleaned off from time to time (IE if you absolutely never touch it then it still needs proper cleaning once a day or so).
Many of the threads will mention that IPA is not a proper solution as it just smears grease around.
As a general rule I just clean my plates however the manufacturer recommends. I clean my Wham Bam Carbon plate with IPA, because that’s what Wham Bam says to clean it with. Bambu, on the other hand, always says to clean plates with soap and hot water, so that’s what I use on my Bambu plates. And other than my Bambu supertack plate (which just doesn’t work well with PETG) it’s almost unheard of for me to have any adhesion problems.
My go-to plate is the Bambu smooth PEI. I clean it just like all my Bambu plates - with soap and hot water - and every filament I have ever used (material and brand) has stuck to it without problem. The rare times a print has let go on it has clearly been my own fault, because a rewash with hot water and soap fixed the problem for a reprint.
I do also use a very thin layer of Elmer’s Purple School Glue. After washing the plate I swipe it about 3 or 4 times in a big zigzag with the glue stick then use a wet paper towel to even spread the glue so that it has only the thinnest layer with no glue ridges visible at all when looking at various angles, or I keep wiping it around to thin it out even more if I can see any glue at all. I then put the plate with the top still wet with the watered down glue on the heatbed and, while I’m getting my print ready to send to the printer, turn the headbed to 65C for a few minutes to ensure it is fully dried.
After that, anything sticks to it with no problem at all. And after it’s finished, it releases with no problem as well.
I think different solvents, whether it is IPA or Dawn dishwashing soap will remove some things and not others. Depends on what you are trying to remove. What’s driving the IPA/Paper towel question?
Try Googling “which solvent is best for (filament name).” Makes for interesting reading because there is no solution that will work on all the available filaments.
I had to sand some PLA and wanted to bring back the glossy finish by using some sort of fast drying solvent. That is a deep rabbit hole.
These folks have been helpful to me about chemical questions. MG Chemicals
