Adhesion problems with masking tape
I have been playing around with the bed for a while and I still can't get the first layer to stick properly. I think I am getting the bed leveled good, I use the paper method. But yet I find myself with the filament lifting off and getting pulled away with the nozzle or some balling in rare situations.
I use masking tape, which I found for $3 at Dollar general. I heard something about shine being a factor, but why is that important? And is more expensive masking tape worth it? I don't want to buy it because I would hate for it to tear when I take off a print.
I also use some glue stick, which seems to sometimes not help, almost like it doesn't allow the filament to stick. I don't think I was adding too much, maybe I was. But is glue stick needed? Does it really make that much of a difference?
So other than that I don't know what to try. I can't get the first layer to work properly. Maybe it is my speed, what is a good speed to print at for the first layer, I am doing 60 mm/s, just like the rest of my print.
Any advice from there with first layers would be great. I am tired of wasting time and filament over failed first layers. But when I do get the first layer done, the second+ layers all work fine, no issues.
Here are the specs of my printer, that should be helpful for people:
- Printer --> Anet A6
- Print area --> 220 x 220 mm
- Heated bed? --> Yes
- Bed temp --> 50°C
- I use masking tape on bed
- nozzle dia. --> 0.4mm
- Nozzle temp --> 210°C
- Print speed --> 60 mm
- Material of choice --> PLA
- Fan is on after 3 layers
I think that covers everything, Let me know if I need to add anything else.
As i know Ultrabase is 214*214, and yes why it shouldn't be compatible? Its heatplate with glass on top
@Martynas I ask if it is "compatible" because of the screw placement.
Oh I don't know mate. Shouldn't be to hard to google it :)
@Ljk2000 tape will 'eat' heat, for my a8 with blue tape adding 10°C to the bed has helped, I'm printing in a relatively cold room also (around 16°) so it may be part of the problem also. Cura default is 60°C for the heat bed for PMA, raising the bed temp worth trying IMHO
@Tensibai I will try raising the temperature to 60*c. It will be interesting to see if it makes the difference. Thanks for the advice!
@Ljk2000 - Did raising the temp to 60°C help at all?
@Greenonline I found it did not help, but using a good glue stick did. Also I found a option in the slicer to slow the print speed on first layer, which helped. At the time I was also very new to 3d printing and never got the bed leved correctly, which I have now gotten pretty good at, with nothing more than a piece of paper. The the kicker with temp is I had it at 50*c without issues since, and now I have the bed cool down completely which when bed is leved correctly makes it super easy to take off the print.
@Ljk2000 - excellent, that is good. It _could_ be worth making a permanent answer out of that comment - it might help others with the same issue. Also, it would allow mods to tidy up the comments, which have got rather long :-)
Masking tape (and blue painter's tape) is coated with a wax-based release agent in order to prevent the tape sticking to itself on the roll. This release agent must be removed with an organic solvent in order to obtain good adhesion. Isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol is good for this. Acetone will also work, but it is a much stronger solvent (which is not necessarily a good thing).
For blue painter's tape, rub freshly applied tape with solvent until the blue dye starts coming off. Then give it a quick wipe between prints to remove any fingerprints, etc.
I will try the isopropyl alcohol. It will be neat to see how much of a difference that will make. Thanks for that bit of information.
That's odd - I have never used any prep on blue tape and often find the tape is bonded more strongly to the PLA than to the bed itself!
@CarlWitthoft Other users have told me the same. Maybe it has something to do with using a heated bed (my printer doesn't have one). The heat from the bed may cause the release agent to be absorbed into the tape, and thus allow good adhesion.
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Ljk2000 5 years ago
@Martynas I have heard of this ultrabase. But would it be compatible with the Anet A6 which has a 220mm by 220mm print surface?