A good way to remove prints off the bed

1st apply a small amount of alcohol around the edges of the part, brim etc. Then with a very thin artists / painters trowel slide under part and work it loose. The alcohol dose wonders as helps to release those tricky prints from the bed. Then with the residual alcohol on the bed wipe bed with paper towel, and your ready for the next print.

Well, what bed material are you using?

If you are using PEI (BuildTak) do not use over 80% alcohol, it will effect the surface texture, and I confirmed this by ruining mine.

Yes isopropyl alcohol (any dilution) is not good for PEI plastic. It will eventually ruin it. The higher the % the faster it will do so.

Many people think isopropyl is pretty benign but years ago I made a dispensing machine using PVC pipe (the big thick black stuff for sewers) and I cleaned it with alcohol, I only got 3 uses out of the machine when it developed leaks and by the 4th use it was crumbling to pieces.

So then how are you guys cleaning your pei bed sheets? I had read that isopropyl alcohol 70% and diluted with water was perfect to clean the sheet. Is that why my sheet is losing it’s stickiness?

I really don’t clean mine. I have it dialed in (perfect Z axis and perfect level bed). I just pop my prints of the bed and start another one, nothing is left on the bed to clean off.

Thanks for this post. I had been instructed by Lulz to wipe with IPA to help parts stick. Sanding did a better job, but I still use a alcohol swab now and again to clean the bed.

I have adhesion problems after many prints with PLA. Lulzbot recommended a vigorous cleaning with a piece of terrycloth and IPA. Otherwise, a quick wipe with IPA and a paper towel does the trick.

I print items that have a small bed contact surface with a larger printed area above. That is probably why I am more sensitive to changes in adhesion.

You probably are, but make sure if you’re printing with a small base and a large upper section to turn on “brim” to get better adhesion properties. Really improved my small-adhesion-area prints.

-Jim

A brisk rubbing with terrycloth and IPA solves the problem, even with my small bed contact surface. I have not had to sand the PEI at all.