So I have done a bunch of reading on the forums and the internet about putting on a magnetic flex bed. I have a TAZ 6 with the original bed on it.
So which one is best? I am leaning to the Wham Bam. are there others I should look into?
do they all require removing the existing bed or do you just put the new one on top of it?
I went with the LulzBot one and I’m happy with it. It replaces the existing bed (and heater).
I upgraded the Taz 6 and Taz Pro at my work to the Lulzbot magnetic build system. The flatness of the machined aluminum is even better than glass, and I’ve been printing 250mm x 250mm topographic maps (and tiling them together for super-maps). Every single one has come out with a fantastically uniform first layer and no warping. They’re also both running the M175v2 toolhead, for reference.
If you’re doing PLA only, I think the light-duty magnet things like Whambam or the cheap ones that float on Amazon are fine, but if you’re doing ABS, Nylon, PC or anything hotter, regularly, go with the Lulzbot one with the rare earth magnets.
Cost of entry for the lulzbot one is fairly steep though, so I’m happy going with my basic glass+pei that my Taz 6 came with.
I put Wham Bam build plates on a couple of Taz 4’s and a Mini. Mainly printing ABS. A real game changer. The ABS really sticks to the PEX surface so there is less corner lifting. The magnetic sheet is rated for ABS temps. It holds the plate flat with plenty of magnetic pull. The best part is taking the print off the printer while on the plate and hearing it “tink” and pop loose as the plate cools. No flexing even required. I pulled several PEI sheets off the glass trying to get prints off the stock build plate. I just stuck the magnetic sheet down to the glass after I removed the PEI sheet. The Wham Bam isn’t cheap but the high temp magnetic sheet and the PEX surface don’t seem to be available anywhere else. Don’t forget about changing the Z offset!
Chuck
The Wham Bam build plate is so much better than rigid plates it’s a complete game changer. The PEX still needs a bit of attention to get first layers to stick so follow the instructions re sanding carefully but once done, the occasional quick wipe with IPA and first layers stick perfectly in either ABS or PLA. Removal is so simple it’s hilarious, I chuckle every time.