About over the PEI sheets

So I think I’m PEI jinxed…I’ve ripped 2 sheets in 2 months while trying to remove projects. I’m not using anything sharp, it’s actually a painters spatula I got at Hobby Lobby. So I’m wondering, can I just get a cut piece of glass and clip it to the heated bed? (Taz 5) What thickness glass is best or does anyone have a better suggestion? It’s just frustrating as I’m on my second sheet and there are 2 small rips in it already. At $50 a sheet, it’s ridiculous. Maybe I need to start using more PLA and less ABS, LOL.

Thanks in advance for any help/suggestions!

At what bed temp do you try to remove the parts?

Buy a thicker pie sheet. Mcmaster Carr sells them. That or switch to buildtak. You’ll still rip them but they are less expensive per sheet.

Get a slightly thicker sheet online… .04 seems to be the sweet spot, but I’ve been using a .03" with no problems. I think its the same or slightly thicker than the OEM sheet.

I’m trying the 3" wide 3M 467 adhesive, but LB uses a 12x12" sheet of 3M 468MP. The thinner adhesive is holding up and hopefully its easier to remove when it eventually bubbles.


If you want to go back to glass, just remove the PEI and adhesive… stick a piece of kapton tape for protection.


Try increasing the nozzle to bed gap for easier part removal. Use the Z-offset in your slicing software to specify a precise .1 - .2mm. If that helps, give your endstop a quarter - half CCW turn.

The B.O.M. shows a .01" thick PEI sheet is used. My Taz 5 at home is using the same .04" sheet for the last year now.

You are probably squishing your first layer into the PEI too much. If the bottom of your parts are glass smooth, you should adjust the Z end stop or Z offset in your slicer to a point that you can see the extrusion lines in the bottom of the part when you take it off.

Make sure you are removing parts at 50C. Do not let the bed cool off and then try to remove the part. Bad things will happen.

Great information! I will try adjusting the z height up. I’ll continue to use the sheet I have until it’s good as gone. Might look into buildtak! Thank you for all the suggestions!

I have the opposite experience, if I let everything cool to room temp the part (ABS) is just sitting on the bed, not attached in any way.

You should not be having that much damage to the PEI. I have printed thousands of parts on my machines… still using the original PEI. A little tuning should correct your problem.

Also, using a thin tool you can slip under the edge of the part helps. I use a Cricut spatula. http://www.amazon.com/Cricut-29-0099-Spatula-Tool/dp/B000NP1ESO

Piercet uses a certain cheese slicer. He has posted the link but I don’t have it handy.

I have never had a ABS part simply pop off! Must be nice.

They come right off if you use the mighty cheese slicer of justice!

He was saying they are just laying there not attached to the bed when the bed has been allowed to cool as if they just popped off all on their own. That is what I was referring to. I haven’t had any real problem with ABS since the arrival of PEI. You just have to get the squish right and all is good.

I do need to pick up the mighty cheese slicer of justice.

I purchased the mighty cheese slicer. I don’t know if they changed its design, but I found the edge to be overly thick. (over 1mm and it comes to a flat end). Still a great tool, I end up using the clam knife to get under the edge of a print (since it still has a smaller edge) and then sliding the mighty cheese under to do the rest of the work.

I’ll probably end up grinding down the edge of the Mighty Cheese to a finer “blade” at some point. A great tool to have. (pun intended)

I do sometimes have a corner lift so I maybe a little on the light side, extrusion wise on the first layer.

That’s almost exactly what I’m using. Got it from hobby lobby, but it’s not as wide, but it is as thin.

PEI is great but getting the Z axis height right is crucial. I tell people you just want the filament to kiss the PEI and not press it into it. Also your bed must (big must) be absolutely level.

I get my PEI from Zoro Tools and I am using 0.125" lasts me a little over a year before I end up gouging it.

Also get yourself one of these little painters knifes (spatula) this is the absolute best removal tool I have used (and I tried a lot of them). The end is very thin so it easily gets under parts yet it’s very strong an flexible. Also since the end is flat and horizontal to the handle there is very little chance of taking a chunk out of the bed and it’s just easy to use. You can find them at art supply stores in many shapes but the one in the photo is my favorite.

I found it really helps to pull the part off while the bed is warm. I left a part on for about a week (it was a failed print and I couldn’t be arsed removing it). Because the bed was cold it was basically impossible to lift off and I feared I would damage the PEI. So I warmed the bed up, I’m not sure what temp it lifted, maybe around 80 Celsius or so.

50C works well for ABS and PLA.

I try to remove prints close to 50C, but often times parts are removed on a cold bed… no issues. Get the right tool… I use a painters knife.

In a pinch, try isopropyl alchohol around the edge of the parts. It’ll seep under the print to help remove.

I’d like to try part removal at around 50°C … can anyone tell me the method for keeping the bed temp at a particular temp until the part is removed? I’ve looked at the profiles for the TAZ5 for ABS but didn’t see any command for “part removal” or “bed hold temp”?

Thanks for the assist!

Eric