trying to print PLA on glass … just bought a 30x30 mirror and cutted it to the size of the print bed. It had some problems with adhesion with kapton tape and hope glass will work better.
PLA on glass works great for us, especially with hair spray (aqua net brand) and sometimes heated. Good luck! The mirror could look cool too.
It’s all I print on, glass. ABS & PLA. Going to try nylon here soon. I prefer mirror, but broke all I have. Currently printing on a glass flatbed printer bed.
The best adhesion I have had for PLA has been on glass, with a glaze of watered down PVA (white) glue brushed on it. Once the glue has dried, the print adheres quite well.
If you have trouble pulling the print off, you can soak the glass plate in warm water and the print will come right off since PVA is water soluble.
PLA doesn’t stick to Kapton tape. PLA on glass works well. If you need more ‘stick’ than that, you can dissolve ABS in Acetone and wipe that on the glass, or use unscented, extra-strong hairspray, or diluted white glue (@David_Moore 's trick).
My other trick to share is printing on sheet metal. You can get squares of sheet metal for a few dollars at the hardware store, and print on that, clipping it down to the print bed with binder clips. The reason to do this is that when your print is done you can pop it off by flexing the metal. Also, you can swap sheets and keep printing, which can save you some time, since you don’t have to wait for the print bed to cool down and then heat up.
Glass with hairspray for me. Even on a cold bed is ok.
I’ve also tried Glue Sticks. They work pretty well, and it’s very convenient compared to spraying stuff, etc.
And I can’t believe that I forgot to mention Blue Painter’s Tape. That’s what I use for PLA 99% of the time - cheap and easy.
Watered down PVA on 68C glass is best for PLA, hands down.
Actually, we tested a whole lot of stuff at Ultimaker. And we found that PLA & ABS both stick awesome to glass with a basic gluestick. (Better then hairspair, ABS-glue, and lots of other tricks)
Hairspray on glass works very well for me.
Hairspray on glass at 60′C works good. Thanks for all the tips.
use borosilicon glass
Bare heated glass works too. Simple pane glass, Boro is not required.
I like the glue trick better than blue-tape. Had problems getting the tape off the bottom of prints. Plus having to retape bed took more time/hassle than glue.
Oldie but goodie: http://youtu.be/8mUfe7a8uRU
I use borosilicate glass - no cracking. Hairspray works well but I’ve switched to a very light ABS juice and paper towel wipe on cool glass - invisible when wiped, but ABS sticks at 100C and parts come off with a mirror-gloss finish (picture post on 3D Printing forum).. I print with ABS though, not PLA.
It’s sad how many people don’t know to just use kapton tape just like laird poplin stated. It cost more but you save in media
Anyone using blue painters tape is in unworthy of they’r their printer all who are please stop just stop. And if your using some kind of lubricant you had might as well switch back to the old powder bed setup
PLA on glass with common glue stick stolen from my kid. Most important item is gap between hotend and glass, I run .05mm on a .25 layer height. Have not curled a PLA print in ages.
Kapton tape is expensive and easily nicked… Borosilicate glass is also expensive but lasts forever if you don’t drop it or crash your head into it.
Glass is the best in my view. I use it all the time. Just head it to 50-60 degrees then things shuld stick. Components with larger surfaces will stick with temperatures down to 40 degrees on the first layer. At least, this is what is working for me.