Anyone else have a badly warped build tray on their new rep2?

[Adam Nerva]

So the Acrylic build tray on my new rep2 is concave on the logo side, and convex on the smooth side. The smooth side is impossible to calibrate, and the M side sags in the middle.

Anyone else have this?

[Robert Egal]

I have also Problems with my buildplate. I rised the plate very tight to the extrudernozle with Heavy Fiction on the papersheet.

[Mark Cohen]

You should contact support and have them send you another

On Dec 1, 2012 2:44 AM, "Adam Nerva" <nervou...@gmail.com> wrote:

So the Acrylic build tray on my new rep2 is concave on the logo side, and convex on the smooth side. The smooth side is impossible to calibrate, and the M side sags in the middle.

Anyone else have this?

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[Dan Newman]

On 30 Nov 2012 , at 11:44 PM, Adam Nerva wrote:

> So the Acrylic build tray on my new rep2 is concave on the logo side, and
> convex on the smooth side. The smooth side is impossible to calibrate, and
> the M side sags in the middle.

Unless they are machined or otherwise manufactured to a specified flatness
tolerance, sheets of acrylic are not as flat as float glass. So, I guess
I'm not surprised to read that some folks are ending up with plates which
are not as flat as we might like to see. (Being off by 0.1 mm across the
plate will make a visible difference when printing raftless and trying to
get a plate of parts to stick well.)

Dan

[Adam Nerva]

OK, I set up a support ticket on this. Hopefully MBI does the right thing and sends me out a new ASAP... though I am now worried that acrylic was a bad choice for the BP.

[Arkady Tan]

Hi Adam,
I'd the same issue.
You might want to take a photo of the warped acrylic to show them.
Place a metal ruler or something flat on the surface to show the warping.
They sent me a new build plate.

[Adam Nerva]

Thanks, Arkady, If they give me any grief, I'll follow your suggestion.

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[Chris Milnes]

I have the same problem - just contacted Makerbot for a replacement platform. 

In the mean time I had a glass replacement made. 

Works like a dream - I was damaging the acrylic platform (getting lil dings and divots) when removing prints. 

Using glass is a lil bit more difficult to make the PLA stick but overall works better than the acrylic platform IMHO. 

Best, Chris

[Dan Newman]

On 2 Dec 2012 , at 1:23 PM, Chris Milnes wrote:

> I have the same problem - just contacted Makerbot for a replacement
> platform.
>
> In the mean time I had a glass replacement made.
> Works like a dream - I was damaging the acrylic platform (getting lil dings
> and divots) when removing prints.
> Using glass is a lil bit more difficult to make the PLA stick but overall
> works better than the acrylic platform IMHO.

Well, the good news is that blue painter's tape works really well and sticks
to glass just fine. After all, there's a reason most of the RepRap world uses blue
tape with PLA: it works.

Dan

[Adam Nerva]

Hi Chris,

Where, how, did you have a glass BP made?

-Adam

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[Peter McDade]

Agreed, would love to get a glass BP that I know is dead straight.

[DrGlassDPM]

My build plate has a slight con exits to it, but minimal.

[Adam Nerva]

I'm going to call up 55 Glass here in LA and see if I can have them make me an annealed glass build platform for my rep2.

[Peter McDade]

Should get a group buy going :)

[Arkady Tan]

Hi Chris,
What's the dimension of the replacement glass plate?
I might want to get one made too. Thanks.

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Arkady Tan

[Adan Akerman]

I've really enjoyed printing on glass so far.

If someone's keen to do a group buy, here are are some valuable resources:

http://www.industrialglasstech.com/

http://www.usps.com 

http://meditation.org.au/online.asp

:-)

Adan

[Chris Milnes]

Hi Adam, 

I went to local glass cutter. 

Gave him the acrylic platfom to measure from so I don't have dimensions in from of me. 

Was done in 20mins and was $20.

Some kind sole started a Group Buy thread. 

Get in on it - think he said he has 4 remaining.

(I'm on Makerbot Rep2 - WITHOUT headed paltform. 

So I dont know how replacement made in glass will react.)

Best, Chris 

On Sunday, December 2, 2012 4:52:05 PM UTC-5, Adam Nerva wrote:

[Adam Nerva]

Thanks, Chris,

Well that's what I've done. Called up a local glass cutter and they took my order over the phone.

My acrylic BP is really rubbish. Why did they gimp this solid machine with poorly-made platforms?

This is my first Makerbot, but a quick google search reveals that this isn't the first time MBI released build platforms that weren't true. It looks like they had issues with their early aluminum BPs.

If consistent 100 micron prints depend on having the flattest possible build surface, you'd think that would have been a design priority... and that would probably rule out acrylic as a viable material instantly. And, no I don't care about being able to print directly on the platform. Blue tape works better in my experience so far anyway.

-Adam

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[Arkady Tan]

I went to a local frame maker and got one made for SGD 7.00
BP size: L284mm x W166mm x H8mm
Just a normal piece of glass.
Tried printing directly, but the PLA don't stick well to the glass surface.
After sticking the Blue painters tape, it works much better :)

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Arkady Tan

[Adam Nerva]

Here's my custom glass build platform installed in the rep2. It fits perfectly, and it's perfectly flat! Really happy with it.

[Dan Newman]

On 6 Dec 2012 , at 5:48 PM, Adam Nerva wrote:

> Here's my custom glass build platform installed in the rep2. It fits
> perfectly, and it's perfectly flat! Really happy with it.

Looks nice Adam!

Any issues with the glass itself sliding when the bot moves fast over the plastic?
(Travel speeds of 200 mm/s are not uncommon with some firmwares.) I suppose a little
tape on the ends of the glass would solve that if it were an issue.

Dan

[Chris Milnes]

I have similar glass platform - no issues with slide-age. Those rubber pads hold it well.

Best, Chris Milnes
Sent from one of my fourteen iPads.

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[Arkady Tan]

No issues with sliding for me too.
Is there a better solution to blue painters tape for surfacing the build plate? The acrylic build plate really allows fuss free printing.... except for the warping

[Adam Nerva]

Hi Dan,

I'll report back, but I am not at all concerned with slippage. It clips firmly into place. Actually, my makerbot acrylic tray wiggled a little when the machine was working fast, and this glass tray does not budge.

-Adam

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[Chris Milnes]

There is a group buy thread for glass platforms for the rep2. I had one made locally. Love it. Blue tape one one side and I keep the other side just glass. I only use the glass side with bigger prints when I don't need too much sticking otherwise its blue tape all the way. I messed with hairspray but honestly if you spend the time perfecting the platform leveling blue tape is all you need. (And my prints have very little surface area touching the plate.)

Best, Chris

Sent from iphone

On Dec 7, 2012, at 5:24 PM, Robert Edwards <robert.p...@gmail.com> wrote:

Did you have this fabricated or DIY?

If so, what type of glass and what do you use to help make the prints stick?

I've heard of pe1ople using hairspray, but I believe they were using a Replicator 1 with a HBP.

We have a Replicator 2 and would like to upgrade to glass too…

Thanks,

Rob Edwards

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[Adan Akerman]

I've gotta say, I really like the prospect of a simple rectangle like you've shown there, Adam.

You may have said it but I don't see: what are the length/width/thickness of your glass plate? It's sounding like the best bet so far for what participants in the group buy might want. 

Dan, thanks so much for the measurements and CAD file. If it's possible to avoid the complexities, though... 

Borosilicate apparently comes in a variety of thicknesses greater than the 3.3 we got for the first group buy:  http://www.coresix.com/images/BOROFLOAT_12_04.pdf

[Robert Edwards]

Awesome, thanks for the info…

I'll look for the Rep2 group buy thread.

-Rob

[Dan Newman]

> Dan, thanks so much for the measurements and CAD file. If it's possible to

> avoid the complexities, though…

Based upon Adam's results, it sounds like the complexities can be ignored/avoided
and a basic rectangle used.

> Borosilicate apparently comes in a variety of thicknesses greater than the
> 3.3 we got for the first group buy:
> http://www.coresix.com/images/BOROFLOAT_12_04.pdf

Unless people will be heating the plates up, pyrex/kimex/borosilicate is
not necessary *unless* it has better adhesion properties than generic
float glass.

BTW, I personally prefer a replacement to the acrylic plate rather than
a plate atop the acrylic. If it replaces the acrylic (and is sufficiently
thick) then

1. You can use the existing retaining clips like Adam is doing,
2. You don't need to worry about jiggering the Z axis end stop to accomodate and/or
platform height to accommodate the plate thickness during Z axis homing.

Just my take.

Dan

[Arkady Tan]

Had one made at a framemaker shop.
Build Plate replacement:
L:     284mm
W:     166mm
H:     8mm

[Adam Nerva]

I got my replacement acrylic BP today. It's worse than the first. It literally wobbles on a flat table. So glad I had the glass plate made.

[Doogiekr]

thats just sad... good to see MBI has a QC program in place... wait...

[Jonas Andersson]

Adam,

Thanks for the info. I got the Rep2 on Thursday and the build platform is ~0.2mm warped and impossible to calibrate.

Instead of waiting for the support case to send me another bowing platform I will visit my local windows glass shop on monday.

/Jonas

[Adan Akerman]

Adam and Chris, how do Arkady's dimensions ( 284 x 166 x 8mm ) compare to the plates you had made? Does it clip in with those dimensions?

Have you made any kind of mark to help you keep it centered when you're reinstalling it? 

If you're comfortable telling us, what did it cost you to get these made locally? We need to stay alert to the possibility that a group buy may not make sense if non-borosilicate glass is readily available to most people locally.

(sorry if some of these things have been answered; I didn't keep up with the firehose very well this weekend :-) 

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[Chris Milnes]

Dimensions on my plate are nearly identical to the acrylic plate. I simply handed the acrylic one to the glass cutter and he traced the dimensions. The height of my glass plate is a touch taller than the acrylic (glass makers stock comes in 1/4" 3/8" etc - not metric) but not a big prob as I don't use the acrylic one any longer and I am calibrated to the glass plate full-time. I put blue tape on one side and left other side glass. Yes, I added tick marks with a sharpie to keep it centered when installing. Was $15 locally.   
Only issue I didn't consider is that it is a bunch heavier than the acrylic one and thought that maybe over time the support structure (since it wasn't engineered for the heavier glass plate) might sag. The leveling screws will fix that - just a thought. 

Best, Chris

[Adan Akerman]

Thanks for the reply, Chris. That's very helpful.

OK, folks who've expressed interest in a Rep2 build plate: There are a lot of you, and that's great! BUT: Based on Chris' note, it sounds like a losing proposition for this to be done as a group buy. If you can carry your acrylic build plate into a glass shop and walk out with a near-copy in glass for $15 (and probably multiples for less per-part), I'm pretty sure it's gonna be way cheaper than if I get someone to cut them and then have to charge you shipping and the various other nickels/dimes.

What do you think? Should we go ahead and have me do it anyway? Is there value in the added toughness of the boro glass, as well as its 8mm thickness availability? Or should this be a chance to support your local brick 'n' mortar glass folks?

Adan

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[Eighty]

Hmm. Guess I could go either way. I don't relish the idea of standing in line or waiting around. I don't mind paying a few extra bucks for the convenience. But if the consensus is to do it locally, I'm coo' wid it.

[Adan Akerman]

Let's see how that consensus settles out. I just realized this isn't the main group buy thread. I need to copy that over there to be thorough. And spammy.

Who knew this would be "get spammed by Adan" night on the MakerBot forum?? Good times.

On Sun, Dec 9, 2012 at 8:07 PM, Eighty <adun...@gmail.com> wrote:

Hmm.  Guess I could go either way.  I don't relish the idea of standing in line or waiting around.  I don't mind paying a few extra bucks for the convenience.  But if the consensus is to do it locally, I'm coo' wid it.

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[Jonas Andersson]

Hi,

This morning I milled a new part in 10mm polycarbonate with cutouts for the hatches - thickness should be 9mm.

It works way better than my warped original, and platform leveling is way better than from start. I now realize that the original wasn't leveled at all so my problems with parts not sticking to the plate was simply leveling problems. On my new platform the objects are sticking next to too hard to the platform.

If anyone wants the platform drawing in .DXF for the platform, let me know.

Now on to the feeding problems... turnkey the rep2 is not - at least not this unit.. :/

Best regards,

Jonas

[Adan Akerman]

Jonas, I'd love to have that .DXF. I'm glad to hear the new part is working well.

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[Martin Read]

I`ve just received my Replicator 2 and the first thing I checked was the plate flatness with a steel ruler. It's fine.

The SD card supplied has no files on it, and the first print of a calibration cube gave awful quality, x and y steps missing and rattling in a way that
would have embarrassed my trusty thing-o-matic.

Turned on acceleration in the on-board preferences and that's much more like it ! :)