Build plate coatings - Hairspray, Pritt Stick, etc

[Damian Axford]

Hi All

As mentioned the other week, the key active component in the cheap hairspray and Pritt Stick build plate coatings is PVP (so says the internet).  

As per wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyvinylpyrrolidone)  it's also known as: Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), polyvidone or povidone

I'm on the hunt for some PVP-containing adhesives to experiment with (for when Steve's supply of hairspray runs out)...   so far not found much!     In fact, the only hairspray I've found with PVP in is:

http://www.tesco.com/groceries/product/details/?id=252543271

It should be in some spray adhesives, but haven't yet found any.

If anyone does find anything with it in, please list it in this thread :)

[Andrew Beattie]

Some quick research suggests that "hot melt" adhesive uses PVP.

The latest hot melt ( http://www.henkel.co.uk/2013-8045_new-henkel-hotmelt-adhesive-sets-high-standards-8482_UKE_HTML.htm ) melts at 100 degrees

maybe that is within reach of our hot plates.

I'm thinking:

 - Heat bed.  Apply hot melt (which is tacky when hot)

 - Apply first layer

 - turn off bed

 - glue gets stronger as adhesive cools and forces increase.

Maybe even regular hot melt is worth a try...

But don't hold me responsible if you end up with a print permanently bonded to the glass on your bed :-)

Andrew

[Robert Longbottom]

Did you ever get any futher with your investigations?  I'm about to run out again.

I've been using Loreal Elnett Supreme Hold (https://www.ocado.com/webshop/product/LOreal-Elnett-Supreme-Hold-Hairspray/16998011) which was recommended on some link or other I found ages ago, but its a little pricey, I feel very un-manly buying the stuff and I can't use the excuse that its "for the missus" since I dont have one!

It doesn't say it contains PVP, but it does contain "VA/CROTONATES/VINYL NEODECANOATE COPOLYMER" (such a catchy name) , which appears to be the same (a similar) thing:  http://www.ashland.com/products/pvp-va-polymers

Cheers,

Rob.

[Damian Axford]

:)

i gave up after exhausting everything in Tesco (at least tesco.com)...  but having extra names to search for may help.  I fear a trip to an actual super market is required...  with a list of technobabble keywords to look for

[Jamie Osborne]

Amazon!

Jamie

[Malcolm Pett]

I never have an issue with PVA and water.

Cheap and cheerful.

On Wednesday, 18 March 2015 11:25:05 UTC, Damian Axford wrote:

[Malcolm Pett]

oops should have read the post in a bit more detail.

Just like my flying straight in and never read the instructions!

[Robert Longbottom]

Well, having bought some of the Tesco Harmony Firm Hold hairspray I can say for certain that I will not be buying any more!  (he says after restarting yet another print that has come unstuck)

I havent done many prints since I started using it, but I'd say that maybe 1 in 3 has had some kind of issue with bed adhesion.  It seems to work if you spray quite a lot on immediately before the print just in the area you are going to print (and once the bed has heated up).  But I don't really like spraying it close to the printer and it seems excessive to have to reapply so often.

Compare to Loreal Elnett Supremene Hold which I was using before where my method was, clean the bed mirror, spray it with hairspray when cold and away from the printer, I was able to print multiple times over multiple days apart without issue or reapplication.  I think only had one or two issues with prints peeling off the bed in the last 6 months using that.  One being the logobot bumper (a print with a very thing section on the bed) and my y6-copter lid, which needed loads of support (and it was the support that came unstuck, which again is a lot of thin tall things on the bed)

I'll be going to to Loreal unless something else pops up becase my prints are worth it!!!

On Wednesday, 18 March 2015 11:25:05 UTC, Damian Axford wrote:

[Jamie Osborne]

Ha! Yes, this is the experience we have with the Spanish stuff..

Jamie