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DO NOT buy BuildTak print surface!!

Posted by rich1812 
DO NOT buy BuildTak print surface!!
December 30, 2014 06:50AM
Has anyone ever tried the BuilaTak? [www.buildtak.com]. I just got mine yesterday. I bought it in the hope to get rid of the cumbersome glass preparation and the messy hair spray clean up. Well, I was wrong!
I followed the instruction, stick this damn piece of %$#@, readjusted the nozzle height, all excited, started my print. Disappointingly, when my build was done. it sticks to the surface as if it was glued to it by some kinds of super glue. Basically the build was fused and melted into the surface. It was impossible to remove the build. When I tried to apply a bit more force to get it off, the build torn the surface with it. Nothing like BuildTax's bogus claim of "It provides an optimal printing surface for 3D objects to adhere to for the duration of a print, while allowing for a clean, easy removal of completed builds."

Products such as this mades me angry and I am certainly going to go after BuildTak for a refund.

Caveat emptor, DO NOT BUY THIS PIECE OF JUNK!!!
Re: DO NOT buy BuildTak print surface!!
December 30, 2014 09:53AM
I have used BuildTak for a while now. I found similar results but only in these contexts
  1. print to close to the surface
  2. flexible pla
  3. temps too high, both bed and hot end

I also found that after printing a few times in an area this super adhesion would go away and would stick pretty well but also come off the plate pretty easily. I found that once I got a handle on how to print on the buildtak it worked just fine - though it is more expensive than alternative options.

I have found better results when using PET with a good abs/acetone slurry. May want to give that a try. I get the slurry to an almost goopy consistency and then add some acetone to thin it down a tad. The tape is more expensive but I waste less trying to get a smooth surface and it seems sturdier than the kapton for my needs.
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