Creality CR10 Mirror Busted - New Magnetic Flex Sheet Print Bed

[Nifty]

First there was my post here where I converted from blue tape to glass bed / glue stick:
https://www.printerknowledge.com/threads/bed-adhesion-pla-on-heated-glass-bed.12999

Then in this old thread, I mentioned a purchase I made: https://www.printerknowledge.com/threads/bed-adhesion-pla-on-heated-glass-bed.12999/post-112564

I just ordered a set of these: https://amzn.to/2RnNnBL

... but wondering if I should have just gone with the legit Creality ones for just a few $$ more?
https://amzn.to/2VlO4uh

Crazy to think I ordered these over 2 years ago!!! :O

Well, that mag sheet set sat in my desk since then... until today when this happened:

Basically, I was too aggressive trying to get a print off the glass and it shattered

I was going to just replace it, but figured it was a good time to test out the magnetic bed, so I installed it and gave it a try:

I was really impressed from the start. I did have a print pull-off, but then decided to try some glue stick for help (since I don't like heating the bed) and it's working great so far!

Being able to pull the mag bed sheet off, flex it a bit, and peel the print off is just so nice and easy-peasy!!!

It's not as great of a change as going from blue tape to glass, but if it keeps performing well, I'll definitely prefer it over glass!

 

[The Hat]

(since I don't like heating the bed) and it's working great so far!

I use a blue magnet sheet and harden glass (Kitchen Chopping board) on my two CR-10’s, I have no special allegiance to either of them because they both work very well, ok I have to wait about 15 minutes for the glass to cool a bit to remover my prints, removing hot prints from the Mag plate can sometimes cause them to warp and bend..


I couldn’t imagine not using heat on the printer bed because I regularly leave the printer to work all night long and I’ve only ever had one print fall off the hot bed in all that time, it’s so annoying to find you’ve just wasted 8 or 10 hours on something, and have to do it all again..

@ Nifty, I don’t know why you’re so reluctant to use heat on the bed, I work with it without any issues over the years, but I did have this problem one time where this large image lifted the Mag plate edges, despite the very strong magnetism..

a reprint needed..

My standard lamp is all finished and ready to go, I’m just waiting on decent weather to install Mark lV…

 

[Nifty]

@ Nifty, I don’t know why you’re so reluctant to use heat on the bed, I work with it without any issues over the years, but I did have this problem one time where this large image lifted the Mag plate edges, despite the very strong magnetism..

Mostly, I haven't really found it necessary. Also, I don't like to bother waiting for it to heat-up or cool-down.

So, I've been printing fine without a heated bed. There have been a few times with really big prints that the corners have lifted, but using a brim often fixes that. If I get into a situation where I'm really worried about lifting, I may try heating the bed in those cases... but again, I'm rarely printing really big stuff, and my cold-be works just fine 99% of the time.

 

[Nifty]

Some updates:

I'm really liking how easy the magnetic bed + textured surface is to print on and ESPECIALLY get prints off!

... but I'm having an issue that *might* be a deal-breaker.

The prints don't come out as perfectly flat as they did on the glass.

I'm guessing that as the print cools, it pulls-up on the sides and ever-so-slightly lifts the mag sheet up.

Ya, ya... I know... I could heat the bed, and that might fix the problem. I might give that a try and report back.

 

[The Hat]

Ya, ya... I know... I could heat the bed, and that might fix the problem. I might give that a try and report back.

 

[bluestang]

Went to their website to have a look. These CR10 machines look cool as hell!

Great...now something else I want. Jeez, thanks guys. You really know how to make someone get hooked on printers lol

 

[The Hat]

Your only hooked when you get the smell of hot filament..
Or burn your fingers at least once...

 

[Nifty]

I think I'm going to try an experiment:

When I installed the new mag sheet, I attached the bottom mag sheet to the underside of a new mirror because I didn't want to stick it right to the metal on the printer in case it didn't come off easy.

So, I realized I could "flip" the whole thing around/over and have the mag on the bottom and the glass on top. That would allow me to easily switch between glass or mag sheet for testing each one.

 

[The Hat]

So, I realized I could "flip" the whole thing around/over and have the mag on the bottom and the glass on top. That would allow me to easily switch between glass or mag sheet for testing each one.

Nice bit of upside down thinking @Nifty.. But I reckon you’d still be better off using heat..
The Newer 3D printers (24Volt) can heat up the bed as fast as it does the nozzles… No more waiting..

 

[Nifty]

After about a month of testing, I'm back to glass mirror + elmer's purple gluestick.

I was having too many issues with the magnetic bed. They could be 100% due to poor quality cheap item I got from Amazon, so I'm not completely against the idea of a mag bed and may try one from a more reliable / proven provider in the future.

That said, the issues I had:

1. Warping: As the PLA cooled on the bed, especially for larger prints, the part would shrink and "pull up" the magnet bed from the magnet base. It left the parts slightly warped and not-flat. It wasn't always a big deal, but when I had large prints that I needed to be SUPER flat, it was definitely annoying
2. Adhesion: I just couldn't get the parts to stay-stuck like I can on glass... even with glue-stick.

Both of these issues could also maybe be solved by heating the bed (from a few quick tests I did heating the bed, it didn't seem to make a difference), but I've gone years without needing to bother with a heated bed for PLA and have no desire to start now

So, I flipped the whole setup upside-down, and now have the mag bed under the mirror glass

My first print on the new glass felt like I was coming home! It just went so smoothly and perfectly. I'm glad I'm back to glass!