Bed adhesion... what's your solution?

[The Chairman]

OK, I've only had one 'break-a-way" since I finally got my printer working. Mostly, I've been using Aquanet and trying to keep the mist thinnish. But I wonder what strategy you use? I'm mostly working with PLA, but I want to use ABS and even the pliable PLU. My bed gap is set to 0.005" and I'm thinking of reducing that to 0.004". I use 12" feeler guages to set the gap, which is probably overkill, but I like a very flat bed.

So, what's your strategy? How do keep things stable and printing?

 

[JohnnyC]

If you're having trouble you can always try the painters tape trick and recalibrate your z-axis to accommodate. Although I'm not sure how gooey it will get with a heated bed. It's not something I've tried but a friend with a non-heated bed something or other swears by it. He also tried the glue stick method but I don't remember how that turned out.... Could try it with the heated bed off just to see. It's easy to re-zero your z-axis.

I indicate with a dial indicator to flatness relative to the extruder then set my z-height to 0.1mm so yours might be just a touch high. Just ordered a JGAurora A5S to set up for my dad to play around with so I'll be interested to see if the technique works there as well.

 

[tbone1004]

I use painters tape then glue on top of that. Haven't had any issues. I haven't tried glue directly on the bed.

 

[emoreira]

I have an Ender-3, which is quite similar to the one you have, the TEVO Tornado. I've replaced the OEM flexible board by a 3 mm glass. With this, the problem of the warped bed in the center is solved.
I'm using a glass which is flat in one face for PLA and ground in the opposite face for ABS. Always hair spray.
Besides I built a two halves enclosure that I use for all prints now, though not needed for PLA but essential for ABS. The towel is to close the gap where the Z axis moves.

I've got such a good adhesion with ABS that I had to replace the glass after several prints as the adhesion chipped the ground glass. Even not needed Brim.

Bed leveling is also a fact. I re-level my bed after 5 or 6 prints. I use a gcode written by CHEP, which makes the nozzle touch the bed in 5 points. I use a simple printer paper as gauge.
The further "secret" would be the first layer. I'm printing mostly 0.1 or 0.2 mm layer height, but first layer is 0.4 mm always.

 

[jgttrey]

Aquanet directly on my glass plate has worked great for me for ABS, PETG and TPU. I print first layer a little hotter, but not sure if that has anything to do it. I don't do any brims or rafts. Just a skirt around the outside to get the filament flowing nicely. I haven't had one come loose yet.

I agree with JohnnyC that you might be a little high on that first layer. I haven't measured mine since I added a bed leveler and configured it, but I like having the first layer squished down a bit and not just laying on the bed.

When I first started, I used these stick on textured things off amazon - "build surface" something. Prints adhered to them like nobody's business. It was hard to get them off. Too hard.

 

[kelemvor]

It's been a while since I used FDM, but when I did I always covered the bed with blue painter's tape. Worked fine, lasted long time. Ok, not true.. you replace the tape after each print

Try painter's tape, it's cheap.

Another option is gloop, but since painter's tape worked for me I never messed with gloop. 3D Gloop! 3D Printer Adhesives | MatterHackers

Do you have a heated print bed?

 

[The Chairman]

Do you have a heated print bed?

Oh yes! The Tornado has a 120V heated glass bed. It gets warm pretty quick. I have it set to 60 for PLA.

 

[grf88]

I have a Tevo Tornado with the original bed cover. When things are not sticking as well as I like I wipe it down with acetone. Seems to reactivate the surface.

 

[The Chairman]

What was your original bed cover? Mine was glass.

with the original bed cover

 

[grf88]

What was your original bed cover? Mine was glass.

The bed is glass but covered in a plastic sheet of some kind. Some people had problems with this blistering but I kept the heat down and didn't have a problem. I had more of a problem getting things unstuck rather than getting them to stick. The only material that I have had to use anything else is with nylon where I use painter's tape.