1 Topic by HelmutK

  • HelmutK
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  • Registered: 2012-08-28
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Topic: Replacing Kapton tape on bed

I just replaced my Kapton tape on the bed for the first time.
I have gone through about 3 - 1 kg spools of ABS. It now had too many slices and a few missing pieces from tears in the Kapton.
It seems as I went through more and more prints they were starting to stick more and more to the Kapton tape. I wiped it down between prints with 70% Isopropyl Alcohol. Got to a point where I had to wait till the bed got almost down to room temperature to get the print off without disturbing the setup of the bed level.

Anyone else experience the increasing bed "sticktuitiveness" too? Seems I have more issue with sticking than lifting and have printed prints with up to 5" linear bed contact.

I bought a roll of 150mm x 100' Kapton tape (yes they actually described the item in mixed units. wink ) and the hardest part about applying it to the bed was pulling it off the roll without tearing it. It is 60 micron thick tape. Still have my spare pre-cut sheet that came with the SD2.
Just make sure the bare aluminum bed is clean and smooth before applying the new Kapton tape with a smooth side to side or front to back application. Any small bubbles disappeared after heating the bed. I trimmed the tape off the roll after it was on the bed. If you get some large bubbles underneath you can lift and reapply some of the tape if you do it carefully and slowly.

After applying the new Kapton my next print had just the right amount of stickyness and was able to remove the print with the bed at 70C with minimum effort.

2 Reply by Tomek

  • Tomek
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  • Registered: 2012-10-01
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Re: Replacing Kapton tape on bed

The way I get kapton off of the roll is to use two steel bars, and take a bit of tape and wrap it around the bar, and pull from the roll. Once you have your piece + 1.5 inches, lay the other steel bar next to the roll, and cut it off the roll.   Then you have a sort of frame you can keep taunt between the two rolls.

It's just what we do at work anyway when making huge heaters.  But it's somewhat wasteful, loosing probably 4 inches. It doesn't matter so much when you're making a four foot heater, but I waste just as much when I'm replacing the 6" S2 kapton.


One thing I've really enjoyed switching to is to my glass bed. So far I only have binder clips attaching it, but eventually I'll go to magnets. I was worried I would damage the Z-axis with how hard my previous prints occasionally were to take off the bed. now I can remove the glass bed, and man handle the prints when they're not straining the z-axis asembly.

3 Reply by jefferysanders

  • jefferysanders
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Re: Replacing Kapton tape on bed

Cut a square and use lightly soapy water applying it just like tinting car windows, squeegee out water from in between the kapton and metal plate. Or get glass, binder clips, and hairspray to save many minutes of time.

4 Reply by HelmutK

  • HelmutK
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Re: Replacing Kapton tape on bed

Thanks for the Kapton application tips. Yeah, been contemplating doing the glass bed upgrade but since I have only had to replace the Kapton once so far it has not been a priority.

5 Reply by SLAM-ER

  • SLAM-ER
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  • From: Auckland, New Zealand
  • Registered: 2012-12-13
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Re: Replacing Kapton tape on bed

My method to get the new Kapton off the roll is to stick 5mm to the edge of the desk, roll out the 150mm +20mm or so, stick a pencil or even the solidoodle toothbrush works) to the end by the roll then cut it off, the pencil stops it curling up and the other edge is stuck to the desk.

Lower the bed and heat it up to 60ish degrees (or more) (then you don't need water).  Get a soft rag or balled up tissue, peel the kapton off the desk and drape it over the bed with the pencil off the edge.  Remove the pencil and set to applying it.  With the warm bed you can lift (slowly) and reposition it as you need.  Start in one corner and squeegee the air out with the cloth/tissue as you lower the tape across the bed.  If you trap any bubbles or wrinkle it just lift it up a bit and redo.  I found using water made my adjustment screws go rusty so I stopped using water and use the warm bed method instead. 

Note: My tape is 200mm wide so I always have extra length to play with so I don't have to get it exactly right.  Water would help if your sheet is exactly 150mm and you have no room for error and need to slide the entire thing around at once.

Thanks
SLAM-ER