I wouldn't use the abs glue directly on the kapton.  The only way to clean or refresh the plates are to wipe clean with plain acetone.  Refreshing the kapton surface inside the printer would not only be cumbersome, but also there is a chance that the acetone could penetrate the tape and mess up the tape adhesive (lose adherence to the aluminum) to the point of you needing to replace the kapton.

I'd suggest patience and just get the glass at your next opportunity.  In the mean time, you can go ahead and make up the "glue" in an old jam jar around the house or buy an empty one at the grocery store.

When you're refreshing the glass, don't worry about making it perfectly spotless, just wipe with acetone until the surface is mostly clean (may still look hazy) and uniform and flat (no rough bits).  However, I would suggest trying to get them as clean as possible on occasion.

Once the glass is "clean", reapply a fresh coat of the abs glue.

I like to keep multiple plates around so that I can clean and refresh in batches.  I have 4 plates right now but I'm probably going to get more - maybe 8 or 12 in total (I can get 4 per $10 sheet of 16x20" glass).  Then I'll print out and assemble a holder that'll look like a CD holder.

Zhayton wrote:

I figured I'd be smart today and try printing a simple Z-screw extension block in a less warped corner of the bed. Looking close I'm finding that a small bit of plastic at the start of the print will curl up off the bed, touch the brass of the hot end and bond to it, which ultimately creates this blob that tears up anything that DID manage to stick in its path, and turns the entire project into a ball of plastic. Am I jumping the gun and this is something the glass plate/warped bed/sticking issue will fix, or is this something else entirely?

Its never too early to get going with the glass plate and either hairspray or abs "glue".  I think it'll help you work past these issues like it has for me.  I should note that the hairspray was helpful but didn't completely resolve the issue of parts getting unstuck.  The abs glue solved that problem entirely for me.

Edit: Level the bed as best you can before clipping the glass on.  Remember that you won't be able to level the bed afterwards (unless you've printed and attached thumbscrews).  I'm not putting thumbscrews on mine because I'm planning on putting gears on the ends of the leveling screws for an auto-bed-leveling system.  After you put the glass on, remember to adjust the z-stop screw for two reasons: avoid crashing the extruder into the glass (broken glass = bad), and to reset your first layer thickness.

Once you have the base layer sticking to the bed you're probably still going to observe on parts which have free-hanging edges (overhanging edges), that those edges will still curl up some and possibly catch the extruder.  This will sometimes detach the part from the bed.  This can be difficult to work around without normally unnecessary supports added or an extruder fan.  So... plan on printing out one of the extruder fans around here.  I still haven't made one but I haven't been making many parts with overhangs.  It's something I'll probably get to in the next week or so (already bought fans and wiring, still need to pick up the mosfet).

  I've been researching the fan thing and problems with overhangs and bridges are understandable - how do you print into empty space? - so any models I've made have compensation in mind, if not I've intended to work in supports. Sticking seems like such a basic issue though, like I bought a hot new car and can't get the door open.
  Do I dare try some ABS glue on the kapton or is this a glass-only application (itching to play but hardware stores are closed)? Regardless, should I apply to a hot plate, or cold, let the acetone evaporate out then begin heating? And if you can apply directly to the kapton, should I then remove while hot or will it bond to strongly to let it cool?

I figured I'd be smart today and try printing a simple Z-screw extension block in a less warped corner of the bed. Looking close I'm finding that a small bit of plastic at the start of the print will curl up off the bed, touch the brass of the hot end and bond to it, which ultimately creates this blob that tears up anything that DID manage to stick in its path, and turns the entire project into a ball of plastic. Am I jumping the gun and this is something the glass plate/warped bed/sticking issue will fix, or is this something else entirely?

Its never too early to get going with the glass plate and either hairspray or abs "glue".  I think it'll help you work past these issues like it has for me.  I should note that the hairspray was helpful but didn't completely resolve the issue of parts getting unstuck.  The abs glue solved that problem entirely for me.

Edit: Level the bed as best you can before clipping the glass on.  Remember that you won't be able to level the bed afterwards (unless you've printed and attached thumbscrews).  I'm not putting thumbscrews on mine because I'm planning on putting gears on the ends of the leveling screws for an auto-bed-leveling system.  After you put the glass on, remember to adjust the z-stop screw for two reasons: avoid crashing the extruder into the glass (broken glass = bad), and to reset your first layer thickness.

Once you have the base layer sticking to the bed you're probably still going to observe on parts which have free-hanging edges (overhanging edges), that those edges will still curl up some and possibly catch the extruder.  This will sometimes detach the part from the bed.  This can be difficult to work around without normally unnecessary supports added or an extruder fan.  So... plan on printing out one of the extruder fans around here.  I still haven't made one but I haven't been making many parts with overhangs.  It's something I'll probably get to in the next week or so (already bought fans and wiring, still need to pick up the mosfet).

I'm using plain old window glass from the hardware store with hairspray. The parts don't want to come off the glass when hot. I take the the glass off the bed and put it on a aluminium block that I had laying around. In about 30 seconds you can hear the parts breaking loose from the glass. Smaller parts have actually jumped off the glass. No problems with thermal shock yet....

TiM

This is my experience also except that I leave the glass on the bed.

DynamechGT, what sort of proportion of acetone to abs are u using to make your adhesive please? And how are you applying it to the bed evenly?

Cheers.

P.s. my sd3 bed is warped too

Like this:

I'll try to weigh it out next time but that'll be a while.
Also - I'm using a fairly small jar (8oz) with about a 4 cm opening.

Application:
Fold up paper towel several times to small rectangle big enough to cover jar opening.  Hold paper towel against jar opening.  Invert jar.  Upright jar.  Quickly (before acetone evaporates) wipe paper towel on glass forming 1 layer.

TiM

Cheers.

P.s. my sd3 bed is warped too

As basic thermal precautions, I'm letting it heat up and cool down with the bed - no thermal shock.

I'll update you if/when it explodes!

Pictures of bottom of print from abs/acetone solution to help sticking to the bed (no problem, just examples):

Paeltz Enclosure Top Bracket 1 by DynamechGT, on Flickr

Paeltz Enclosure Top Bracket 2 by DynamechGT, on Flickr

saying you need sandpaper to clean up the bottom edges is almost overkill - it practically flakes off.

  That comes off amazing! Not the mess at all I was envisioning. I'd be fine with some light scuffing to take off any residue but you're right it doesn't look like it even needs that. I'll see how it goes with the plate I ordered - fortunately my wife's a glass artist and can source cheap boro, I'd like to have several plates coated and ready to go.

Paeltz Enclosure Top Bracket 1 by DynamechGT, on Flickr

Paeltz Enclosure Top Bracket 2 by DynamechGT, on Flickr

saying you need sandpaper to clean up the bottom edges is almost overkill - it practically flakes off.

DynamechGT wrote:

I'm exactly 1 week into SD3 usage. 

Awesome machine but I'm also still overcoming the beginner problems (almost there!).  I'm almost done with the enclosure pieces.  I'm getting much better results with a glass plate and ABS/acetone "bed wipe/adhesive".  Nothing yet has detached mid-print like they used to with the kapton or glass and hairspray.  I've still got some calibration and tuning to do but my prints are now good enough to actually work with.

  I was reading about the ABS slurry you're talking about, how is it applied? I would imagine anything with much thickness at all would distort the print, but I haven't tried it yet. Does it just pop off the glass as the plate cools?

Mine isn't much of a slurry - its pretty thin.  I just got a small jar, put in about 1 inch of broken up bad prints, filled with acetone to about 2 inches depth, shook it occasionally over the next few hours, let sit and dissolve completely overnight, shook thoroughly again, swished some onto a folded paper towel and wiped in 1 layer all over the glass plate.  Edit: there will be a very slight, almost invisible graininess to the mix.

It hasn't been too difficult to remove the pieces but I keep a razor blade handy just in case.  I haven't perfected it yet.  I think I could get by with a slightly thinner mix.

So far my pieces have printed well (way better than before) but there is a very slight roughness on the bottom of the print from where it it was removed from the glass - very quickly resolved with some fine sandpaper (and/or maybe later on I'll try vapor finishing).

Edit:  I just finished printing paeltz's top brackets for the enclosure (relatively long pieces) and there are "popping/cracking" noises as the bed is cooling down and the plastic is detaching itself - sticks well during the print and then (almost) frees itself from the glass on cooldown.

I'll post a pic or two in a moment.

I'm exactly 1 week into SD3 usage. 

Awesome machine but I'm also still overcoming the beginner problems (almost there!).  I'm almost done with the enclosure pieces.  I'm getting much better results with a glass plate and ABS/acetone "bed wipe/adhesive".  Nothing yet has detached mid-print like they used to with the kapton or glass and hairspray.  I've still got some calibration and tuning to do but my prints are now good enough to actually work with.

  I was reading about the ABS slurry you're talking about, how is it applied? I would imagine anything with much thickness at all would distort the print, but I haven't tried it yet. Does it just pop off the glass as the plate cools?