to raft or not to raft?

**cmetzel** · 2012-08-25 16:56:44

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From: Solidoodle2 #0091
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Topic: to raft or not to raft?

I see the youtube videos of people literally peeling away the raft from their prints, how is this done. I've done some reading about the interface layer and some people stopping after the raft to use a sharpie on the raft to reduce adhesion. Those of you with heated build platforms are you still using a raft or are you skipping it altogether? If you skip it are you setting the initial z depth closer to the table for a thicker first layer or adjusting first layer flowrate or something to compensate?

My rafts are ruining my prints and I have to file them off.

**Brad** · 2012-08-25 18:49:30

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Re: to raft or not to raft?

I wouldn't recommend using a raft on a heated build platform.

I printed out a pair of pliers and use them to grip my print after its done, and snap it off the build bed. Easy, and clean.

**cmetzel** · 2012-08-25 19:49:39

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Re: to raft or not to raft?

what bed temperature do you use?

**Brad** · 2012-08-25 20:26:42

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Re: to raft or not to raft?

For smaller objects I use 80C, for larger ones with more bed contact I use 110C.

**cmetzel** · 2012-08-25 23:56:27

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Re: to raft or not to raft?

Worked great Brad, thanks

**Brad** · 2012-08-26 00:00:55

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Re: to raft or not to raft?

Good to hear!

Please post some pics of your prints, Id love to see them.

**cmetzel** · 2012-08-26 01:31:39

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Re: to raft or not to raft?

Not too much to show so far, just playing around. I bought the s/d (do we have an accepted abbreviation yet?) to prototype some ideas that I've had so I don't have to send them out and get non disclosures, so I can't show you some of them but here's the warmups and some stuff you may recognize from thingiverse. Messed up the whistle when I tried to break the pea free the whole thing came off the bed. So far it's a blast.

Do you have a post with some of your favorite parts so far?

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s1 · 2012-08-29 16:38:22

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Re: to raft or not to raft?

Cmetzel:

Thanks for the pix of your prints. Were you able to make prints with the Solidoodle right out of the box or did you have to tweak any of the machine parts or software? I am trying to understand if we can use this to just make parts, or if it requires a lot of 'hand holding'. I do not have experience in this area and just want to print parts.

**cmetzel** · 2012-08-29 19:51:07

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Re: to raft or not to raft?

In an ideal world you can just print straight from the box, however you may need to adjust the bed height depending on how your first layer lays down. Read through the posts on this forum, and read through some of the information about Skeinforge and Pronterface and you should be fine. If you have any issues let us know and I'm sure someone will help out.

Loading the software was the hardest part for me because I missed a download..

**Brad** · 2012-08-29 20:59:08

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Re: to raft or not to raft?

s1 wrote:

Cmetzel:
Thanks for the pix of your prints. Were you able to make prints with the Solidoodle right out of the box or did you have to tweak any of the machine parts or software? I am trying to understand if we can use this to just make parts, or if it requires a lot of 'hand holding'. I do not have experience in this area and just want to print parts.

When I got mine, I unpacked it from the box, plugged it in, installed filament, heated it up, and printed with no calibration or anything. Still printing great with no adjustments.

**cmetzel** · 2012-08-29 21:06:14

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Re: to raft or not to raft?

Mine was binding in Y axis and wouldn't move and I had a cracked carriage on the LH y-axis. Were it not for my automation design background I would have had to send it back. Parts have been replaced and calibrated and it works like a charm. For the price I'm willing to put in a little effort. I'm just appreciative that they have been able to bring the price point down to where I can have one running on my kitchen table. Still amazed and I have nothing bad to say about them.

**IronMan** · 2012-11-07 18:20:03

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Re: to raft or not to raft?

I've had to run some very small, circular parts with no flat base on which to orient them onto the bed, so I just "model in" my own raft base just tangent to the part...about .3mm thick; or use the assembly function in CAD to set multiple parts on it if need be. Works great, but I do end up with a little nub that I need to cut and file smooth.

SD2 - Stock - Enclosure - Heated Bed - Glass Plate - Auto Fire Extinguisher
Ord Bot Hadron - RAMPS 1.4 - Bulldog XL - E3D v6 - 10" x 10" PCB Heated Build w/SSR - Glass Plate
Thanks for All of Your Help!

**IronMan** · 2012-11-07 18:22:13

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Re: to raft or not to raft?

BTW, I only run Slic3r...

SD2 - Stock - Enclosure - Heated Bed - Glass Plate - Auto Fire Extinguisher
Ord Bot Hadron - RAMPS 1.4 - Bulldog XL - E3D v6 - 10" x 10" PCB Heated Build w/SSR - Glass Plate
Thanks for All of Your Help!

**pretenda** · 2012-11-09 06:30:51

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Re: to raft or not to raft?

I seem to have to realign my bed after every second or so print. I seem to be able to get the prints to stick so well when I pull them off I screw the bed alignment too.

Brad, which pliers did you print off?

**jon_bondy** · 2012-11-09 15:56:34

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Re: to raft or not to raft?

I have been using a $0.39 nylon "thrifty trowel" to pry my parts off of the bed. The nylon makes it less likely that I will damage the kapton. I found the trowel at the local hardware store

**solijohn** · 2012-11-15 21:52:57

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Re: to raft or not to raft?

You can always wait for the parts to cool off. We don't seem to have much problem scraping the parts off in the shop.

Former Solidoodle employee, no longer associated with the company.

**mando5** · 2013-02-27 03:04:34

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Re: to raft or not to raft?

Can you guys pls uplaod a pic of your favorite Raft settings?

thanks...

**cmetzel** · 2013-02-27 15:23:50

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Re: to raft or not to raft?

Mando I don't use raft anymore, you'll find once you get dialed in you won't need it. Did you perform the calibration steps on the wiki.solidoodle.com website?

to raft or not to raft?

Posts: 18

1 Topic by cmetzel 2012-08-25 16:56:44

Topic: to raft or not to raft?

2 Reply by Brad 2012-08-25 18:49:30

Re: to raft or not to raft?

3 Reply by cmetzel 2012-08-25 19:49:39

Re: to raft or not to raft?

4 Reply by Brad 2012-08-25 20:26:42

Re: to raft or not to raft?

5 Reply by cmetzel 2012-08-25 23:56:27

Re: to raft or not to raft?

6 Reply by Brad 2012-08-26 00:00:55

Re: to raft or not to raft?

7 Reply by cmetzel 2012-08-26 01:31:39

Re: to raft or not to raft?

8 Reply by s1 2012-08-29 16:38:22

Re: to raft or not to raft?

9 Reply by cmetzel 2012-08-29 19:51:07

Re: to raft or not to raft?

10 Reply by Brad 2012-08-29 20:59:08

Re: to raft or not to raft?

11 Reply by cmetzel 2012-08-29 21:06:14

Re: to raft or not to raft?

12 Reply by IronMan 2012-11-07 18:20:03

Re: to raft or not to raft?

13 Reply by IronMan 2012-11-07 18:22:13

Re: to raft or not to raft?

14 Reply by pretenda 2012-11-09 06:30:51

Re: to raft or not to raft?

15 Reply by jon_bondy 2012-11-09 15:56:34

Re: to raft or not to raft?

16 Reply by solijohn 2012-11-15 21:52:57

Re: to raft or not to raft?

17 Reply by mando5 2013-02-27 03:04:34

Re: to raft or not to raft?

18 Reply by cmetzel 2013-02-27 15:23:50

Re: to raft or not to raft?

Posts: 18