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SoliForum - 3D Printing Community → Hacks & Mods → Glass Bed Thickness
I have access to many thickness's of glass ranging from 2.2mm-5.7mm glass extra cheap and any size I wish. What are you takes on the thickness of bed I should be using? First thought was a nice 3.0mm but I don't even have a printer or any first-hand experience.
What do you have?
I used whatever I could get at Home Depot, which I believe is close to 3mm. The thinner glass is much easier to cut, but also easier to break (though I'm still using the one I cut months ago with no problems). The thinner glass also heats up faster.
Thats why I was thinking a good 3.0mm - A good balance between too thin and too thick.
What about sandblasting for further adherence?
My impression is that the smoother flatter surface works better. I tried some ceramic tiles I ground flat with 220 grit, and couldn't get anything to stick to the ground surface at all. Other folks seems to have had different results though, so who knows.
The habit I've developed to get things to stick (especially large things) is to print a wide brim, and as it is printing, about 1/2 way through, "paint" it (or at least the corners) with a 50/50 mixture of acetone and MEK that has some filament dissolved in it. Even the biggest parts with the most trouble warping always seem to stay flat when given this treatment. In fact it is really hard to get things off the glass printed this way (letting it cool a long time generally works).
Oh wow, thanks for the much needed info. I guess I'll have to play around a bit.
My impression is that the smoother flatter surface works better.
+1 - I tried sanded glass, and it didn't make any difference. Not worth the effort!
Hairspray on smooth glass has me working pretty happily (always with a brim). I put down a fresh dusting before every couple of prints, which keeps it tacky. Inter-layer adhesion is now a larger problem than bed adhesion, at least. 
WRT thickness, thin = crack easily, thick = slow to heat and top surface temp lower than bottom (glass is actually a fair thermal insulator...). 3mm works well for most people as a balance.
Thicker is better. If you read adrians post about different bed setups, ceramic tile was the best. The reason being is that since it is thick and a thermal insulator (even more so than glass) it KEEPS the heat longer and more ven, reducing effects like warping and curling.
Also, 3mm glass is prone to bending if your bed itself is not perfectly flat. Thicker glass can be clamped and not warp to a curved bed.
But yes, it will take longer to heat up.
Tell you what, I got 3.0, 3.1, 3.2, 3.8, and 3.9mm that I'll play with first.
i got 4mm because the glazier could chamfer the edges
i got 4mm because the glazier could chamfer the edges
So what are your findings?
I started with mirrors that would crack over time. June of last year I picked up ten 10 x 10 x 3/16" tempered glass sheets I found cheap online. I use one for glass, another for Blue Tape, and the third has a 1/32" Garolite sheet epoxied to it. I haven't had any issues with heating or cracking. The remaining 7 are back ups that just waste space
I started with mirrors that would crack over time. June of last year I picked up ten 10 x 10 x 3/16" tempered glass sheets I found cheap online. I use one for glass, another for Blue Tape, and the third has a 1/32" Garolite sheet epoxied to it. I haven't had any issues with heating or cracking. The remaining 7 are back ups that just waste space
Garolite pretty sweet? I was thinking about dunking some of my 6"x6"x3mm in high-heat silicone to test it out. Should probabily go easy on the testing to begin with though.
Garolite is for nylon, not abs/pla . and yes, it works well, for Nylon.
Oh okay, I had no idea. Thanks for the FYI.
I made three 3mm glass beds so far and now that I actually hold them in my hand, I feel like 3.8-3.9mm would be better just for ease of use and rigidity.
i managed to have pieces of the glass get pulled out of the sheet so now i put kapton tape over my glass.
by doing this i think the connection between print and glass is not so rigid and the prints hang on better. still use hair spray though
Doesn't that just really put you back full circle to the kapton tape on the original bed?
I often wonder what people are using to remove their prints (Jack hammers). I am still using my original piece of glass from over a year ago and have had no problems. The only advantage to the glass is it's perfectly flat surface. Otherwise very similar to kapton as far as adhesion goes. Unless you have a warped bed, which most of them seem to be. Just using kapton on the platform makes more sense.
Unless you have a warped bed, which most of them seem to be.
One day I'll get a piece of 10mm alu plate, mill the faces flat and use that as a bed. Can't stand this warping business, so inefficient!
The only advantage to the glass is it's perfectly flat surface. Otherwise very similar to kapton as far as adhesion goes.
I'm fairly certain glass doesn't rip 
I'm fairly certain glass doesn't rip
Apparently it does for some. I'm assuming most aren't using tempered glass who manage it... probably framing glass, mirrors or basic window glass
AZERATE wrote:I'm fairly certain glass doesn't rip
Apparently it does for some. I'm assuming most aren't using tempered glass who manage it... probably framing glass, mirrors or basic window glass
All I'm using is cheap framing glass. Never had it rip or tear 
not even a chip.
Personally, I use a mirror more than straight glass (as if my signature doesn't give it away ) and never had any real problems except with large and high infill prints. Then again, I went to a bona fide glass shop over the dollar store idea.
AZERATE wrote:I'm fairly certain glass doesn't rip
Apparently it does for some. I'm assuming most aren't using tempered glass who manage it... probably framing glass, mirrors or basic window glass
I have a plate of borosilicate glass, which I managed to remove a chunk from when a part got particularly well stuck (I was using ABS glue). Either kind of glass is mechanically fairly brittle, the quality does vary a fair bit for both of course. Just with the boro glass you won't see cracking due to thermal stress (e.g. when heating / cooling the plate quickly, this is why it's used in cookware).
Borosilicate glass would be the best for temperture fluctuations and capacity. We make standard plate silicate glass (tempered and coated) for industrial use - So I think my plates will do just fine. That sub-2mm glass (dollar store frames) mainly comes from china from what my industry tells me.
i use glass so i can take one piece out and let it cool and put a new piece in and let it warm up for my next print.
i cant get just plain kapton to keep my parts stuck.
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