16 votes
Accepted

Why does hairspray work as an adhesive for ABS?

First of all, not all hairsprays work. The chemicals in hairspray that causes the bonding is "VA/Crotonates Copolymer", it is also called "vinyl acetate/crotonic acid copolymer". ...
0scar's user avatar
  • 34.5k
15 votes

Why does the painters tape have to be blue?

read first When you use painters tape, you need to level your printer with the tape applied. You need to relevel if you change the tape type. Basics It's not any blue tape that printers love. There ...
Trish's user avatar
  • 21.2k
14 votes

Can't get print to stick, no matter what I try

Your nozzle is clearly too far from the bed. The plastic should be squashed down slightly. Some firmwares have an option where you can adjust the height of the nozzle "live" during the first layer, in ...
Tom van der Zanden's user avatar
11 votes
Accepted

Troubleshooting poor adhesion at the edge of the bed

There are several things you could try without spending much but even PLA will warp on an unheated bed. I had a Legacy Kossel that I switched to an acrylic bed and had many issues with warping and ...
tjb1's user avatar
  • 2,090
11 votes
Accepted

POM filament not sticking to the build plate?

Great material but very hard to print as it does not stick easy to the build plate as it has a low friction coefficient to grip onto the heated bed. Also, the material sets quite fast, once the ...
0scar's user avatar
  • 34.5k
11 votes
Accepted

Why doesn't PLA stick to heated bed?

I think you may have used the wrong substance to clean your bed. Try using Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA). You may have left some residue behind from the soap, which is now interfering with adhesion. When ...
Pᴀᴜʟsᴛᴇʀ2's user avatar
10 votes
Accepted

PETG layer adhesion

What you describe is usually the result of using a too high of a part cooling fan rotational speed. Like ABS, PETG doesn't require much cooling (if needed at all that is). If you do cool too much, ...
0scar's user avatar
  • 34.5k
9 votes
Accepted

Can't get print to stick, no matter what I try

Eureka! All of the other answers and suggestions on this post were all very helpful, and would likely be the right answers 90+% of the time, but they didn't give me any relief. I spent a bunch of time ...
Kenny Wyland's user avatar
9 votes

Getting PLA to stick to a cold bed

Most of the same reccomendations that apply for adhesion to a hot bed apply for a cold one. The first ones to come to mind: really dial in the nozzle height make the first layer taller than the rest ...
mac's user avatar
  • 4,687
7 votes
Accepted

Adhesion problems with masking tape

Masking tape (and blue painter's tape) is coated with a wax-based release agent in order to prevent the tape sticking to itself on the roll. This release agent must be removed with an organic solvent ...
Mick's user avatar
  • 3,092
7 votes

Printer fails to print a cube

There are multiple issues that cause this result. First, your nozzle is to far from the bed. This can be seen by the curly deposited filament on the build plate (I guess that is the brim or the skirt)...
0scar's user avatar
  • 34.5k
7 votes

PETG layer adhesion

While 0scar was right that cooling fan hurts layer adhesion, I've continued to have problems with PETG even with no fan, regardless of temperature. I went looking for advice on the topic, and found a ...
R.. GitHub STOP HELPING ICE's user avatar
6 votes

Can't get print to stick, no matter what I try

Your photo has shadows which seem to suggest that your tape layer has some wrinkles. That won't help. Try removing that tape and laying down the fabulous blue painter's tape. If you read any ...
Carl Witthoft's user avatar
6 votes
Accepted

One corner never sticks

This is very likely caused by an uneven bed. It's probably lower in that particular corner: the nozzle is further from the bed, so the filament isn't squished down as much and therefore releases more ...
Tom van der Zanden's user avatar
6 votes

Prints are now sticking too well to the bed. What to do?

Options to check (in order of probability of occurenece and success): Z-calibration Maybe you should perform calibration again. It's possible that nozzle is now too close which causes the filament ...
darth pixel's user avatar
  • 3,456
6 votes
Accepted

Should you use hairspray on a metal bed 3D printer?

I have been using a sort of a very strong hairspray called 3DLAC for about 2 years directly onto the aluminium heat bed of the Anet A8 printer I have. Basically, all those sprays contain copolymer ...
0scar's user avatar
  • 34.5k
6 votes
Accepted

Turning off heatbed for the last few layers. Good idea or not?

It's not a bad idea, and you should try it. But only on prints with some height, because: The goal of the heated bed is to ensure adhesion for the first few layers. Without the heat on the bottom ...
beeudoublez's user avatar
6 votes

Adhesion problems with masking tape

Instead of masking tape, I would use BuildTac or some other similar surface. These are self-adhesive and come in various sizes. You can cut them down if they are too large for your bed. I'm using it ...
NomadMaker's user avatar
6 votes
Accepted

Getting a Cura Raft to stick to the object more firmly (for ABS)

You should reduce the air gap option called "Raft Air Gap". Printing ABS optimally requires an enclosure of the printer, wind and draft cause temperature changes which could lead to layer separation.
0scar's user avatar
  • 34.5k
6 votes
Accepted

Bed too close to nozzle?

No, the bed does not look too close to the nozzle, it could well be that it is too far from the nozzle. However, the brim looks okay, but the method you follow is questionable. Using a feeler gauge ...
0scar's user avatar
  • 34.5k
5 votes

Can't get print to stick, no matter what I try

I've been struggling to work out what is wrong with the process where you claim to be leveling the bed OK (and the print is starting in mid air). Now I remember I had exactly the same problem with my ...
Sean Houlihane's user avatar
5 votes

Adhesion problems with masking tape

Mick (other answerer) is spot-on with his advice on how to prep the masking tape to work well as an adhesion enhancer. Additionally: what material is the surface of your printing bed, and is the bed ...
mac's user avatar
  • 4,687
5 votes

How do skirts aid print bed adhesion?

These skirts they don't contribute at all to help your product adhere better to the build plate other than priming your nozzle so that it is ready to lay down filament for your product. A skirt does ...
0scar's user avatar
  • 34.5k
5 votes
Accepted

When is kapton tape useful as a bed adhesive?

I tested Kapton tape for PLA, ABS, PETG and XT. I know it works for other materials as well. What you need to keep in mind is that many materials only stick to Kapton tape well if you use a heated bed....
dgrat's user avatar
  • 664
5 votes

Setting up a brim/raft for only a portion of the overall print

In the newest version of Cura (4.5.0), in the per model settings, the only thing you can change for options set Build Plate Adhesion is ...
Joseph Knappenberger's user avatar
5 votes

Under-extrusion after a certain amount of successful layers?

This is partial answer and comment as it was too big to fit the comment section, it will be a proper answer once the question is updated by the OP. What you call a weird spiral pattern is the result ...
0scar's user avatar
  • 34.5k
5 votes
Accepted

How to level bed after applying glue stick for bed adhesion

How much glue do you put on it? I use PVA based spray, barely visible, very evenly spread and no problem whatsoever of sticking paper to the glue layer. Just level the bed as you normally would and ...
0scar's user avatar
  • 34.5k
5 votes
Accepted

Why does the painters tape have to be blue?

Of course, I don't know what kind of tapes you have. My experience with blue tapes is, that they seem in general softer and "nicer" than white tapes. Their structure appears denser and they seem to ...
darth pixel's user avatar
  • 3,456
5 votes

Why does the painters tape have to be blue?

To answer your question, it doesn't have to be blue tape! To be honest, tape is not my favorite bed adhesion solution, there are plenty other options that work better than tape. Often you'll see ...
0scar's user avatar
  • 34.5k
5 votes

First layer looks weird and print fails

A new day, a new nozzle, an old result! EDIT The success was a one off. The problem remains! Heat on the heated bed seems to differ a lot in different areas. Just using my hands to feel it since I ...
GusOst's user avatar
  • 221

Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible