I don’t know about anyone else but if I leave a tool on a work bench unwatched for 30 seconds someone will have already pilfered it for another “urgent” job. So I’ve created a fairly natty little tool rack to fit all of the tools that ship with the Form2.
I’ll be printing it tomorrow as we have a fairly considerable print queue building up today and will post the results here so you can see how it came out but for now I’ve posted some screenshots below showing the rack
As soon as I have some pictures of the finished product I’ll post them here and if the model comes out okay then I’ll upload that if anyone else wants a tool rack for their Form2.
The opening at the front is built to accommodate the tweezers, this feature was a lot easier to model so I didn’t end up modelling out a rough shape for the tweezers. Once I’ve fired off a print and know it all prints without issue I’ll upload the file.
It should fit all of the tools that come with it, I was going to put a small stuff box for a pair of rubber gloves aswell on the side but couldn’t find a tidy way of fitting it in but apart from that I think it fits pretty much everything you get with the form 2.
I did not think anyone actually used the metal scraper OR that interestingly handled pry thingie. Both of those wreck the build plates. I switched to an Ikea spatula that easily gets everything off the plate no matter how large the base is with 0 build plate damage.
What exactly do you mean by that? Sure the prying process creates some minor scratches, scrapes and in some rare cases minor divots. I have 125+ prints off one build plate, used the spatula and scraper tool for nearly all of them. My platform is pretty scarred and still going strong. A well scarred platform can be ideal…actually common advice if a model isn’t sticking is to scuff up the platform with sandpaper.
@RGEDMI Please do post pics…my tools are constantly being stolen, lost…this would be a neat addition to my workspace!
Having good luck here with plastic fairing blades available at auto/boat paint suppliers. Scuffed the platform at 360grit to smooth some wear n tear. Probably going a little thick on the base, but the parts are popping off nice.
Nice tool rack and it would definitely help organize my mess!
The rougher the surface of the build plate the better it works. Scratching it does not ruin it in the least. The only way you can ruin it is if you gouge a chunk out of it or bend it somehow.
I use a 10" “Insulation Knife” to get my prints off the build plate (I’ve had problems with them sticking too hard since the printer was new. The insulation knife blade is very thin and can get under prints that the FL tool simply chips). And I have a 2" chisel I use to “plane off” any stubborn chunks that sometimes break away and remain behind in spite of the insulation knife. These things are very sharp and not in the least bit safe so I don’t necessarily recommend them. But as a case-in-point, these tools are much harder than the plate’s Aluminum and my plate is still working great after a ton of printing…
The Build Plate is about the only part of the Form2 (or 1) that you don’t have treat with care!
137 prints from this plate and if I didn’t have that scratch from the single use of the original tools, I might be able to sell it as new. I have no issues with prints detaching, or sticking “too well”. Looks like we may need a modular tool holder since people use a wide range of tools from delicate, to jackhammers.
Agreed. The scraper is only there to damage the plate, but the custom pry-tool is useful for the flexible material, and relatively gentle to the build plate when used conscientiously…
But if you got a better tool from IKEA… give us the name/number. Is it the Björk, or the Kröfskinsk?
I have resurfaced the two plates i use, both twice. Start with a 400-grit sanding (on a granite stone), to level and kill any scratches… then glass bead blast with a fine media to re-texture. I have 800 print cycles on each of the two plates, and they are still like new, and working perfectly.
That’s a nice design. The only thing that I would like to see is a integrated drip pan with large radii at any corners. I only mention this because as hard as I try to keep stuff clean, I usually miss something. An integrated drip tray would help keep area clean.
Okay so I’ve finally got some space on the printer, I’ve added a removable drip tray that locks into the feet of the stand so you could slide it all together if you wanted to, it’s drips also sloping towards the front so any drips should migrate towards the front where you can wipe them away.
I think I’ll print one of these myself, it’s a great idea and much better than my mason jar for the tools! I’ll probably print it on my Prusa though, that way it can print in one go and will be a bit more robust.
I have no issues with prints detaching, or sticking “too well”. Looks like we may need a modular tool holder since people use a wide range of tools from delicate, to jackhammers.