I saw a mention of someone using a hammer and chisel to remove the support base from the build platform. I have a Form 1+ running Tough resign and I’ve started to see this happen more frequently. I now have a dedicated box on the floor so I can take a hammer and chisel to the platform and keep most of the fragments in one corner of the shop. This is not just a matter of getting the scraper under the edge, the support base comes off in small shards, and the last bits can be really tough. The hammer and chisel routine is getting old, but it’s still better than having the support base peel off the platform during a build.
Does anyone else see this problem?
Would Formlabs like to consider making undercuts in the support base that would accommodate a straight-blade screwdriver tip? If there was a way to let users import their own support base, that could be a nice touch as well.
Is there a recommended level off roughness for the build platform? If there is a specific grit sandpaper that gets it just right, I’d love to hear about it.
Hope to hear from you all. Thanks!
-Andy Hudson
I would recommend using a hair dryer to heat the rafts. They will just peel up. If they don’t, use a little more heat. You will see them deform as you remove them from the build platform so be careful not to heat your part too much. Also, after having the raft release, I usually push them flat until they cool.
Thanks! I’ll try this on the next build.
I use a 3.5 inch paring knife. very strong thin edge to get under the edge of the build platform
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I change Z calibration value to make sure it still holds the part but not so strong that I have to use a hammer. If it is so strong, I think it is safe to go +1 mm. I also print small “ladder” (4-5 steps) where each step is 1mm. You want the first step 0.5 mm or so. Yours is probably much less if exists at all. This way you can see how much your base is compressed over the first 5 mm of your print.
I don’t know about how the Tough material is, but with the standard materials I use a 1.5mm base which gives it a bit more flexibility and just use a chisel type X-acto knife to get it off, use gloves and hold the print so that it doesn’t go flying across the room when it releases.
David Rosenfeld has the hands-down winner in this case. I used an old hair dryer that I keep in the shop to warm the support base and peeled it off the build platform in about a minute. Thanks to everyone for your suggestions. Give the hair dryer or hot-air gun a try. I think you’ll be impressed!
I am glad that heating with a hair dryer worked. I wish I could take credit but it was a suggestion came from FL tech support.