Making 3D Printing Easier With Tape

Have you ever spent hours printing something on your 3d printer, only to be unable to non-destructively remove it from the build plate? I know I have. Luckily, you only need a bit of tape to solve this issue!

In order to ensure that the filament adheres to the print bed, most 3D printers use a heating element to control the cooling of the filament. Unfortunately, while print bed adhesion is essential during printing, it can become a nightmare after printing.

Some users suggest:

1. Getting a printer with a removable, flexible build plate
2. Hoping that letting the printed object cool will reduce the adhesion
3. Applying force to remove the print

These options have significant drawbacks because they:

1. Waste your money
2. Waste your time and don't always work
3. Damage your print

Luckily, there is a cheap and easy solution. By simply applying a layer of tape to the print bed...

You can ensure two things:

1. The print will be easier to remove because filaments do not stick to the tape as much as the print bed
2. In the worst case, you can simply peel off the tape to remove the print

While any form of tape will suffice...

There are certain considerations you should make before purchasing new tape:

1. A single, wide strip of tape is better than many strips of narrow tape
2. Masking tape works the best in my experience, whereas duct tape and clear tape can be unnecessarily sticky
3. There is tape specifically designed for 3D printing, see the links below
4. You can cut a large piece of tape into smaller pieces for small prints

Links to buy tape (not affiliate links):

• https://www.amazon.com/Gizmo-Dorks-Printing-Platfo... (6 inch, 10 pack)
• https://www.amazon.com/Gizmo-Dorks-Printing-Platfo... (9 inch, 10 pack)

If you see wrinkles forming in the tape when the printer is not on, don't worry. The next time that you preheat the printer, the wrinkles should disappear.

Good luck, and happy 3D printing!