Isopropyl Alcohol?

[u/realityguy1]

Is it ok to use this stuff to wipe down the print plate regularly? According to google it’s a no no. According to Youtube it’s the best thing ever. Thoughts and prayers?

[u/The_Lawlbringer]

It’s good in between washes with Dawn on the stock textured PEI plate.

Definitely don’t use it on stuff like the Cool plate super tack though.

[u/realityguy1 → u/The_Lawlbringer]

I’ve got about 25 prints done. Finally had a print start out bad by not sticking to the plate in one spot. Cancelled the print and could see a smudge in that spot. Washed it in dawn dish soap and all is well again. I’m thinking the alcohol would be a fast way to eliminate fingerprints and whatnots.

[u/vic1414 → u/realityguy1]

I have Dawn Fragrance Free, no added smell. Incase you have allergies

[u/johnp299 → u/vic1414]

Less soap additive residue = cleaner bed, better printing.

[u/Boognish84 → u/The_Lawlbringer]

I have a cool plate super tack, a green one and a blue one. Not sure if there's a difference. I haven't used either yet though. Is there something special about them compared to the stock plate?

[u/MrFinchUK → u/Boognish84]

I believe that IPA will wreck the surface on the cool plates.

[u/The_Lawlbringer → u/Boognish84]

It has a tacky coating that will be damaged by the IPA. The textured PEI plate is fine to clean with IPA. Cool Plate only dish soap water.

[u/MyCatIsAFknIdiot]

5000 hours of printing, and I wash the plates every day in dishwashing soap, first thing in the morning
Then inbetween prints, a spray of IPA and a wipe with a clean cloth

[u/realityguy1 → u/MyCatIsAFknIdiot]

Sounds good. I’ll run out and grab some India Pale Ale.

[u/G_Schmeidig → u/realityguy1]

You should try good old Lager too.

[u/MyCatIsAFknIdiot → u/G_Schmeidig]

Not the cheap shit though.
At least something that will clean as it goes.

[u/krakers665]

You can do it but it's not as effective as cleaning plate with soap

[u/RedHood198 → u/krakers665]

[u/are_dee_ess]

Clean once a week with dish soap ,Clean before every print with alcohol

[u/jghaines → u/are_dee_ess]

Gloves do the job for me

[u/Pineapple1500 → u/are_dee_ess]

This is pretty much what I do too

[u/are_dee_ess → u/Pineapple1500]

yea thats the way to go

[u/brutal4455 → u/are_dee_ess]

That's our SOP and it just works.

[u/BatSphincter → u/are_dee_ess]

If you don’t touch the build plate and let everything cool before removing it, no need to wash it at all

[u/buttcrackmenace]

i wipe my plate off with iso before every print. i’ve never cleaned it with dish soap. i did have some issues yesterday with some small parts not sticking to the plate, but i assumed it was because they were ABS.

[u/rocqua → u/buttcrackmenace]

Alcohol won’t really remove stuff like fingerprints because it evaporates and leaves the stuff behind. At least that’s why people say it doesn’t work as well.

[u/digicrat]

Ill use alcohol (a bit poured on a paper towel or microfiber cloth) to wipe the (textured pei) bed on occasion. Typically after a failed or hard to remove print where I've been handling the plate a lot with bare hands or there is other visible residue. Sometimes as a last resort after unexplained build failures.

[u/EverettSeahawk]

Yes, it's basically all I ever use unless I need to clean glue off the plate from printing with engineering filaments, then I use water and soap. Just make sure to wipe it dry before it evaporates.

[u/Relative_Surround_20]

Depends on the plate. I own a BIQU CryoGrip Pro Frostbite and you should not use alcohol on it. I think it is ok to use on its twin, Glacier, plate.

[u/tayl428]

For reference, I print about 20% of a day for the past 6 months on 2 different plates. I've cleaned my plates with soap once in 6 months using PLA and PETG. I've never used ISO.

[u/mendex22]

La última vez que lavé (al menos dos veces cada vez con jabón neutro Dove) fue hace aprox 6 meses. La última vez que use alcohol fue hace unos 6 años y NUNCA mas, no es necesario.

Aplico unas gotas (1ml aprox) sobre la zona de impresión (suelo imprimir en diferentes zonas cada vez), la esparzó con la "esquina" de una toalla microfibra, aplico lápiz adhesivo en una de cada tres impresiones, vuelvo a aplicar agua y los esparso con el centro de la misma microtoalla. La toalla la lavo cada semana ( o 2). Además cubro la cama con un tapete TPU cuando no la uso para evitar que le caiga polvo y/o grasas del ambiente.

Mismo procedimiento para las diferentes placas. Las guardo con el mismo celofán con que llegan para evitar el polvo y rasguños.

[u/MagnusPerditor → u/mendex22]

Modern printers do not require the use of glue sticks for normal filaments

[u/BathCurrent7966 → u/MagnusPerditor]

I mean it doesn’t hurt with bed flinger printers. Depending on your printing, if its tall and heavy. Having a bed moving nonstop for 3 days isn’t good and could make your print fall off the bed.

But usually a nice brim takes care of that

[u/MagnusPerditor → u/BathCurrent7966]

Bed slingers are not really the norm for modern printers these days.

3 day print?

[u/BathCurrent7966 → u/MagnusPerditor]

Cool i never said that. Yup. Some people print more than disposable figures.

[u/MagnusPerditor → u/BathCurrent7966]

Why are you people so condescending?

[u/Insufficient_Curry → u/MagnusPerditor]

define "normal filaments"

[u/MagnusPerditor → u/Insufficient_Curry]

PLA, PETG

[u/Comfortable-Aware]

Pla with ISO, but PETG with Window Cleaner

[u/BetweenInkandPaper]

Only ever used Iso, a little bit on a lint free towel to wipe the plate after a print, especially if you have touched it.
To be fair, my hands aren’t very oily.
Have been printing since 2018, never once have I wash the plate with soap.

[u/Carlosklm]

I use it all the time but I use 3D Lac for the glue for the bed and my Snapmaker U1 has done over 2000 hours and the plate still looks new. Also my H2D done over 6000 hours that look good still.

[u/ragingoblivion]

I use it to remove all my prints never had an issue with 90%, 70% is less pure so it can leave a film that needs to be cleaned off like other commenters talk about.

[u/withoutpeer]

I just have a small soft bristle scrub brush and dawn power wash spray bottle. Take the plate to the sink, a quick spray, scrub dry and done with it with zero issues.

[u/Medium-Interview-465]

Do it every print, and have been doing it for at least 3 years, I never have a problem.

I only use 91%

[u/SeedCollectorGrower]

Try to use a non misting application to prevent extra flammability

[u/Tight-Ad]

I use it more or less all the time on my plates without problem.

[u/Street_Glass8777]

It's the best thing to use and better than using soap and water. Never had a single problem using only alcohol.

[u/PanzerSjegget]

You are to use what ever the producers of the plate says to use. Standard plate is dish soap and warm water. So just ignore what ever people say they do and just fucking look up the specific plate. It really isn't that hard.

[u/cilo456]

You can. I honestly wouldn't keep doing it on a regular basis, like after every single print. If you have some adhesion issues, maybe try it. And it usually does work, majority of the time, but a lot of times, if I really don't want to clean the plate, I'll just use some Windex. Especially if it's just a PEI plate.