Don’t get me wrong; I love Magigoo. It works. But, it is expensive, although it does last a long time, so it’s not so bad per use. However, there is another product, out of Spain, that seems to compete directly with Magigoo. It’s called Dimafix. It’s 55% the cost of Magigoo ($20 to $25 per 50ml vs $20 to $25 per 90ml). You can get it at MatterHackers: [U]https://www.matterhackers.com/store/l/dimafix-3d-printing-adhesive-pen/sk/MR0VKNJY[/U]. I did check on amazon.com but it says Currently Unavailable, and has done from some time.
When I need to increase adhesion I use “UHU Stic”. It is inexpensive and helps a lot when printing TPU or PLA (when I cannot use a brim). Usually (Ünless you dive the nose directly into it) it hold for dozens of prints.
I still think these “3D printt Glue Sticks” are just rebranded and sold for 5 times the price. Even the UHU stics are looking bigger than they are due to the hollow white insert, but they are cheaper than those “official” once and a big stick is enough for a year of printing.
Even if you cannot get UHU Stic in your area I would suggest to try cheap paper glue sticks of other brands, before waste your money on these expensive products. You may even have one at home already. They are usually solvable in water, so you can wash of the residue quite easy.
I strongly suggest to apply them on the cold bed as the heat makes the stuff melt faster from its “stick state” and you apply more than required. Just applying a thing layer is enough to see if it works.
I have tons of UHU. My issue is it sticks too well. I broke several glass plates because the UHU wouldn’t let go. Magigoo releases nicely below 50C. UHU doesn’t.
I never broke a glass plate, but I use borosilicate glass which is made for being heated without getting weak. I never had a problem with releasing. I usually remove the glass sheet and place it onto a metal cabinet. This cools the glass rapidly, it releases the object, even so you need to usually need to twist it a little to get it loose.
After that I put it back and the printer goes into thermal runaway
I use Elmer glue sticks or sometimes hair spray,but I never spray the hair spray around the printer. I have a glass bed so I take it in the bathroom and use the hair spray. I prefer the glue stick it’s much easier. Never had anything stick that I couldn’t get off if I let the bed cool.
Even borosilicate glass has given me problems. I did, at 1 point, even consider putting the glass plate, with the model, in the freezer for a while, to see if it would help. But, I discovered the PEI coated steel plates & never tried it.
I have tried it on several models now, including ones that gave me trouble with warping off the bed in the past. Not with DimaFix. It goes on easier than Magigoo, costs less, and I haven’t had a single model warp off the bed… not one. Finally, if you let the printbed cool after printing, it really does release the models easily.
From the looks of it, at least not just a re-branded glue stick sold for a bigger price. I got a triple set of UHU-Stic beginning of this year, so I am out for the next years.
Very interesting that DimaFix has different adhesive characteristics depending on the bed temperature. I just ordered a tube. Maybe I will do a comparison of various bed adhesives for a video. I need to think about the proper way to measure effectiveness.
Not only is it interesting, but it works. I have not actually measured at what temperature(s) it really starts to grab or release, but I can say it releases very well at room temperature. And, by using PEI coated spring steel bed surfaces, I can simply remove the steel sheet from the magnetic printbed surface, with the model attached, & it will cool much more quickly than if I left it on the printer.
Regarding a testing methodology, perhaps 25 mm squares with an eye hook on their upper surface, then use a small tension guage to pull them off the bed at different temps? I’m thinking that, maybe that way you could get a pressure per square inch value.
Looking at the site, it basically states that it is best to keep the temp over 85. At the moment, I mostly print PLA at a 60 bed temp and use Magigoo, which I have found is hard to apply evenly. Would this give me any advantages?
The adhesion property will be activated when the Heated Bed’s temperature is higher than 50ºC.
Advantages? How bout 55% lower cost?
I’m not sure, but it sounds like you might be a little bit too picky about evenness of coating. I haven’t found that it’s that critical. Just get some on there. It is a very thin coating I use.
I gave up on even coating a long time ago and the only reason it bothers me is that it seems to show up on the bottom of my prints. I also have a problem with defining thin, but maybe I am being too picky there too. I get the cost and it is definitely better per use. I just wanted to make sure it would help with PLA temps as I didn’t see the part about activating over 50. Thanks for the answer. I will look into it further and maybe give my magigoo to my daughter.
If your daughter 3D prints, that would be a nice gesture. Otherwise, I wouldn’t ditch the magigoo. It is a good product. I actually still have a couple of tubes of each of them.
Yeah, she does and she is the one who got me into this confounded hobby a few months ago! I will never forgive her for that! -;)! Seriously, she convinced me to buy a used Ender 6, which has been an endless source of frustration, but I have learned a lot. I actually bought a new Prusa recently because I wanted a second printer that just worked reliably for when my Ender is down. If she doesn’t want the Magigoo, I will just keep using it until I run out.
I recently tried Dimafix and I love it. It has a very interesting property that the amount of adhesion is impacted by the print bed temperature. I am going to do a video about new print bad adhesives sometime in the next couple of months.
Temperature sensitive adhesion strength is what impressed me the most. Well, that and the lower cost too. Can’t say no to that. Basically, if I’m going to print something long and narrow (semi tractor trailer crayon holder anyone?) I crank up the bed temp to 80 or 90.
