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Adding a magnetic build plate to my old MK2  

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Mat Hess
(@mat-hess)
Active Member
Adding a magnetic build plate to my old MK2

I wanted to add a magnetic print bed to my MK2. Because the upgrade kits are no longer available, I tried a different method which is used with other 3d printers.

- Removed the PEI Sheet from my MK2.

- Put a magnetic sheet onto the bed.

- Put a sheet of spring steel onto it, with build tac on it.

All of this seems to work reasonably well:

- selftest OK

- calibrate Z OK

- Bed leveling works

Prints like a charm.

However, when I run Calibrate XYZ, I get the following error message:

XYZ Calibration failed. Please consult the manual.

In the manual, it says that this error happens when the printer can't find any calibration points. Does the Prusa have magnets embedded into its build plate? If so, it makes sense that it is unable to locate these magnets, because I have turned my whole build surface into one continuous magnet.

OK, now I have a magnetic build plate but I no longer can calibrate XYZ. I guess it does not really matter because whenever I calibrated my printer, it came out perfecty square. 

Another effect of the upgrade is the fact that I have to heat the bed in stages. I get a preheat error if I go straight up to 100 degrees. I think this is because of the inreased thermal mass of the bed. 

Did anyone try to do something similar? Did you have the same effects?

- Mat

Posted : 13/02/2021 7:40 am
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