Slab to put under the i3MK3S
Hi, few months ago I saw some posts about putting the printer on top of a slab. I have some questions. 1. Does it matter if the material is made of concrete, cement or something else? 2. is 16"x16" sufficiently good? 3. Do I have to concern that the surface is not flat nor leveled? Does the printer's calibration procedure auto correct any unevenness and tilting of the slab?
RE: Slab to put under the i3MK3S
The important thing here is weight - you need a lot of weight. That is the reason why people use these slabs (about 30 kg or so). When you put your printer on that slab it is good to have it as even as possible. It can help to put some elastic material between your printers feet and the slab. Typicalle these "Waschbetonplatten ... washed concrete panel??? (I am sure that is an awful translation)" in Austria have a size of 50 x 50 cm and that is ok for a MK2.5 and so should be for a MK3.
Best regards, Clemens
Mini, i3 MK2.5S, i3 MK4, CClone (Eigenbau)
RE: Slab to put under the i3MK3S
Also, how to clean and seal it to prevent dust from entering the printer? I went to a hardware store and found them to be very dirty and dusty.
RE: Slab to put under the i3MK3S
The important thing here is weight - you need a lot of weight. That is the reason why people use these slabs (about 30 kg or so). When you put your printer on that slab it is good to have it as even as possible. It can help to put some elastic material between your printers feet and the slab. Typicalle these "Waschbetonplatten ... washed concrete panel??? (I am sure that is an awful translation)" in Austria have a size of 50 x 50 cm and that is ok for a MK2.5 and so should be for a MK3.
Best regards, Clemens
Thanks. The one available in stock in a local store is 16"x16", 19kg and made of cement. If I get two and put them on top of each other, will that be fine? Size-wise, is 17"x17" or 18"x18" better than 16"x16"?
RE: Slab to put under the i3MK3S
@prusanewuser
I would say take it home wash it using a brush and let it dry - for me: that's it. But you can also seal it using some kind of paint - I think it is not really important which paint. I would start with one and watch what's happening. If you have the space for the big one take that.
Best regards, Clemens
Mini, i3 MK2.5S, i3 MK4, CClone (Eigenbau)
RE: Slab to put under the i3MK3S
this is what i have. i just flipped it so the smooth part is what the printer is sitting on
RE: Slab to put under the i3MK3S
@prusanewuser
As another suggestion.
If you don't want to paint it use some watered down PVA, will completely seal the surface and stop any more dust from coming out and leave the it looking natural.
Just brush it on let it dry, probably need a rather heavy coat as will soak in like crazy.
Tank you very much!
RE: Slab to put under the i3MK3S
@prusanewuser
I used an 18”x18” ceramic tile. It works fine. I added small feet to reduce vibration.
--------------------
Chuck H
3D Printer Review Blog
RE: Slab to put under the i3MK3S
@prusanewuser
As another suggestion.
If you don't want to paint it use some watered down PVA, will completely seal the surface and stop any more dust from coming out and leave the it looking natural.
Just brush it on let it dry, probably need a rather heavy coat as will soak in like crazy.
What is watered down PVA?
RE: Slab to put under the i3MK3S
Unused a 17x17in concrete paver. I sprayed it with a couple of coats of automotive sealer primer (1 full can), sprayed the underside with rubberized (not worth it), and the top with hammered bronze Krylon spray paint. More Notes and pics here.
RE: Slab to put under the i3MK3S
I got a 16" x 16" Slab from Lowes. Put some foam underneath to decouple it from the table. Placed an anti-slip mat on top of it to protect anything from rubbing on the concrete. I just kinda vacuumed it up before I put it on my printing table and all seems fine.
RE: Slab to put under the i3MK3S
@prusanewuser
PVA is Polyvinyl Acetate
It is a water based adhesive used normally for decorating, for example to seal a wall surface prior to decoration to stop,it giving off dust, It dries to a clear finish, it's the glue most of us used to use in primary school.
Readily available, zero odour, and seals dusty or flaky surfaces perfectly.
Tank you very much!
RE: Slab to put under the i3MK3S
I'd been wanting to add a slab for my printer for some time, but didn't like the options at the local hardware store. When I purchased an enclosure from Printed Solid I figured it was a good time to get one, as the enclosure seemed to act a a sounding board and actually made the printer noisier. I went to a local place that makes custom countertops, and they let me sort through their scrap pile. I found a nice piece of 1-1/4" marble that was about 30" square, and they let me have it for free! I cut it down to just under the size of the enclosure bottom (a circular saw with a diamond blade and a garden hose works amazingly well.) I cut two pieces of thin rubber material designed for lining tool drawers, one each for the bottom and top of the marble, put the enclosure and printer in place and it's made a huge difference in both printer noise and print quality.
RE: Slab to put under the i3MK3S
That's a good solution if you can get your hands on a piece.
I considered getting a piece of stone worktop to assist with getting the frame square during build, but lockdown is making it difficult to source items at the moment.
Tank you very much!