<blockquote>
  <p>What can you say just looking at this picture?</p>
</blockquote>

<p><em>->There are 2 obvious observations that can be drawn from your image.</em></p>

<p><strong>First</strong>, the bed does not seem to be levelled correctly, the right side (especially the front right corner) is closer to the nozzle than the left and left-back side.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Is it possible to tell from this calibration print which corners are
  not leveled?</p>
</blockquote>

<p><em>-> Yes, the front right corner is higher. The filament is much thinner there, it is more transparent than the rest of the lines.</em></p>

<p><strong>Second</strong>, you have glass mounted onto an adhesion sheet similar to BuildTak. Note that such adhesion sheets are rough (to create more surface area for the filament to grip on), placing a sheet of glass on top of such a sheet will create small air pockets (less contact surface area to the glass plate as that is perfectly flat by its production process) and thus an unsatisfactory heat transfer process. Glass directly onto the Aluminium will have a higher temperature than with an insulator (BuildTak sheet) in between it, it is far more difficult to determine the bed temperature that way. For printing on glass, you could also raise the temperature compared to direct printing onto the metal bed.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Should I increase or lower the temp?</p>
</blockquote>

<p><em>-> When using glass on top of the heated bed, you should raise the temperature a few degrees.</em></p>

<p>You should remove the BuildTak sheet and put the glass directly onto the Aluminium heat bed or remove the glass plate and print on the BuildTak sheet directly, level the bed better or consider installing an auto-level (touch) sensor if your printer electronics board supports that. </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>What are some tips for printing on glass?</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Furthermore, use some PVA based spray (e.g. certain hairspray brands or specific print adhesion spray) or Polyvinylpyrrolidone based glues (certain glue sticks, white wood glue, etc.) to create a sticky surface for the filament to adhere to. I have great experience with PVA based sprays like 3DLAC, but there are great alternatives found in common household hairspray cans as well, as long as it contains PVA.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Or is this just a general lack of stickiness issue (e.g. i need glue)?</p>
</blockquote>

<p><em>-> Yes, Polyvinylpyrrolidone/PVA based glue/spray will result in better adhesion.</em></p>

<p><sub>
A general remark is that you could listen at what others have tried, but you need to find out yourself what works best for you. In order to get the print to stick to the glass, you should use every trick there is to get good adhesion. If PVA based sprays or Polyvinylpyrrolidone based glues work for you, use it, if not, print on bare glass, use tape, BuilTak, elevate bed temperature, overextrude first layer, use brims/mouse ears, etc.. 
</sub></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-22T14:05:22.830Z
Can't stress enough how much of a difference a level bed and hair spray can help with adhesion. If your printer has it, or you can update the firmware, mesh bed leveling helps immensely (until you get an auto level sensor).
Lux Claridge
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-22T14:59:13.423Z
Nice tips! Never considered transfer of heat through the buildtak sheet. That is eye-opening
kane
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-07T12:25:42.223Z
I've had fantastic results with the Anycubic Ultrabase as a build surface for materials from PLA to ABS to PETG to PEEK - all without any surface treatment.
Davo
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-22T08:12:43.240Z
2019-11-07T12:05:48.097Z
2019-11-07T12:05:48.097Z
0scar
<p>Here is my first attempt at printing a "Bed Leveling Calibration test".</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/OWMiC.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/OWMiC.jpg" alt="Image of adhesion problems of calibration print"></a></p>

<p>It obviously didn't come out as I would have hoped, but what can you say just looking at this picture?</p>

<p>Is it possible to tell from this calibration print which corners are not leveled? Or is this just a general lack of stickiness issue (e.g. i need glue)?</p>

<p>I leveled this thing with paper several times, but honestly, I'm terrible at leveling. I just got this new piece of glass and there's nothing on it. The glue residue is actually on the sheet beneath.</p>

<p>What are some tips for printing on glass? I hear some people say use glue, others say never use glue. Should I increase or lower the temp?</p>

<p>I'm printing Dikale PLA on Monoprice Select V2, extruder temp 200&nbsp;&deg;C and bed temp 70&nbsp;&deg;C. Initial layer speed is 30&nbsp;mm/s (print speed is 60&nbsp;mm/s but I don't think this print goes that far).</p>

<heated-bed><bed-leveling><adhesion><glass-bed><monoprice-maker-select>
Adhesion problem when printing calibration test
kane
# Adhesion problem when printing calibration test

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-01-22)

Here is my first attempt at printing a "Bed Leveling Calibration test".

[![Image of adhesion problems of calibration print](https://i.sstatic.net/OWMiC.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/OWMiC.jpg)

It obviously didn't come out as I would have hoped, but what can you say just looking at this picture?

Is it possible to tell from this calibration print which corners are not leveled? Or is this just a general lack of stickiness issue (e.g. i need glue)?

I leveled this thing with paper several times, but honestly, I'm terrible at leveling. I just got this new piece of glass and there's nothing on it. The glue residue is actually on the sheet beneath.

What are some tips for printing on glass? I hear some people say use glue, others say never use glue. Should I increase or lower the temp?

I'm printing Dikale PLA on Monoprice Select V2, extruder temp 200 °C and bed temp 70 °C. Initial layer speed is 30 mm/s (print speed is 60 mm/s but I don't think this print goes that far).

**Tags:** heated-bed, bed-leveling, adhesion, glass-bed, monoprice-maker-select

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2019-01-22. Score: 2

> What can you say just looking at this picture?

*->There are 2 obvious observations that can be drawn from your image.*

**First**, the bed does not seem to be levelled correctly, the right side (especially the front right corner) is closer to the nozzle than the left and left-back side.

> Is it possible to tell from this calibration print which corners are
> not leveled?

*-> Yes, the front right corner is higher. The filament is much thinner there, it is more transparent than the rest of the lines.*

**Second**, you have glass mounted onto an adhesion sheet similar to BuildTak. Note that such adhesion sheets are rough (to create more surface area for the filament to grip on), placing a sheet of glass on top of such a sheet will create small air pockets (less contact surface area to the glass plate as that is perfectly flat by its production process) and thus an unsatisfactory heat transfer process. Glass directly onto the Aluminium will have a higher temperature than with an insulator (BuildTak sheet) in between it, it is far more difficult to determine the bed temperature that way. For printing on glass, you could also raise the temperature compared to direct printing onto the metal bed.

> Should I increase or lower the temp?

*-> When using glass on top of the heated bed, you should raise the temperature a few degrees.*

You should remove the BuildTak sheet and put the glass directly onto the Aluminium heat bed or remove the glass plate and print on the BuildTak sheet directly, level the bed better or consider installing an auto-level (touch) sensor if your printer electronics board supports that.

> What are some tips for printing on glass?

Furthermore, use some PVA based spray (e.g. certain hairspray brands or specific print adhesion spray) or Polyvinylpyrrolidone based glues (certain glue sticks, white wood glue, etc.) to create a sticky surface for the filament to adhere to. I have great experience with PVA based sprays like 3DLAC, but there are great alternatives found in common household hairspray cans as well, as long as it contains PVA.

> Or is this just a general lack of stickiness issue (e.g. i need glue)?

*-> Yes, Polyvinylpyrrolidone/PVA based glue/spray will result in better adhesion.*

A general remark is that you could listen at what others have tried, but you need to find out yourself what works best for you. In order to get the print to stick to the glass, you should use every trick there is to get good adhesion. If PVA based sprays or Polyvinylpyrrolidone based glues work for you, use it, if not, print on bare glass, use tape, BuilTak, elevate bed temperature, overextrude first layer, use brims/mouse ears, etc..

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: Can't stress enough how much of a difference a level bed and hair spray can help with adhesion. If your printer has it, or you can update the firmware, mesh bed leveling helps immensely (until you get an auto level sensor).  
> **username_0**: Nice tips! Never considered transfer of heat through the buildtak sheet. That is eye-opening  
> **username_3**: I've had fantastic results with the Anycubic Ultrabase as a build surface for materials from PLA to ABS to PETG to PEEK - all without any surface treatment.  

---

