<p>I have had best results with ABS on a heated printbed 
(untaped) with a thin coat of UHU Stic. It can be a little tricky to remove but minimizes damage.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-06-24T08:39:31.497Z
UHU-Stick is a PVA based glue, which is also water soluble.
Trish
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-03-25T13:47:16.500Z
2016-03-25T13:47:16.500Z
Jackpen7
<p>Glass has a very peculiar effect under heating, that can be used to remove extremely delicate parts from the surface of it:</p>

<p>Glass expands and shrinks differently to the ABS under temperature. Letting the glass bed cool down has it shrink, creating tension on the interface layer which can be exploited with a thin scraper. Putting the bed with the print into the fridge increases the tension to a point at which the bonding breaks. This results in the part popping free in several areas (sometimes everywhere) and easing the removal.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-06-24T21:28:31.263Z
I'm not using ABS, but find that PLA parts printed on 60C bed with PEX coating glued on flexible steel are coming off pretty darn easy!  At 9:50 into this video, ABS was printed on a 125C bed, and after very little cooling of the flex steel sheet (on a metal table) the printed part came right off.  https://youtu.be/pSXgYwEcO6s  The Pex/flexsteel/magnet system is great.
CrossRoads
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-06-24T21:31:06.293Z
@CrossRoads the question was about a heated glass bed with ABS. Your combination is different and has different treatment needs. However, yes, flex metal sheets (removable ones) are very helpful in removing, they use a similar effect than the glass bed in the fridge: breaking the bonds in a way that usually keeps stresses minimal.
Trish
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-06-25T11:56:14.980Z
Maybe my comment should have been: don't use glass, convert to something else!
CrossRoads
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-06-25T13:45:07.653Z
@CrossRoads Glass has its benefits, for example being super flat.
Trish
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-06-24T08:45:04.817Z
2019-06-24T08:45:04.817Z
Trish
<p>I moved to a plain glass heated bed with a brush applied acetone and ABS mixture. Using an old emptied nail polish bottle with brush, I added some acetone and then threw in ABS pieces until it reached a brush-able consistency. I then brush it on the glass build plate where I believe the print will occur, and it works very well. On removal of the part the coating comes with it.</p>

<p>I just found previously that ABS would adhere to my kapton taped heated bed too strongly to use, and so while this involves a little work before each print, it's overall better than kapton for me.</p>

<p>I did experiment with sheet metal beds coated with kapton, but they curl during printing due to the ABS thermal stress, allowing my parts to be concave on the bottom side. Easy to remove from the plate, though, since it flexed. There may be a good middle ground material but I didn't experiment further.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-02-09T18:49:54.173Z
Might be worth to explain why such an "ABS slurry" works so well. Melted ABS merges with ABS well. But molten ABS doesn't stick to glass very well. However, if you create an ABS/acetone solution, it is far less viscous and can get in microscopic cracks and holes on the glass. Then the acetone will evaporate leaving the ABS layer which has "penetrated" the glass and pretty hard to come off. Since it's pure ABS now hot ABS comign out of the nozzle will stick to it well, but it is also better physically stuck to the bed too, so it won't lift like "regular" ABS layers do.
Leo Ervin
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-02-09T18:50:53.550Z
Hairspray on the other hand is more like glue, I think.
Leo Ervin
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-01-15T21:11:14.333Z
Any tips on part removal methods? Do you just lift it off or use a tool?
ZachNag
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-01-15T21:50:37.440Z
Most prints pull off without him too much trouble after they cool. Particularly solid prints with lots of bed surface area might require a little coaxing with a knife and perhaps a putty knife and some patience.
Adam Davis
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-06-24T08:40:05.927Z
@LeoErvin many hairsprays are PVA based afaik.
Trish
CC BY-SA 4.0
2016-01-15T04:25:40.080Z
2019-06-24T07:50:27.870Z
2019-06-24T07:50:27.870Z
Adam Davis
<p>Usually it will either will rip the tape, or break the print somehow. Currently using ABS on a taped glass bed with a layer of hairspray for adhesion.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-02-09T18:51:44.430Z
After the glass cools throw it in the refridgerator. The print should pop off.
Leo Ervin
<heated-bed><abs><desktop-printer>
How to minimize damage when removing an ABS print from a heated glass print bed?
ZachNag
# How to minimize damage when removing an ABS print from a heated glass print bed?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-01-15)

Usually it will either will rip the tape, or break the print somehow. Currently using ABS on a taped glass bed with a layer of hairspray for adhesion.

**Tags:** heated-bed, abs, desktop-printer
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: After the glass cools throw it in the refridgerator. The print should pop off.  

---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_5 on 2016-01-15. Score: 6 | Accepted answer

I moved to a plain glass heated bed with a brush applied acetone and ABS mixture. Using an old emptied nail polish bottle with brush, I added some acetone and then threw in ABS pieces until it reached a brush-able consistency. I then brush it on the glass build plate where I believe the print will occur, and it works very well. On removal of the part the coating comes with it.

I just found previously that ABS would adhere to my kapton taped heated bed too strongly to use, and so while this involves a little work before each print, it's overall better than kapton for me.

I did experiment with sheet metal beds coated with kapton, but they curl during printing due to the ABS thermal stress, allowing my parts to be concave on the bottom side. Easy to remove from the plate, though, since it flexed. There may be a good middle ground material but I didn't experiment further.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Any tips on part removal methods? Do you just lift it off or use a tool?  
> **username_5**: Most prints pull off without him too much trouble after they cool. Particularly solid prints with lots of bed surface area might require a little coaxing with a knife and perhaps a putty knife and some patience.  
> **username_1**: Might be worth to explain why such an "ABS slurry" works so well. Melted ABS merges with ABS well. But molten ABS doesn't stick to glass very well. However, if you create an ABS/acetone solution, it is far less viscous and can get in microscopic cracks and holes on the glass. Then the acetone will evaporate leaving the ABS layer which has "penetrated" the glass and pretty hard to come off. Since it's pure ABS now hot ABS comign out of the nozzle will stick to it well, but it is also better physically stuck to the bed too, so it won't lift like "regular" ABS layers do.  
> **username_1**: Hairspray on the other hand is more like glue, I think.  
> **username_3**: @LeoErvin many hairsprays are PVA based afaik.  

---

### Answer by username_2 on 2016-03-25. Score: 2

I have had best results with ABS on a heated printbed
(untaped) with a thin coat of UHU Stic. It can be a little tricky to remove but minimizes damage.

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: UHU-Stick is a PVA based glue, which is also water soluble.  

---

### Answer by username_3 on 2019-06-24. Score: 2

Glass has a very peculiar effect under heating, that can be used to remove extremely delicate parts from the surface of it:

Glass expands and shrinks differently to the ABS under temperature. Letting the glass bed cool down has it shrink, creating tension on the interface layer which can be exploited with a thin scraper. Putting the bed with the print into the fridge increases the tension to a point at which the bonding breaks. This results in the part popping free in several areas (sometimes everywhere) and easing the removal.

> **Comments:**
> **username_4**: I'm not using ABS, but find that PLA parts printed on 60C bed with PEX coating glued on flexible steel are coming off pretty darn easy!  At 9:50 into this video, ABS was printed on a 125C bed, and after very little cooling of the flex steel sheet (on a metal table) the printed part came right off.  https://youtu.be/pSXgYwEcO6s  The Pex/flexsteel/magnet system is great.  
> **username_3**: @CrossRoads the question was about a heated glass bed with ABS. Your combination is different and has different treatment needs. However, yes, flex metal sheets (removable ones) are very helpful in removing, they use a similar effect than the glass bed in the fridge: breaking the bonds in a way that usually keeps stresses minimal.  
> **username_4**: Maybe my comment should have been: don't use glass, convert to something else!  
> **username_3**: @CrossRoads Glass has its benefits, for example being super flat.  

---

