Adding a Glass Build Plate to my Duplicator i3 3D Printer

I have had my Duplicator i3 for about two months and so far I have been printing with PLA. I have been thinking of adding glass build plate so I could try to print with ABS  filament. ABS requires higher nozzle and build plate temperatures and I was not sure if the sticker could handle that without melting.

Duplicator I3
So, after doing some research on google, I have found that I have to remove the sticker and I have ordered a plate of borosilicate glass from here.
If you own a Duplicator i3, check this  regarding the dimensions and the whole process. Please note that the article is for the older Duplicator version, and there is no sticker over the aluminium build plate.

The item arrived in more or less regular time of one month, well packed and protected with a “Fragile” sticker on it.

Borosilicate glass and paper clips

The glass and four paper clips to hold it in place. Some of the Di3 owners are sticking the glass to the build plate. I have decided to try with paper clips first. Please note that in some cases the clips may interfere with the nozzle or the y axis movement.

Duplicator I3 - removing the sticker

Removing the sticker. It came up relatively easy, but there was a lot of glue left on the build plate.

Duplicator I3 - glue left on the build plate

It took me almost an hour and a bottle of my wife’s acetone in order to clear the glue. I haven’t tried but it may help heating the build plate before removing the sticker.

Duplicator I3 with added glass build plate

Finished cleaning the glue and addint the glass build plate. The binding clips are placed temporarily. If placed like this, the ones on the left side are interfeering with the nozzle head movement.

I needed to lower the printing bed in order to account for the glass plate height. There was enough room to accommodate the glass plate and the springs weren’t contracted all the way. If the glass plate was thicker I may have had to raise the Z axis end stop.

Duplicator I3 - printing on the glass build plate

Printing sample on the glass build plate in order to precisely level the build plate. The left side needed to be raised and the right side needed some lowering.  Note the binder clips in the middle of the glass plate and the handles removed since they were touching the printer frame. If you plan to do this, buy different sizes bind clips so you could try which will fit the best.

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