Thick Sheet
The thick sheet is a firm flat sheet of material 4mm - 6mm thick used as a printing surface or as a mount for a printing surface. A variety of materials have been used, but the most important property is that it must be flat.
Contents
Materials
| Material | Description |
|---|---|
| MDF (Medium Density Fibre Board) | This material laser cuts or saws easily and is usually very flat. It is also cheap. |
| Plywood | A good option if you require extra strength in your machine, but is can be difficult to work with, either with a saw or a laser cutter. Baltic Birch plywood laser cuts more easily and with less residue than MDF. |
| Polymer (Countertop Material) | If using polymer make sure it is flat. Flatness is very important with this material. Cast polymer is the flattest, but may not laser cut as well as extruded polymer. Extruded polymer is typically not flat. When storing sheets always store them face down on a flat surface. Stacking them at an angle on their side will ruin their flatness. |
| Fire Retardant Plywood | An inexpensive option, usually used in large quantities for large scale cement casting. It is much flatter than MDF and can be gotten from a local hardware store. |
| Acrylic | Easily laser-cut, inexpensive, and easy to obtain. However, it can be warped by heat from a heated build plate. |
| Tempered Masonite | Similar to MDF |
Thick Sheet Cutting Dimensions (Prusa)
For the Prusa Mendel (Iteration 2):
- 225mm×225mm print top plate
Note: The new iteration two design only uses the top plate thick sheet mounted directly onto the smooth rods.
For the Prusa Mendel:
- 225mm×225mm print top plate
- 140mm×225mm print bottom plate
Cutting Instructions (Prusa Iteration 2)
For the current Iteration 2 design of the Prusa, all that is needed is a cut square (225mm on each side). Holes will need to be drilled 5mm away from each side in all four corners. Also, the LM8UU holders or printed bushings will need to be glued to the bottom of the top plate with epoxy (the LM8UU holders can optionally be secured with bolts).
Thick Sheet Laser-cut Designs (Prusa)
| Description | Link to design | Image |
|---|---|---|
| Prusa Mendel Wooden Printbed by bohne |
http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:7217 | 
|
| Aluminium Bed Mount Plate by AlephObjects |
http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:10754 | 
|
| Lasercut Prusa Iteration 2 Thick Sheet by Pawl |
http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:15888 | 
|
Thick Sheet Designs (Mendel)
| Description | Link to design | Image |
|---|---|---|
| Sells Mendel Y-Axis LM8UU by jv4998 |
http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:12222 | 
|
| Squashed Frog by nophead |
http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2107 http://hydraraptor.blogspot.com/2010/03/making-mendel.html |
|
