I'll start by saying this was not my original idea, I borrowed it from another Micro3D customer on Google+. Very clever gentlemen!
I wanted to build a heated bed on the cheap and with the least amount of hassle (soldering, dials and other components) and I stumbled across a maker that had been experimenting with all sorts of ideas. This one struck me as being dead simple.
He found a coffee cup warmer that fit perfectly inside the base of the M3D. The cup warmer is USB powered (2.1A needed) and it keeps a steady temperature. I have yet to measure exactly since I lack the equipment but I'll be borrowing some to test soon.
Link here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Two thing you need to do are make a new print plate and some cork to insulate the heater.
1) Aluminium plate cut to match the size of the existing print plate.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...stom-plate.JPG
2) using a Dremel I shaped the front end of the plate to fit in exactly like the existing plate.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...remel-edge.JPG
3) added a PRINTinZ Zebra Skin (http://www.printinz.com/printinz-3d-printer-skins/) to the new plate. You can see the ld/new plates side by side.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...-new-plate.JPG
4) found a cheap cork kitchen thing to cut my base out of. You'll need two of them to get the heater up as close to 40mm as possible. This will put it near flush to the new plate bottom.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...eater-cork.JPG
5) drill a hole in the base of the M3D (DO NOT go through the sides), insert your cork riser, drop in the cup heater, slide in your new plate.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...er-collage.JPG
6) takes about 10 mins for the cup warmer to be able to transfer enough heat to the new plate, once that happens hit PRINT on whatever you want. The enclosed chamber I made (another post) helped keep the internal ambient temperature inside the print are at a steady 40C the whole time I was printing.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...-40degrees.JPG
7) Success! Since doing this I haven't had any issues with prints popping off, I can print with ABS as well with no issue.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...07-success.JPG
Feel free to comment or as detailed questions.
EDIT Mar. 20, 2017: Initially I had the 'cup warmer' floating below the aluminum plate but about 3mm. This made the warm up take considerably longer (15-20 mins) and the temperate maxed out about 58°C. I replaced the feet on the cork padding inside to put it up slightly past the round internal edge making it flush mount with the plate. So the plate was actually pushing the heater down gently. This changed the heat up time to around 10 mins and the max temperature to about 65°C. The higher temp made ABS (added some Elmer's Glue as well) prints stick nicely. PLA prints great too.
I wanted to build a heated bed on the cheap and with the least amount of hassle (soldering, dials and other components) and I stumbled across a maker that had been experimenting with all sorts of ideas. This one struck me as being dead simple.
He found a coffee cup warmer that fit perfectly inside the base of the M3D. The cup warmer is USB powered (2.1A needed) and it keeps a steady temperature. I have yet to measure exactly since I lack the equipment but I'll be borrowing some to test soon.
Link here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Two thing you need to do are make a new print plate and some cork to insulate the heater.
1) Aluminium plate cut to match the size of the existing print plate.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...stom-plate.JPG
2) using a Dremel I shaped the front end of the plate to fit in exactly like the existing plate.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...remel-edge.JPG
3) added a PRINTinZ Zebra Skin (http://www.printinz.com/printinz-3d-printer-skins/) to the new plate. You can see the ld/new plates side by side.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...-new-plate.JPG
4) found a cheap cork kitchen thing to cut my base out of. You'll need two of them to get the heater up as close to 40mm as possible. This will put it near flush to the new plate bottom.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...eater-cork.JPG
5) drill a hole in the base of the M3D (DO NOT go through the sides), insert your cork riser, drop in the cup heater, slide in your new plate.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...er-collage.JPG
6) takes about 10 mins for the cup warmer to be able to transfer enough heat to the new plate, once that happens hit PRINT on whatever you want. The enclosed chamber I made (another post) helped keep the internal ambient temperature inside the print are at a steady 40C the whole time I was printing.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...-40degrees.JPG
7) Success! Since doing this I haven't had any issues with prints popping off, I can print with ABS as well with no issue.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...07-success.JPG
Feel free to comment or as detailed questions.
EDIT Mar. 20, 2017: Initially I had the 'cup warmer' floating below the aluminum plate but about 3mm. This made the warm up take considerably longer (15-20 mins) and the temperate maxed out about 58°C. I replaced the feet on the cork padding inside to put it up slightly past the round internal edge making it flush mount with the plate. So the plate was actually pushing the heater down gently. This changed the heat up time to around 10 mins and the max temperature to about 65°C. The higher temp made ABS (added some Elmer's Glue as well) prints stick nicely. PLA prints great too.