Introduction: ABS Printing Without Hotbeds With US$1 “holes-holes Board”

About: Yuen Chun kwong, mike Interested in DIY projects...

Do you face up with ABS printing without Hotbed? I can solve your problem with just 1 US$. Hotbed is really a problem in printing. Expensive in price and not a stand equipment in a standard 3D printer. Besides, it is slow in response and must have a high electric current. The other method sure as using ABS jelly, solid glue and hair spray is useles at all. And it is difficult to raise the temperature to 120 C even you have a 120W hotbed. The other way is using PLA instead of ABS but you cannot get the special properties of ABS such as strength and flexibility.

Step 1: Step1. Pay 1$ to Buy a Prototype "holes-holes PCB"

The above reasons are trouble me a lots. Finally, I want using a FRA epoxy ordinary single side 1 mm holes PCB board as my printing bed is the best solution. You can buy it any where with just $1 for a 90x220 sq. mm size. You can watch me it Fig 2 and Fig 3

Step 2: Step2: the Condition of the ABS Printing With This Board

The conditions which I use are;

1. A good flat and leveling print table.

2. First layer temperature is 245 C and the second layer up is 240 C

3. You must mount your holes-holes boards firmly on each side on the table otherwise the shirking force with bend your board that is the reason the other method is useless.

4. The nozzle should be close to the surface or may be -0.5 mm in orders to press the ABS to the holes. It would be better to use a layer of raft in order to compensate the dimension.

5. A three-cycle loop is good for the testing the flatness and flow of ABS, Don’t worry about the ugly outcome and it should be fine later on.

6. The speed for the first layer should be slow (15mm/s) and you can see the ABS will keep to flow into holes and finally form a path, shown in Fig 4.

Step 3: Step3. Reuse the Board and Enjoy Your Printing

Fig. 5 shows my ABS model printed with “holes-holes board” and that is perfect indeed.


Sometimes it sticks on the board so strong and you should pull it up vertically with force. The 1 mm scar on the bottom can be easily cut it without difficulty, Fig 6. At last, you can pin out the ABS residues and reuse your board later.