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Chapter 03 — Build plate

Time: 1.5–2.5 h hands-on, first build · Sessions: 4 × ~30 min · Steps: 20

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Before — end of Ch 02: Z drives, idlers, rails and deck

After — end of Ch 03: the bed

What this chapter builds — orange is new, grey is what you already built. The bed stack - MIC6 plate, heater, magnet sheet and flex sheet - sitting on the bed support extrusions. CAD bed is the 250 machine's 10 in MIC6 plate. Yours is the 350 plate; it covers proportionally more of the frame.

StartBefore you start

Step 03.1Unpack the plate and read the end state

Step 03.2Work out which side is whichwith a helper

Step 03.3Strip the protective film

Step 03.4Verify the heater pad (do not apply one)with a helper

Step 03.5Verify the thermal fuse (do not fit one)

Step 03.6Verify the PE screw and identify the three cables

Step 03.7Check the plate for flatness before the magnet goes onwith a helper

Step 03.8Clean the top facewith a helper

Step 03.9Apply the magnet sheet

Step 03.10Trim the magnet at the four bolt holes

Step 03.11Verify the bed extrusion positionwith a helper

Step 03.12Load the four M3 T-nuts

Step 03.13Fit the four thumb nuts as spacers

Step 03.14Lower the plate on, cables above the deckwith a helper

Step 03.15Start the four bolts

Step 03.16Set the 38 mm front offset and centre the platewith a helper

Step 03.17Tighten one bolt only

Step 03.18Verify the plate floats levelwith a helper

Step 03.19Dress the bed leads above the deck

Step 03.20Fit the flex plate, then cover the bed

Checkpoint 03Tick before moving on

Gather per session — what to lay out before each bench segment.

  • Steps 03.1–03.6 · ~30 min — Tools and consumables: masking tape · Set out for later steps: build plate ×1; magnetic pad ×1; spring steel flex plate ×1; M3×20 SHCS ×1, fit test, back in its tray
  • Steps 03.7–03.10 · ~30 min — Build Plate box (carton 2): Magnetic Pad 2.4-350 ×1 · Tools and consumables: steel rule or straightedge; IPA; lint-free cloth; nitrile gloves; masking tape; plastic squeegee or card; knife or scissors for the liner; sharp craft knife; 2.5 mm hex key · Set out for later steps: build plate; M3×20 SHCS ×1, fit test · Already on the bench: the applied magnetic pad
  • Steps 03.11–03.17 · ~35 min — Fasteners, Tools & Misc box: M3 roll-in T-nut, 2020 ×4; M4 knurled thumb nut ×4; M3×20 SHCS ×4 · Build Plate box (carton 2): build plate, magnet applied ×1 · Tools and consumables: steel rule; caliper; 2.5 mm hex key · Already on the bench: the four M3×20 SHCS
  • Steps 03.18–03.20 · ~20 min — Build Plate box (carton 2): Spring Steel Flex Plate 2.4-350 ×1 · Tools and consumables: caliper; a sheet of cardboard

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