Where to get FEP?

[SkipGear]

I'm doing fine with my Mono X right now but from my history with my previous printer, I will need FEP film. It's easy to find for the Mono, S and Zero size vat but much more difficult to find for the X. I ordered some from one of the shop on Aliexpress but it arrived folded in half and crinkled up in soft bag mailer. 10 sheets, completely useless. Needless to say, in a dispute with them over returning that now. and it's not looking pretty.

 Anycubic finally has it up on their website at $35 for 5 sheets, which I am fine with, but the $50 shipping is not so fine. I can't find the stuff in sheets large enough for the X anywhere else.

Any suggestions?

[Wutter]

I got my replacement FEP from McMaster: https://www.mcmaster.com/fep

It did come rolled up but no hard edges so it was perfectly fine. It seems like the Mono X pre-cut FEP size is 200x140mm? Its not super cheap but at 24"x24" for $34, you should be able to get 7 pieces out of that so the price comes out better? Also it ships from the US so it'll be there quickly.

[Chris333]

I got my FEP in a 4' long roll and have plenty left
https://flexvat.com/products/fep-film?variant=21850959683

But I just ordered some Epax nFEP to try. People say it is much better.

[SkipGear]

@Wutter - Thanks, never thought of McMaster.

@Chris333 - I found a few places with rolls available but they were all overseas.

Whatever came in this Mono X has already outlasted the film that was in the S by 5 times. I've already printed more with my X on this first sheet than my S through its whole life and about 4 sheets used.

[Chris333]

The link I listed is in the US, but their 1x4 sheet is the same price as McMaster's 2x2 sheet.

[reinhardtjh]

Online sources say you need a 240mm x 165mm piece for the Mono X.  I just measured mine and that seems to be correct.  The FEP I found on the Anycubic site is sized 200mm x 140mm for the Photon/Photon S so I think it is too small for the Mono X.  Unless I was looking at the wrong one but it was the only FEP I found.

The FEP in Chris' link seems to be one of the better deals. The 12" width only allows one piece of Mono X sized to be cut.  If it were 13 or 14" it would allow two side by side which would be better.

If you order a 24" by 36" from McMaster then you could probably get 10 Mono X sized pieces out of it if you cut carefully. At $51.30 plus tax and hipping that should be around $6 a piece.

@Wutter - Thanks, never thought of McMaster.

@Chris333Whatever came in this Mono X has already outlasted the film that was in the S by 5 times. I've already printed more with my X on this first sheet than my S through its whole life and about 4 sheets used.

I wonder if it's the same or that nFEP.  I can't find any nFEP online other than the Epax and it's not big enough for the Monoo X

[SkipGear]

Anycubic has FEP for the X on their site, only available direct from China at this time. I had to dig for it and was ready to pull the trigger based on the performance of the film that came with my machine but shipping at almost twice the price of the product made me go searching elsewhere.

I think the "n" in nFEP stands for "not". It's more of a brand name that Epax created, not an actual product type. There is lots of talk of using overhead transparency film in place of FEP. Maybe that is what they are rebranding as nFEP and using. I have some transparency film that I use for model windows but it has a coating to allow ink to stick, I think this would defeat the whole purpose and why I have not experimented with it.

[Chris333]

I don't know what transparencies are made of, but I have tons of clear Acetate sheets.

Everyone seems to either say the nFEP works better or at the least it makes the lift pop sound much quieter. I dunno haven't used it yet.

One video shows pulling a clear film from the FEP before installing?  I've never done that. Guess I'll go test a piece and see if it has film on it.


Also I reading that some mono screens do not have a glass surface so if you get resin on the screen and scrape it off with a razor you ruin the screen. So people are putting screen protectors made for iPads on the screen. My regular Photon has a glass screen.

[Chris333]

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This video shows how to replace our non-FEP film under vat.  Our film has less release force than FEP film.  Made in Japan and is a special secret formula with Teflon.  Under normal use, it can last longer than FEP film and lead to less failed prints.  It shows its advantage more when printing castable or mechanical strength resins.   But it is also subject to damage by shovel or poke or resin print residues.  So care should be taken while working with resin in vat.

[Chris333]

And this says transparency film is just Acetate:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transparency_(projection)

We have large sheets of Acetate at work that are no longer needed there. 

[SkipGear]

My X has a glass screen. It also came with tape around the edge of the screen to seal it from a leak and a temporary screen protector from the factory. I worry about anything distorting the image so im not sure if I would try a tablet screen protector or not.

[Chris333]

My X has a glass screen. It also came with tape around the edge of the screen to seal it from a leak and a temporary screen protector from the factory. I worry about anything distorting the image so im not sure if I would try a tablet screen protector or not.

I got it from here. Guess it wasn't about a glass screen after all oops:

[SkipGear]

I should probably knock on wood but I haven't had resin make it to the screen yet on either printer.

[peteski]

And this says transparency film is just Acetate:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transparency_(projection)

We have large sheets of Acetate at work that are no longer needed there. 

Is it really Acetate?  Acetate is really old-school plastic (from mid-20th century) that has been replaced long time ago by more modern clear plastic films (like Polystyrene, Acrylic, Polycarbonate, PET, PETG, and several others).  But people colloquially use "Acetate" to describe any clear plastic film.  Just like calling any brand facial tissues "Kleenex". I really don't think there is a lot of true Acetate still around.

[perezbill]

For what it's worth I found my FEP on Amazon. It didn't take long to get to me either. Within the same month.