GeckoTek’s 3D Printer Build Plate Begins Accepting Pre-Orders Now for January

Are you ready to say goodbye to jerry-rigging your 3D printer bed? Are you tired of tape, glue, hairspray, and putting forth efforts, both expensive and messy, in keeping your 3D printed products from warping? The time has come to forget about all that trouble, and you can mark this momentous occasion with the pre-order of your very own GeckoTek 3D printer build plate.

With the technology of 3D printing growing like wildfire, someone was bound to come to the rescue and save us from the inconvenience and true hassle that can be encountered with the printer bed. While many have come up with homespun ways to make it easier to get parts to stick to their printer beds, such as using masking tape, glue, or even making disposable printer bed mats, with all the technological advances going on, we knew it was just a matter of time before someone was motivated to come up with a real product to solve this problem. With a 3D printing community full of geniuses, how hard could it be, right? Apparently it took some design, engineering — and most importantly — cash.

Back in June, we reported on GeckoTek’s 3D Printer build plate, designed to solve all of the aforementioned problems. The only issue there was being patient, as GeckoTek launched their Kickstarter campaign early in the summer. They far exceeded expectations, raising $59,115 — rather above their mere $15,000 goal. I think it’s safe to say that quite a number of people wanted this issue resolved.

With availability slated for January 2015, they are currently taking pre-orders for the products. Formulated to work with a variety of filaments including ABS, HIPS, and nylon, the GeckoTek product is a permanent piece of equipment that you won’t have to replace constantly. Featuring a size of 12×12, it features a strong coating that allows your product to stick to the surface, whether you use a heated bed or not. GeckoTek also provides specialized magnetic bases for:

• RepRaps (any printer that uses a MK1 or MK2 214 x 214mm heated bed)
• MakerBot Replicator 2 and 2X
• PrintrBot Simple
• Solidoodle 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Gen
• Ultimaker 1 and 2

While we haven’t tried one out yet, it certainly doesn’t sound like there would be anything to complain about with this product, as it is affordable, at well under $50. It’s versatile. It’s hardy. It solves inconvenience and mess. GeckoTek seems on track in their mission to empower 3D printing enthusiasts, and as they point out, this may have been the last hurdle to overcome in keeping 3D printing from going totally mainstream.

Have you got one on pre-order? Share your thoughts with us at GeckoTek’s 3D Printer BuildPlate forum at 3DPB.com. Check out their preview videos, too!