Review: Magigoo
Great produce at a slightly premium price.
One of the most challenging problems in 3D printing is getting proper adhesion. It can baffle the most novice and experienced printer. Some filaments just do not want to stick and I would think it is one of the most common requests for support on 3D printing forums. Soon after buying my first printer 3 years ago, I began looking for solutions. One of the solutions I soon found was Magigoo. This product can help you solve one the most annoying problems in 3D printing.
Review Overview
Rating
Summary
About
Magigoo is produced by Thought3D Ltd (T3D), a company with a passionate team situated on a small sunny island of Malta in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea.
T3D has combining their knowledge of 3D printing to develop new materials and technologies to solve problems in additive manufacturing. The work has resulted in products like Magigoo and Magigoo Pro. These adhesives for 3D printing, designed specifically to keep 3D prints in place during the 3D printing process and allowing the easy removal when printing is complete.
Pros
- Easy to use and apply
- High-quality product
- Reduces failed prints from poor adhesion
- Multiple prints possible per application
- Easy to remove
Cons
- Expensive
- Easy to over apply
The Review:
Packaging
This stuff is packed in a small minimalistic box and is well protected if you order it from Amazon. My orders always arrived in an oversized box from Amazon with the balloon-like packing devices.
Ease of use
The product does not take much skill to apply. It has an easy to apply applicator on the top of the bottle that just requires ample shaking to activate it. It is slightly easier to apply than a glue stick. During my very first application, I probably created a little bit of a mess. I just put it on too thick. After that, I learned only to apply a small dab about the size of the print to the plate.
You can use the application for multiple prints and a wet sponge can smooth the goo after each print or remove it from the plate entirely. I am not sure about the “100 prints” per application claim. I found that a little Dawn and warm water will help facilitate removal if so desired. It is really easy to remove and I found that it never damaged the build plate. That being said, I would allow it cool most of the way before removal.
Quality
This stuff just plain works. It improves adhesion but not too much to hinder print removal. It pops off the flex plate with only a slight increase in effort. No damage to the flex plate when I used it but I did make sure the plate was below 40 degrees C when I remove the print. I have read stories about the applicator failing. I did not experience this despite have used 3-4 bottles to date.
Value
Magigoo is fairly expensive for a small bottle of print bed adhesive. A larger bottle would seem to reduce cost for the consumer and company. That being said, it works as advertised and if you have problems with adhesion, this stuff is invaluable. I would not let the price deter you.
Magigoo Options:
- Magigoo All-in-One – For ABS, PETG, and PLA. May work for others also. I have found it works for HIPS and some flexible.
- Magigoo Polypropylene – Works very well for polypropylene which I found challenging without it.
- Magigoo Polycarbonate – Works well with PC and PC Blends. These can make you want to pull your hair out without them.
- Magigoo Nylon – Works will with nylon and nylon-X.
- Magigoo All-in-One Big Bottle – Larger bottle for longer use.
- Magigoo assortment – The best bang for the buck. It will get you group that will work with most filaments you will use. It even comes with a nifty cleaning cloth.
The bottom line: I really like this stuff and the results. Magigoo is easy to apply and holds the part like crazy until the bed cools. The post print removal is near effortless. You can print multiple times on a single application. The combination of ease of application, easy removal, and multiple prints per application make it worth of the price. There are others available such as flex and PP with glass, but I have not tried them.