This might sound like an ad, but the textured sheet (https://www.prusa3d.com/product/double-sided-textured-pei-po...) is somehow a miracle when it comes to printing PETG. I can't get PETG to work on a smooth bed either, but with the textured sheet, it works every time. All it takes is to keep the bed clean with an alcohol wipe, and warm it up to ~85 C during the print. Not only does it hold very well during printing, it practically slides right off the bed when the print is finished and the bed cools down.
PETG does tend to curl and stick to the nozzle, that's true. I find the main culprit is if it oozes while the printer is warming up. While I'm waiting for the printer to reach temperature and the print to start, I make sure to remove any filament that might be dribbling out the nozzle using pliers or a wire brush until either the print starts or the nozzle pressure decreases enough for the oozing to stop. As long as the nozzle is clean when the print starts, it shouldn't have an opportunity gather up more material during the print. On the other hand, when 3D printing, getting off to an imperfect start will always tend to snowball toward a terrible end.
Yep, I actually ordered that exact same textured sheet you linked, and it got delivered a couple weeks ago, but I am yet to try it. I still want to make PETG work for me, as the prints i actually managed to finish with it were great.
> While I'm waiting for the printer to reach temperature and the print to start, I make sure to remove any filament that might be dribbling out the nozzle using pliers or a wire brush until either the print starts or the nozzle pressure decreases enough for the oozing to stop.
Yeeeeppp, been doing that exact same thing, and it was working quite well. But not going to lie, I felt a bit destroyed on the inside when I still got the nozzle clogging issue about 10 hours into a 16hr print I had going. I wrote it off as a one-off, but I have been hesitant to try another 16hr-long print with PETG since then (until i at least get the textured sheet set up).
Thanks for your comments in this thread btw, they definitely highlighted quite a lot of issues I had and potential workarounds.
PETG does tend to curl and stick to the nozzle, that's true. I find the main culprit is if it oozes while the printer is warming up. While I'm waiting for the printer to reach temperature and the print to start, I make sure to remove any filament that might be dribbling out the nozzle using pliers or a wire brush until either the print starts or the nozzle pressure decreases enough for the oozing to stop. As long as the nozzle is clean when the print starts, it shouldn't have an opportunity gather up more material during the print. On the other hand, when 3D printing, getting off to an imperfect start will always tend to snowball toward a terrible end.
Good luck!