It is clear to me that printing my blocks flat on the print bed creates blocks that are the most successful to print with, however the issue of removing them easily from the bed once printed needs to be remedied.
Normally a metal scraper is used to lever the block off the bed, one alternative option I have tried is to grasp the block with a pair of pliers and pull it off the bed that way. This method was unsuccessful, resulting in not just blocks whose sides were damaged by the pliers but some very stubborn blocks that were snapped in half, leaving part on the base and part in the pliers.
Through gaining experience with the blocks I have noticed that it is possible to position the corner of the scraper into one of the drainage holes and work the scraper underneath to free the block, though this works it also damages the surface around the hole leaving it unsightly. I resolve to redesign the body of the block to integrate some form of removable tab that after allowing me to remove it from the bed easily, can then be trimmed and removed from the block.
The results can been seen here where a small rectangle with a sloping face is joined to the block. This allows me to push the scraper directly underneath the tab to free the design from the print bed.
My first iteration was too small and insubstantial to be of use. However by scaling the tab up slightly it works in the desired way and is easy to clip off the block once cured.
I also took this opportunity to add a makers mark to the body, a small de-bossed ODD in the bottom left. It was common for type foundries to mark their wood and metal type with their makers mark, in wood type this was done on the capital A. My makers mark not only unifies the blocks as being set, it makes them recognisable as being produced my ODD Foundry. The consistent placement of the mark on the bodies will also help with orientating blocks to the be correct way up if the design has a top and a bottom.