Barrel for DIY Pencil Kit

thingiverse

Over the weekend, I discovered a mechanical kit in my Dad's wood shop, which led me to attempt designing a unique ABS barrel for a mechanical pencil. The barrel was designed to be compatible with Penn State Industries' "Executive Pencil Kit." In order to create a geometric pattern that would be challenging to replicate using traditional wooden methods, I put my efforts into it. It appears that several customizable woodworking kits could also be adapted for 3D printing (plastic working). The pen looks cool and serves as an excellent conversation starter. For more details and photos from my build, visit my blog post here: http://thenewhobbyist.com/2012/02/wood-working-on-the-makerbot-thing-o-matic/. To complete the project, I printed the pencil barrel and assembled it with the pencil kit using a "Pen Assembly Press."