Sharpie filament colorizer - six pens voron looks

prusaprinters

<p>I started this as a half joke but it works, so hear me out.&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>It is my answer to a question nobody asked, that is what's the most stupidly overthinked (I dare not say overengineered because engineering is something else) piece I could attach to a very serious Voron machine.</p><p>I also wanted to try and design something following (or at least trying to) the Voron design guidelines and going for somewhat Voron aestethics (hexagon is the bestagon!).</p><p>Obligatory disclaimer, my only link to Voron is that I built one of their machines and I admire their work, I am to blame for every fault with this design, and if you tell me the use of the logo can be misleading or illict, I am ready to remove it immediately.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>If you have not seen similar contraptions before, you attach it to the printer, insert some colored sharpies (or in my case the cheap amazon knock-off) and watch as plain white or clear filament takes on the tones of your choosing.&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>White filament takes various shades of pastel tones.&nbsp;</p><p>Clear filament turns out nice and saturated (note that in this case the number of walls counts, because being see-trough multiple walls will reinforce the final color).</p><p>The process is as unscientific as it gets and the consistency is all but guaranteed, but it is fun and you do get some control with practice.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Here are the features for my own take on the concept:</p><ul><li>up to 6 sharpies can be used (careful, 6 sharpies pressed fully down add quite some drag to the filament and the extrusion may suffer, test, adjust and reduce as needed).</li><li>press fit receptacles allow to add a bowden tubes both upstream and downstream, clear tube is recommended to check how the filament comes out</li><li>pen holder and bracket are separate for easier printing and/or modding, I have mine just slided togehter, but there is a slot for an M3 insert and screw to make the assembly rigid. The bracket can be fixed on any vertical 2020 extrusion, with 2x M5 screws and hammerheads.</li><li>There are slots for M3 inserts and screws on the top. Those can be used to hold down the pens (non needed in my experience, but just in case different off-brand sharpies need some help staying in place). &nbsp;</li><li>The bracket is just long enough to accomodate a sharpie+cap on the side facing it, and still allow it to be removed/replaced mid-print.</li><li>the sharpies tips do not hit the filament perpendicularly, they are a bit offset so that they form a “triangle” with the filament brushing the inner sides of it, in my tests this helps keeping the pens pressed down securely without bending the filament or being pushed out by it.&nbsp;</li></ul>