Simple Pen Holder & Base for Makerbot Printers

thingiverse

This OpenSCAD script can generate an upgrade allowing the MakerBot to hold various tools such as pen, cutter, laser, drill or others for plotting purposes. The elastic bands keep the pen in place, eliminating the need for additional upgrades or precise alignment and levelling. As of now, version 0.3 is available, dated April 30, 2012, following ISO Standard YYYY_MM_DD format. To-do list includes adding mouse ears to prevent curling during printing, triangular supports for an addon piece's side, increasing rubber band holes size, and enhancing base thickness for M5 nuts holding. However, there are no warnings. The changes from previous versions include thicker walls, larger pen size, a more efficient base shape in version 0.3, while version 0.2 involved leveling parts to build platform z=0, rounded ends, and adjusted nut sizes. Version 0.1 was the initial attempt. To use the script, set maximum pen size (currently 20mm diameter), modify other variables if needed, print the holder with attention to cleanup and node placement, insert trapped nuts in base and holder, slide holder into tower, loop a rubber band around the bolts for tension, attach the penholder to the printer using M5 bolts, and place the pen vertically. Lastly, use UechiMike's "Thing-O-Matic G-Code Extension for Inkscape" to transform your 3D printer into a proficient doodler!