Springy pen holder for 3D printer / CNC, with software

thingiverse

This is a pen holder for attaching to a 3D printer head or a CNC machine. The holder is springy and highly customizable. It's designed to be moderately low profile to give more drawing space. You'll need a tool-clip to attach this to your print head/CNC. I use a specific tool-clip to attach it to my XYZ DaVinci 1.0a. The SCAD file will generate holes for M3 screws to attach to the tool-clip. You'll also have to drill through the holes for M3 screws to hold the pen or other tool, as there is a mini-support platform. The default pen size is up to 15mm, but you can resize that. Changing the "wave fraction" from 0.5 to 1 gives you a longer section of a sine wave for the springs. You can use my gcodeplot.py python script to convert SVG path-only files into gcode for this (I've only tested it on a 3D printer - no idea if it'll work with CNC). I suggest editing gcodeplot.py to change the xyMin, xyMax, penDownZ, penUpZ, and safeUpZ parameters at the top of the Plotter class to match your printer. Once you have a path-only SVG file, you can do: python gcodeplot.py filename.svg > filename.gcode. Then send the gcode file with your usual printer control utility (I use Repetier Host). You can also send the gcode directly to the printer with: python gcodeplot.py --send=portname filename.svg. By default, colors are shaded with parallel lines according to intensity. In theory, you can switch pens for different colors by using a pen description file. The Hello Kitty was taken from here and drawn directly on a sticky note stuck on the print bed. Ideally, the other end would be stuck down with painter's tape, but I didn't bother (and it only resulted in a slight shift in shading in one area). Print Settings: Printer: XYZ DaVinci 1.0a with Repetier Rafts: No Supports: No Resolution: 0.3 Infill: 27% Set Notes: Printed in ABS and used a brim to avoid warping at corners. Post-Printing: On my printer, the nut holes aren't big enough unless I add a tolerance of 0.5mm to them. If they aren't big enough, one can still tighten a screw to pull a nut into the hole.