Plotter pen setup help needed

[myxpykalix]

I found a picture here the other day to make your own plotter pen setup. I printed the pic took it with me, bought the parts.

I can't find the picture now thru a seach but here is what i bought, and here is the length when assembled. It is 1.5 to 2" too long.
Any advice on how to make this shorter or do i have it right?

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[shoeshine]

Jack, widgetworks has a great turnkey plotter pen setup for $40 that works great. And if you count your time trying to get a homemade solution going plus multiple trips to the hardware store and gas I consider it a bargain.

http://www.widgetworksunlimited.com/default.asp

[rb99]

Can you just wrap tape around the pen until you get it to friction fit into the router?

RIB

[myxpykalix]

Richard,
Where in my original post did I ever say I wanted to do it the SIMPLE way?

8082
lol. thanks buddy...
So often we are looking for the "rube goldberg" approach to doing something that we overlook the easiest most common sense approach. DOH!!

[shoeshine]

depends on how accurate you want the thing to be.

this is w/ the widgetworks set-up.


8083

I have actually done construction drawings for my kitchen with this too. :-)

[john_l]

Chris, Looks like the pen holder works very well. It doesnt look like it mashes the felt tip like a rigid mount or uneven spoilboard would do.

Does the local zoning people know you are planning a flying pig launcher for the kitchen though?

[rb99]

I am pleased it worked!

If only building an indexer was that easy!

Cheers,

RIB

[jerry_stanek]

I bought one of Russ's plotter pins and love it. Before I would do the wrap thing and it worked but sometimes it would mash the tip.

[zeykr]

Jack, Here's the original thread on the lowes pen holder: http://www.talkshopbot.com/forum/show.cgi?tpc=27&post=62533#POST62533

I'm sure the widget works one is probably better. Main thing I noticed in your picture is that you have the pen sticking out of the tube - on mine the pen free floated inside the tube with a small weight on top to compensate for height diff in material. Design is a little longer than ideal - mine is 5.25 overall.

[courtney2018]

I've been thinking of doing something like this. I'd like to be able to paint my logo on the headstock of my guitar necks that I build instead of always doing inlays. Would be cheaper to do and still look great.

[myxpykalix]

my results

8084

Although it worked pretty good a couple problems i observed was that by using the friction fit method if your table is off it will push the marker up and then it won't come down and you miss lines.
I had to follow it and push the marker down when i saw it wasn't drawing. So some type of weighted free floating needs to be implemented.

Russ if you see this does your pen screw onto a porter cable router?

[br928]

Just last week I built one from Ken's design with some minor changes.

I replaced the small weight with a plactic follower and spring. The follower also keeps the top of the pen centered (Countersink one end).

I turned the top 1/8" nipple down to 3/8" diameter to acommodate use in a collet.

I used a compression fitting on the bottom and reamed it out using a 27/64 bit to get a little tighter fit.

All parts, except the compression fitting, straight from Ken's post (The body is a 2 1/2" nipple). Thanks Ken. Works great.


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[rb99]

If you use markers on your guitars be sure they are uv stable or your name will fade off the guitar over time.

Nice work Stan!

RIB

[navigator7]

Ummmmmm????

@ Chris,
Porcine Aerial Projection Project?????

Do you work for Pelosi by any chance?
She had a major launch last night under the cover of darkenss......

[courtney2018]

Thanks Richard! Actually one idea I had was using a glue pen that's used for applying gold flake. I was going to use the glue pen to do my logo and then apply the gold flake to it and then clear coat over it.

It's still cheaper than doing an inlay and less time consuming as well, but still looks stellar, you know?

However, I would still like to use some sort of paint pen, like a gold metal flake paint pen, or any color for that matter, to do my logos.

[eaglesplsh]

Hi Jack,

To answer your question, the WidgetWorks Unlimited Plotter Pen Bit fits in the 1/2" collet of your router. Just insert the pen bit and tighten the collet nut like you would to hold an end mill.

Similar to Ken's/Stan's design, the pen rides up and down inside the bit to match uneven spoilboards while not damaging the pen tip.

The bits are available for purchase through ShopBot or our website: www.WidgetWorksUnlimited.com (http://www.WidgetWorksUnlimited.com)

Here's a link with pictures and more info for anyone who's interested... (http://www.widgetworksunlimited.com/CNC_Plotter_Pen_Bit_p/cnc-pltr_pen_thin.htm)

[shoeshine]

Chuck, I've already been gently chided for politics on the forum. Lets just say we have someone of every stripe here.