pen writer holder

[janz]

Any body know of an easy quick way to center the pen in the holder?

[Rando]

Janz:

Do you mean adjust the insertion depth of the pen so that it's tip is coincident with the tool's axis of rotation?

Hmmm....

How about this?

This requires that they tell you the vertical distance from the bottom of the holder, to the intended point placement. If you can't get that number from them, or by using something fancy, then it's going to be an approximate thing forever. If, however, you can find that vertical offset, here's a couple ways I might do it:

First, the super-geek precision way:

1) Find a place in your system where a small divot won't be an issue, could even be on a scrap of wood temporarily held in place. But, it needs to be a place where you can change a bit easily.
2) Write down the X and Y location of where you're going to do this little bit of fun, just in case.
3) Using a tapered ball-end mill, like a 1/16", or really any small bit about the size of the marker tip, dig a shallow divot at that location, about the same depth as the width of the hole. Nothing side-to-side, just straight up and down. The depth should be less than the diameter of the bit. You need a central locating feature to tell you know you're in the middle, but you also need to know the calibrated height.
4) Be sure to note the depth of that hole, then divide by 2; we'll get to that in a moment.
5) Next, remove the ball-nose bit and replace it with the pen holder, with enough clearance for the pen holder and pen to rotate freely. Tighten the pen holder into the spindle chuck
6) Carefully move the z-axis down so it just touches the surface of the place where you made the divot.
7) Now, jog the z-axis (don't move the X or Y...or you'll be sorry when you didn't write them down like I said to ) up an amount equal to the vertical offset MINUS the 1/2 the depth of the divot.
8) Now that you have your z-axis set, drop the pen in until it just sits in the divot, tighten the pen-holding screw, and boom yer done.
9) The proper Z0 height is then where you currently are, move UP by that 1/2 divot-depth. See? Simple! LOL...maybe not so simple!

Now for the easier, more typical way to do it:

1) Tape down a piece of paper that won't bleed through and ruin your intended "stock" paper, or whatever you're marking.
2) Leave the pen out of the holder.
3) Find a height-setting ring of the appropriate size, and put that on the shank of the pen holder. Tighten it down, and don't ever take it off. You need that so you'll never have to do this first part again. You can do it without the ring, but with the ring you'll always know the height offset.
4) Insert the pen holder into the spindle, all the way until the ring is against the spindle chuck. Tighten the chuck
5) Jog the Z axis down until the pen holder's bottom just touches the paper, and set that as Z0. IMPORTANT: you're going to need to reset that!
6) jog up to what you think is the approximate place
4) drop the pen in just enough so it touches the paper, and tighten the pen holding screw.
5) spin the pen holder with the pen in place
6) if it draws a circle instead of a dot, adjust the pen and the Z height up or down, until it makes only a dot, or as close as you can get it. You'll probably want to move the X and Y to a different place as the circles get closer to a small dot.
7) When you're satisfied it's making a dot, write down the current Z-height. No, seriously...write it down!
8) You should be good to go for your actual drawing, just be sure to set the Z0 properly for the thing you're actually marking on. Nothing worse for a sheet of fine-art paper than being impaled with a sharpie!

Okay, so now let's talk about the NEXT time you want to use the pen, or you want to change the pen, or whatever. This is where that Z-offset value comes in. NOW aren't you glad you wrote it down? If you have the depth-setting ring still on the tool shank, never moved from when you got "the number", then insert the tool in the chuck up to the ring, and tighten the chuck. Jog the Z down to the piece of test paper, set that as Z0. Then, jog up the exact value you wrote down. Now you should be able to drop the pen in until it just contacts the paper, and it should be very close to the exact place. Sharpie tips are not machine-accurate, even when new, so remember there might be some adjustment needed. But, if it draws a dot instead of a circle, you're done!

The first doesn't waste paper, it wastes time . The second is simpler, but costs paper.

Now mind you, I don't have one, so all the above is conjecture. I could be completely wrong, and the height offset number is written on the side of the thing, or in the instructions, I dunno. Or, you could be asking how to mount a pen that's not the same diameter as a sharpie (duct tape!).

But, it seems like one of those should get you there. It would also be possible to machine a fixture, but that work is left for the students .

Hope that helps.

Regards,

Thom

[janz]

Above was considered, no instructions on how to use or set up. Videos demonstrating
the operation don't show setup. The actual pen holder swivels on the shaft so it needs
to be dead center. If you use different color pen markers the centering is very important
for a job with multiple colors. There has to be an easy way to do this, emailed next wave
but have not heard back. Probably need to lower spindle as you turn holder or something
on that line. Haven't had time to try it yet, to allow for time to figure out the setup. Was
hoping someone had an easy quick answer.

[Rando]

Above was considered, no instructions on how to use or set up. Videos demonstrating
the operation don't show setup. The actual pen holder swivels on the shaft so it needs
to be dead center. If you use different color pen markers the centering is very important
for a job with multiple colors. There has to be an easy way to do this, emailed next wave
but have not heard back. Probably need to lower spindle as you turn holder or something
on that line. Haven't had time to try it yet, to allow for time to figure out the setup. Was
hoping someone had an easy quick answer.

Hmmm....sounds like a product idea! Make a setting fixture cheap, for under $5 that would hook
onto the holder, and provide a resting spot for the pen you can be assured is "darned close"....
That way, you raise the z-axis, remove the first pen, put on the fixture, insert the pen and tighten,
then just remove the fixture, and call it good.

Probably could be made out of 3/16" thick wood or metal pretty easily.
The crucial success factor, of course, is whether any method at all would consistently lead to properly aligned
multi-colored drawings.

I agree it should be simple and fast to do. The tool itself isn't so complicated it deserves complicated setup.

Kindly let us know if they tell you the closely-guarded secret-squirrel-handshake way of setting it up .

Regards,

Thom

[Rando]

Janz:

Taking a close look from the store (http://shop.nextwaveautomation.com/shop ... itemid=174), I wonder: is that flat face next to the shaft coincident with the outside diameter of those rings? If they are, then I'd measure the diameter of the bottom ring/stop, and cut a small block as thick as 1/2 that diameter. Place the flat face on a something flat, and then insert the pen until it just touches the small block of wood (also on the flat surface). If they designed it right, it might even be a common number, like 1/4". Theoretically, the 1/2D height should be the center of the shaft...theoretically. In the second video, the pen has one of those height-setting rings on it; maybe that's how they do it: set the pen insertion depths when the tool is off the system, put on the depth ring, and then each of the pens has it's own calibrated height. Sort of like how they do toolsetting on the larger machines with automatic tool changers.

Funny how it's always the simplest tools that confound mightily!

Regards,

Thom

[monitoringpost]

Any body know of an easy quick way to center the pen in the holder?

See attached. My guess is that you purchased the holder from NWA instead of Rockcliff. Rockcliif includes instructions and support - something that NWA probably isn't doing!

Have fun - the pen holder works great!

[Rando]

Any body know of an easy quick way to center the pen in the holder?

See attached. My guess is that you purchased the holder from NWA instead of Rockcliff. Rockcliif includes instructions and support - something that NWA probably isn't doing!

Have fun - the pen holder works great!

Craig

Craig:

Thanks for posting the information. Always cool to see a small product start to get exposure and see higher volume.

Correct me if I'm missing something in their instructions, but it looks like it only tells us a proper setup does, and what an incorrect setup does. We get that, but there's still no PROCESS to go through to make sure it is right. Am I missing something?

Regards,

Thom

[sharkcutup]

This may be a process that would probably work to setup the Pen Writer Holder.

A. ) Put a V-Bit into router/spindle
B. ) Lower Z-Axis and make small dimple in board, paper, etc...
C.) Raise Z-Axis and remove V-Bit and replace with Writer Holder without pen in it.
D.) Lower the router/spindle just enough (eye reference align approx spindle/pen holder) to dimple previously made with V-bit.
E.) insert pen (leave it loose in pen writer holder) to see if it aligns with dimple previously made with V-bit.
F.) Raise or lower Z-Axis gently/slowly until pen lines up with dimple. ***Note:You may have to raise and lower the loose pen in the holder too to get the correct alignment. This may take several attempts but eventually the two axis (pen axis & the holder shank axis) will hit the target (the dimple).
G.) When in line Tighten pen into holder - check alignment after tightening cause it could move slightly after tightening. Re-Adjust if necessary.
H.) If all is well you should be able to hand rotate router/spindle to see if you get either get a circle (not aligned) or a dot (aligned) as stated by the Rockcliff instructions.

Just from my evaluation/interpretation of this tooling component I do not see any cut and dry easy solution. Looks as if a bit of tinkering is involved to get a viable solution.

Just my evaluation/interpretation! Do not actually have one yet but it may be a worthy investment!

Hope you find a Solution!

Sharkcutup

[janz]

Thanks for posting the instructions. Actually that was what I was going to do
when I try it. Got a string of rain days coming so going to give it a try.

[janz]

How about when you create a toolpath what would you use for depth of cut? Thinking like .003"