Advice on Using a 3D Printer for Fountain Pens

[johntdavis]

Hello.

A friend and I are interested in designing some fountain pens together, and had considered using a 3D printer. We're interested in attractive plastics/resins (in colored patterns). Neither of us has any experience with 3D printing or pen-turning at this point. We've put a lot of thought into how we want the pens to look and operate, however.

I've yet to find a comprehensive guide to 3D printing fountain pens (if such a thing exists please let me know), so I thought I would ask some questions to see if this is feasible or if we're barking up the wrong tree.

Is a 3D printer even something we should be considering for this type of construction? From what I've read even the newest printers intro'd at CES 2014 are still exclusively using PLA and ABS plastic. (As opposed to, say, acrylic.)

From my initial reading, PLA, while more environmentally friendly/better smelling/etc. probably melts and warps too easily to be used in a permanent application like a pen body.

On the other hand, ABS plastic is used in fountain pens regularly--in particular in the extremely popular Lamy Safari. I notice, however, that these are all solid color pens. Is it feasible to do a multicolored/patterned pen with a 3D printer and ABS plastic? It seems like it should be so long as there's a way to layer in multiple colors of filaments.

I'm also not certain a 3D printer would reliably manufacture the threads on the cap/section/body. That might be something better done afterwards with another tool (or even gluing in machined metal threaded rings as appropriate). Then again, using a slip-cap might simplify that problem.

Would it be better to look at something like a computer controlled C-n-C/lathe that we could turn PLA/acrylic blanks on?

Sorry for rambling. Thanks or any help or advice.

Have a great day.

 

[mredburn]

The micron size your printer prints in will determine some of what you can do. You can print threads but they will probably be 1/2 round or square more than triangular in shape. I dont know of a multi head printer that is capable of multiple colors yet. Doesnt mean they are not out there. things are changing fast. Small cnc lathes are relatively cheap and there is no reason not to have both.

 

[Ed McDonnell]

Just my opinion based solely on reading what you wrote....

You don't seem to have any experience with 3D computer modeling. Without those skills, and access to good CAD/CAM software, a 3D printer and / or any other CNC machinery will just sit there looking at you. They don't come with a "pen" button that you push to get a pen. :biggrin:

Now, if you do have experience and software (or you are willing to spend months / years getting experience and $,$$$ to $$,$$$ buying software) then you need to nail down your machine budget. There are 3D printers that will print all kinds of materials that would be interesting for pens. Most of those printers will cost tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars. And the print materials aren't free either.

There are hobbyist printers (e.g. makerbot replicator x2) that will print multiple colors of abs. But I don't think you would be able to create anything that would be confused with a high quality pen (due to machine limitations at the low end price point).

Ed

 

[studioso]

Hi,
I don't agree that you need to spend years of training and tens of thousands to get into 3d printing. And yes the makerbot 2x will print 2 abs filaments simultaneously.
However I don't think 3d printing quality is good enough for a finished abs product: you would still need to somehow polish them. And parts just fond look good enough...
As for the threading you would probably get a smoother thread by manufacturing straight walls and then using standard tap and dies.

The only 3d application I would find very interesting is for creating parts that would be used as lost wax molds to create metal parts, such such as this From 3d printed part to metal, the lost pla/abs method or just google lost wax 3d printing: basically you start with pla or abs, or even wax, but end up with any metal you can pour, even gold or silver. You can this way create virtually anything you can design.

Cnc is also an appropriate medium, both a 4 axis cnc mill and a cnc lathe.
You can start with small machines such as a sherline, or you can go bigger with a tormach...
I find that learning cnc machining will be harder than 3d printing, especially if you are a young guy who never got any machine training in high school... (Such as myself!)

Whatever you choose to do, good luck!

 

[Pitoon]

from what i seen those 3d printers do not print out with enough detail....they just print you something that is very close to what you have designed.

i think you would be better off creating a prototype by turning/carving and then cast that. then refine that casting and repeat the process to the point that you are satisfied. then ship out to get mass produced.

Pitoon

 

[TimS124]

Consumer 3D printers produce a textured surface even when the original drawing had smooth, solid, straight lines. It's a side effect of placing tiny melted blobs down pixel-by-pixel.

The texture might have an interesting feel for a pen body and is easy to smooth out if you prefer the glossy, dead-smooth, traditional body.

Print times are slow with consumer-grade machines. If you want the hole down the center to be as close to round as possible, you'll likely end up printing the body vertically. If you print with the body laying horizontal, and your print-bed doesn't cooperate (a common problem even with some of the pre-heated beds), then you can expect your nice round design to be slightly squished on one side.

MakerBot's 2x has dual extruders for $2,800. Examples of two-color work can be seen in their support section at:

Dual Extrusion with MakerWare

I would expect a consumer grade printer to be unable to accurately produce clean threads on the small scale you'd want for a fountain pen. You'd like want to print unthreaded and use normal tap & die to thread the printed bodies.

Add the cost of design software some of which is reasonably easy to use and some of it will leave wondering if it was created by space aliens determined to drive earthlings completely mad! :biggrin:

I expect we'll be able to get there, even with consumer-targeted machines, but not this year.

A home CNC lathe setup can be had for under $4K with some jig design/assembly required (handibot plus indexing head from either a ShopBot Desktop or the larger ShopBots). Add the cost of 3D design software (not included with the machine but there are several packages available depending on your budget)…

I've designed and printed a handful of 3D objects (yes, that makes me a noob still).

I've designed and CNC-milled a variety of items…not enough to even pretend to be an expert. There's a lot of potential if you've put in the time to learn...

 

[Jerryz]

Consumer printers don't have the resolution to do the job at this point. Their extrusion heads aren't small enough and the stepper motors have the same issue. That's not to say over time they won't become better, but not yet. The other factor that comes into play is they are still very CAD/CAM driven machines. Not that the skill that can't be acquired but it's still needed at this point.