Is there a spindle pen?

As the title suggests, is there a pen or marker that fits into a 1/4" collete so you can write with your mill? I don’t need to do it often, but a simple add-in like that would be handy. I guess I could print a special attachment, but something that held one of those stubby sharpies would be best.

Folks worked up a number of designs for this back in the Shapeoko.com forum days — unfortunately, that’s off-line now, and isn’t sufficiently on archive.org to be usable.

Usually when folks need a mark they just use a V endmill or a diamond drag engraver — what material do you need to mark? To what purpose?

I have done drag engraving and v milling and love them both. Sometimes doing that, then running a sharpie across it would really add extra pop. Having something centered in your spindle would mean you could use the same g-code once you got a new zero.

I don’t have anything specific I need to do, but thought it would be a good thing to incorporate. I have some short sharpies you put on your keyring. I might try something with those. The extra fine tips would be ideal. Maybe saw a sharpie in half and 3d print a holder.

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Just measured a std sharpie. 0.430" - 0.490" taper. So a 7/16" collet out to do the trick. :wink:

Rather than a marker, there are lacquer crayons specifically intended for darkening engravings on metal:

I have an ER11 collet, which appears to stop around 7.5mm, so no go there.

This looks like it may fit in the “Stingray” Fisher PSGM20BK Plotter Pen

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Nice! I have a stingray, so that makes it easy. Actually, adapting a cut down sharpie is going to be a lot easier if I print something to go in the stingray. Also it looks like silhouette has pen packs for a reasonable price. I have tons to work with now, thanks.

You can look this youtube video from John Clarks, his setup don’t use the collet but a home made jig on a Shapoko which seems to work well with sharpies. (Drawing on CNC - YouTube) It might inspire you to your own design…

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