RGB Sharpie Colorizer - is it practical?

[LesHall 95]

The photo below shows an OpenSCAD "schematic" of a device that could, with proper implementation, colorize filament in any number of colors.

As you can see it is just a concept sketch.  There are many designs out there for colorizing with a single marker, and there may be such a design for using many markers like this sketch.  If you know of one, do you have the link?  

I wonder if it can serve as  a low-cost Palette of sorts?

Les

Edited November 13, 2016 by Guest

[ultiarjan 1,223]

Funny concept, never saw something like this. I recon if you want to apply ink a setup with a little sponge (like those dust filters) filled with ink seems more effective.

Some material like Nylon should absorb ink, but my gut feeling says it will not be to good for the print result ...... but it could be fun to try....

will you give it a go ?

[LesHall 95]

Funny concept, never saw something like this.

...

but it could be fun to try....

will you give it a go ?

 

Yes I think I will, I have been looking for a fun electro-mechanical project to use these parts I have. I'll send an email to the folks at mosaic manufacturing who make the Palette and ask about their software too.

Les

[Labern 775]

I would just try drawing on filament first and printing with it.

I think makers tend to change colour when heated. This may depend on type.

Also you will find that if one ink drys on the Filament then another is applied, the solvent in the second colour may wipe off the previous colour onto the tip of the second pen. If that makes sense?? As the case when you accidentally write on a white board with a maker pen you can remove it with writing over it with the same maker pen.

But this may not be the case if the filament can absorb the ink.

[LesHall 95]

I would just try drawing on filament first and printing with it.

I think makers tend to change colour when heated. This may depend on type.

Also you will find that if one ink drys on the Filament then another is applied, the solvent in the second colour may wipe off the previous colour onto the tip of the second pen. If that makes sense?? As the case when you accidentally write on a white board with a maker pen you can remove it with writing over it with the same maker pen.

But this may not be the case if the filament can absorb the ink.

 

Hi Labern, thanks for your response.

I like your idea of trying it first - a quick Google images search shows it working with light coloration in most implementations, but that does not mean that my filament (PETG at the moment) will absorb enough to color it, or there may be other factors. Ty for that idea.

As to the overlapping of colors, I see what you mean by that. If you look closely at the way the four markers are held in place at an angle above and below plus two on each side, you will realize that they overlap minimally if at all.

My guess is that that Nylon filament, which dyes with RIT dye, will absorb the Sharpie marker fluid better than others, but I do not have any of that material. Also the richest coloration I have seen yet involved cutting a hole in the back of the marker and running the filament straight through the marker! Silly but it works. Just resting the marker against the filament is likely to not color as richly.

Fun project though, and I have all the stuff in my workshop to do it up right! (well, small servos would be a lower cost to purchase, it's just that the motors I have are steppers and they cost me nothing!

Onward and upward!

Les

[peggyb 171]

I tried this a couple of years ago when the Taulmann nylon was out. following the instructions of RichRap with dye and also with a marker. With a marker it was so faint, you could hardly see it. RichRap uses 1.75 filament, which makes a lot of difference with 2.85 because the color does not get to the core of the filament.