Router used as a plotter

[ScottyB]

Occasionally I need to make a full scale template for a job. I will tool up a marker and put a piece of masonite on the machine and use the machine as a giant plotter. Has anyone invented a pen holder that fits into a collet, that has some spring to it to allow for variations in the material? A paint marker has a spring in it but I need something with a finer line.

Any suggestions?

If not, I will go to the maintenance dept. and invent my own. I just want to avoid the "WTF are you gonna do with that?" questions from maintenance.

 

ScottyB drawin' the easy way.

 

Since we don't have a plotter, everyone here thinks I draw full scale templates by hand in 3 minutes.

[MACHINEMASTERG]

insteed of a marker how about a small end mill and mill the lines into the masonite ????then you could trace in the marker into the cut

[GREG]

Used a floating tap holder in the past for similar task. Worked well.

 

Cheers

[les]

I do the same thing on my z7. I use a ulta-fine permanet marker. drilled a hole in a block of wood to hold it. It floats in the hole, and has thumb screw to hold it up. clamp the wood { or other material } to z axis and away you go.

[Hardmill]

Ive used tap guides for simular tasks.

Just a thought

 

PEACE

[Scott Bond]

I use Texas Instruments replacement Plotter Pens

3/16” dia. They have little ball points,Then I tighten them in an extention, and don't tighten the holder--with a spring inside the holder you can adjust the tention with the z hight.