Video #740: Definitely a learning curve… but perfect if you LOVE challenges… like me! Lots of fabulous design possibilities!
In today’s video I demo a 3D Printing Pen that a company based out of China (Banggood… see links below video) sent to me. They are kind of like the Chinese version of Amazon, and their pricing is very good, especially when you consider that they offer free International shipping.
At first I wasn’t sure whether to accept their offer, since I had never really thought about how a tool like this could be good for polymer clay artists. But then Doug told me about some videos he had seen from Angie Scarr, a UK polymer clay miniaturist (her direct links are posted below as well)… and I got excited!
In my video, I show how this product is packaged for delivery… what the box looks like… what is included (the Pen, power adapter and 3 small rolls of PLA Filament)… and the features. I also show you the extra pack of ABS Filament that the company sent me to work with.
This pen has two temperature settings… each one for the different types of plastic. The cool thing that Angie Scarr discovered, is that because the ABS filament melts at a temperature higher than what polymer clay bakes at, it is possible to make something with the pen… and then add your polymer clay elements onto it, after. She used liquid polymer clay and color (for the color, I can’t remember if she used paint, chalk or ink), and filled in the open areas of a tiny stained glass framework that she made with black ABS. It turned out really cool!
One thing I can tell you is that 3D pens are harder to use than they look. There is definitely a learning curve. It is a lot like trying to draw with a glue gun. After talking with Doug, I likened the 3D pen to a crayon… easy to use, but difficult to create great art with. Not impossible… just a bit more difficult than you might think. Perfect for those who LOVE challenges… like me :)
You will see in my video that I am excited about the potential of what I can make with these pens. I ended up making some feather shapes and squiggly roses that looked really cool as jewelry components. They “work” well on their own as well, filled with liquid polymer clay and resin.
I also experimented with some cage shaped hollow bead forms, covered with a thin sheet of translucent polymer clay and baked in the oven. My samples are amateur at best, but I do see the potential here, for some fabulous design possibilities!
If you would like to get one of these 3D Printing Pens yourself, my affiliate link is posted below the video. They are not expensive (~$50 USD) and the shipping is free. I’ll play with mine some more so I can post additional idea and project videos in the future.
If this sparked any cool ideas of your own, do share them in the comment section below.
- Related Resource: The 3D Pen Available From Banggood
- Related Resource: Extra 3D Pen Filaments From Banggood
- Related Resource: Angie Scarr Miniatures YouTube Channel
- Related Video: Fancy Rose Earwires Tutorial
- Related Video: A Million and One Polymer Clay Earrings
- Related Video: Comparing Three Liquid Polymer Clay Brands
Do you have any suggestions for videos on tips, techniques or products you would like to learn more about? Let me know in the comments section below!
My goal is to help you to learn quicker and easier ways to bring up the professionalism in your polymer clay art.
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Looking forward to hearing from you!
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OK, I want one.
Yeah it is cool! I still need to play more… obviously… but I think there is a lot of potential here. Just got some cool advice from Terry Morris on working with 3D printers that should help. More on this topic in the future!
Okay I want one too! Fascinating tool and so much fun watching you and Angie work with a 3D pen. I love the fact that it has a readout for temp control and lets you know what material you are using. It seems to be a better pen than the one Angie uses in her video. The pen is around $48 in USA and the materials run under $20 but you get a lot for the buck. The one advantage I could see is if it has different size heads instead of just the one size so if you want to build a bridge, you could screw on another head and get a thicker line suitable for a bridge scaffold. Right now my head is running full of ideas and I am off to do some research on this fascinating little tool.
Yeah there are some neat things you can do with these pens! I don’t think you can get different sized heads for this pen though. But if you have it at a faster speed and move the pen slowly, it will make a thicker line. Like I just mentioned to Jocelyn, Terry Morris (the UV Resin Guy) has given me some neat tips on working with the filament and the different options out there.So hopefully I will have more to bring to the table after I get the chance to experiment more. Do let us know if you end up buying one.
Thanks Cindy, one thing I did find out is that not all the brands have all the different colors of the plastic spools. So one of the questions I have is, will any pla-abs plastic work in any one or all of the 3D Pens as long as it is the same size in MM? You would think so wouldn’t you? I would not want to be restricted to just 2 colors or even one color. Will be anxious to see what Terry has to say about all this too.
Hi Dixie & Cindy
On a different topic… I bought the carousel.. Hubby put it together (he said never to buy something again with 75 screws… Now I don’t o what to put on it .. Could you post a picture of how you are using it.
Also. HArbor Freight is having a 25 % on Monday …. Looking At buying their-1/2 to. Press
Hi Nathalie, if you watch the video again, you will see exactly what I put in my revolving bins. By typing the words “revolving bins” into the search box at the top of the page, you will get a link that will take you to where you can watch the video again. Hope that helps!
This is really cool! Definitely want one; maybe on my Christmas list. I already have all these ideas….
Just took a look on the net and found many of them. However Michaels sells one with different tips and different nozzle sizes. Here’s the info
3Doodler® Nozzle Set
Create even more 3Doodles with extra nozzles and tips for your 3Doodler. The 3Doodler nozzle set includes six new and exciting nozzles, each guaranteed to supercharge your creative powers with a full range of shapes and sizes. The nozzle set also comes with a handy tool that allows you to effortlessly add, remove and store your new nozzles.
Contents:
Ribbon tip
Square tip
Triangle tip
0.6 mm nozzle
1 mm nozzle
1.5 mm nozzle
Here’s a video too – think I’ll probably get mine from Michaels. They have packs of filaments in all kinds of colors too.
Thanks for sharing that Cheryl! It would be great to test this one (and others) to see how they compare. I would imagine there is a wide range of qualities and prices available out there.
Don’t know if you watched the video above but he seems to be able to pull the line upright and it stays so and doesn’t flop down. He talks about I heating it to let the plastic flow and how it rapidly cools it so it can be used in sculpture. I’m wondering if it is probably the time in heating and cooling that might differ in different brands?
Looking at the video again,it seems to be th first 3D doodler pen created and its been improved and is supposed to be really smooth. They also have a better variety of colours available in the filaments and a huge supply of free stencils andprojects on their site.
You are probably right Cheryl. The only thing is that from what I can see, the 3D Doodler is a whole lot more expensive to buy the machine and to use the filament. I am not saying that it would not be worth paying the higher price… sometimes you get what you pay for, but it might be the thing that holds people back from getting one in the first place.
I think it would be good to have comparisons between the machines to know which one is the best fit. If the 3D Doodler is smoother and it cools faster and the colors are better than it may very well be the better choice, even if it is more expensive. If it is just as hard to use and the difference isn’t that noticeable, then of course it might not be worth it at all.
Don’t know the cost – its not on their website and I haven’t had a chance to go to Michael’s.
Hi Cindy and PCT Family
This really got my mind racing with ideas. It seems that it would be great for creating stencils/resist to PC, with inks, pastels, etc. Also to create impressions for texture or even mokume gane.
Thanks for sharing Cindy!!!
Hi, just wondering how much difference between this and a glue gun there is. Since glue guns are new to me I’ve been watching videos on you tube of power
Eople making all sorts of stuff including 3 d rings, toys, bracelets. Thanks
There is a big difference between this 3d pen and a glue gun. This pen pushes out a very thin line of stiff plastic. A glue gun pushes out a thick line of rubbery glue. I suppose if you were creative you could get some cool things made with a glue gun but but it would be quite different!