Plotter/Vinyl Cutter Mount (attaches to 40mm fan - Ender 3, CR-10, Tevo Tornado)

thingiverse

This plotter/cutter holder was designed to be mounted anywhere with a 40mm fan. I am using it on the Petsfang V2 mount, and it also fits mounted directly on the fan, even with the Petsfang air duct on, so its super simple to switch between 3D printing and plotting/cutting. The bracket was designed for the vinyl cutter linked below but it should work with most other types, it also fits Sharpies and most pens. There is a hole for a M5 screw to tighten the tool down. I included the Fusion 360 file if you want to edit it to fit other tools. I am using a Tevo Tornado with a 300mm x 300mm bed, so the vinyl sheets I linked to below work well. I am also using a cutting pad (linked below) which I had to cut a little to fit on the bed. Any printer with the same bed size should work, and printers with a smaller bed, like the Ender 3, should work with smaller vinyl sheets a slightly different settings. Update (2/12/2019): Increased the thickness of the bracket around the grub screw so it doesn't slip and fall out after multiple uses. ___ # Hardware Needed: * 2x 8mm M3 screw - to secure the bracket to the base * 2x or 3x 20mm M3 screws - to secure the base over the fan (8mm screws will work if attaching directly to fan mount w/o the fan between) * 2x M3 Nut * 1x M5 screw - to secure tool to bracket * a Sharpie or pen ### For cutting vinyl you will also need: * [a vinyl cutter swivel knife](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01KUF2C5K/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) * [300mm x 300mm Vinyl sheets](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01EYTANGI/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01__o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1) * [300mm x 300mm cutting mat](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079VWBFHF/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) --- # Generating the Gcode: First modify your document settings in Inkscape to match mine in the picture above, you only need to change the width and height under "Custom size" Follow this guide to calibrate your printer for plotting and to get set up with Inkscape: https://www.instructables.com/id/Use-3D-Printer-As-a-Plottercutter/ I strongly suggest using the extension suggested in the tutorial above (which you will have to manually install to Inkscape) over the default gcode extension which caused all sorts of issues for me. After converting your object to a path and saving as a "3-axis gcode plotter", once again copy my settings from the picture above. You will unfortunately lose 40mm in the back of your bed since the mount is 40mm in front of the nozzle (when using Petsfang w/o fan). As far as the speed goes, for cutting I think 20mm/s works best, but for plotting I have gone up to 60mm/s with no issues. For bigger things, especially those with a lot that needs to be filled in, don't be afraid to test how fast you can go. ### IMPORTANT: Make sure you remove the G28 Z line in the gcode file before you send it, otherwise the plotting/cutting tool will crash into your bed possibly causing damage. To stop this line from ever being added, edit the extension file "gcodeplot.js" and delete line 66 "gcode.append('G28 Z; home')". I just home all the axes before sending the gcode to the printer. Make sure the tool is high enough above the bed before homing so it doesn't hit anything.