Innovative 3D Printed Eyedroppers

[mhguda]

So would it be possible to hold off payment until we're closer to the shipping date? In order to have that reverse payment option in Paypal. I would be more comfortable doing that. Or else do a two-part payment, if you do need the money now to proceed. Please let us know here.

[llothar]

So would it be possible to hold off payment until we're closer to the shipping date? In order to have that reverse payment option in Paypal. I would be more comfortable doing that. Or else do a two-part payment, if you do need the money now to proceed. Please let us know here.

Ping Jerry at jerry@additivepens.com, I am sure he will be able to arrange something that you are more comfortable with.

[fountainbel]

Very cool design, but…….the internal surfaces being rather rough , flushing/ cleaning the pen when changing inks looks a serious problem to me.

Francis

[KellyMcJ]

These look amazing!!! I imagine they're dastardly to clean, probably better to keep one ink in the pen rather than changing them out. If I had one I'd decide on an ink and use it forever.

[llothar]

Very cool design, but.the internal surfaces being rather rough , flushing/ cleaning the pen when changing inks looks a serious problem to me.

Francis

Unless material gets stained it takes 30 sec to flush the ink out. I also did fluid compatibility tests with 24h soak in household ammonia 1:1 with water and chlorine based toilet cleaner (no chlorine bleach in Norway). All seems fine.

 

I have Diamine Oxblood, KWZI Honey and KWZI IG Blue #2 for long exposure test (4 weeks now I think). I will have results soon, but I know that Oxblood leaves a slight pink tint after one week in. You won't notice it after any other ink goes on though.

[EclecticCollector]

Any chance the double helix design can be tweaked so the helixes extend closer to the nib? Or is there a purpose to having the long straight part in the section?

[senzen]

These look very interesting!

[llothar]

Any chance the double helix design can be tweaked so the helixes extend closer to the nib? Or is there a purpose to having the long straight part in the section?

Length is required for thread cutting as well as proper flow performance. If you had just flat entrance to both helixes ink would have hard time flowing in.

[Arkanabar]

I recall seeing somewhere that the ink capacity of the double helix is around 5.6ml, which you regarded as somewhat excessive. You could probably both reduce capacity and increase the length of the helical part of the ink chamber, as EclecticCollector seems to want by reducing the twist, say, to something like DNA?

 

Or you could go all-out and make a "DNA" pen with the same twist rate, and little voids going between the helices at appropriate intervals.

 

Regardless, as cool as these are to look at -- they really are art you can write with -- ED isn't very much to my taste for utility, which is the primary consideration when I buy a pen.

[pajaro]

I have a few old eyedroppers people have given me, after they found them at estate sales. I think of them as burp specials.

[llothar]

I recall seeing somewhere that the ink capacity of the double helix is around 5.6ml, which you regarded as somewhat excessive. You could probably both reduce capacity and increase the length of the helical part of the ink chamber, as EclecticCollector seems to want by reducing the twist, say, to something like DNA?

 

Or you could go all-out and make a "DNA" pen with the same twist rate, and little voids going between the helices at appropriate intervals.

 

Regardless, as cool as these are to look at -- they really are art you can write with -- ED isn't very much to my taste for utility, which is the primary consideration when I buy a pen.

This is a popular request and something I am actively looking into. It is a balancing game between fine detail and having channels wide enough for the ink to flow freely through them. Capillary forces can make or break a design.

[Arkanabar]

Eh, I'm just throwing out ideas that I think would look cool, as eyedroppers aren't my kind of pen. Say you increase the diameter of the helix chambers by 10-20%, and change the twist to 1 in 3-5cm, would you then get good flow even though the ink chamber remains helical through the grip section? I'm imagining a scenario where there are no straight parts to the ink chambers except for the part that screws out, which would still run the full length of the barrel, with perhaps only 4 turns.

 

Of course, if you've already got one like that in your bucket of failures, never mind me.

[EclecticCollector]

This is a popular request and something I am actively looking into. It is a balancing game between fine detail and having channels wide enough for the ink to flow freely through them. Capillary forces can make or break a design.

I don't think the cross connections would work (ink would likely just be stuck in them) but I would welcome any shortening of the straight parts in the section. Looking forward to whatever you come up with in the future!

[Brettman]

Having been in 3D printing since 1992, I applaud you. Beautifully fulfilled. Someday should our paths ever cross, i should share some of my early works, it'll bring a smile to your face....

Edited May 15, 2017 by Brettman

[Oranges and Apples]

I have a question about the burping of ink, because the walls of the pen seem thin, would warm hands cause it to burp?

[Bisquitlips]

I am not sure they are ready for prime time as I am not fond of the residue left on a couple of them, but if they were a solid color I think I would be more drawn to them.

 

I do like the design, but that is my "twisted" nature.

[llothar]

I am not sure they are ready for prime time as I am not fond of the residue left on a couple of them, but if they were a solid color I think I would be more drawn to them.

 

I do like the design, but that is my "twisted" nature.

I think you are referring to the stuff near the section on the double helix design. Those are the cuttings that got stuck to the walls while cutting the thread. This is now greatly reduced with current manufacturing process.

 

Oranges and Apples - unfortunately all eyedroppers are prone to some burping. I use the helix one daily for 3 weeks and had just one burping episode. I am working towards mitigating this as much as possible, but I think the issue will be there no matter what. Physics.

[mhguda]

Here's an idea: since the ink container is actually inside another one, could the outer barrel be filled with water? Given the physical properties of water, that would, I expect, greatly reduce the transfer of heat from the holder's hands to the ink and the ink reservoir and hence reduce blurping?

[ele]

I think you are referring to the stuff near the section on the double helix design. Those are the cuttings that got stuck to the walls while cutting the thread. This is now greatly reduced with current manufacturing process.

 

Oranges and Apples - unfortunately all eyedroppers are prone to some burping. I use the helix one daily for 3 weeks and had just one burping episode. I am working towards mitigating this as much as possible, but I think the issue will be there no matter what. Physics.

This likely will not be of interest to you, but considering that you use Bock nibs, you could possibly ask the people at Conid about licensing their CAISO ink-shutoff system. If you're using no. 6 nibs it may not be possible though.

[llothar]

This likely will not be of interest to you, but considering that you use Bock nibs, you could possibly ask the people at Conid about licensing their CAISO ink-shutoff system. If you're using no. 6 nibs it may not be possible though.

This is actually quite cool, thanks for sharing. It is a really clever system they have there.

 

I must however say that our design also has some cool benefits. While capped the nib is fully closed off from environment. On an airplane it would behave exactly like the CAISO system. Additional plus with our design is that you could even go swimming with the pen in your pocket. When out of the sea/pool/lake/river just rinse it off with water, wipe, uncap and write.