Swirly Draw
It’s a drawing machine you crank! Sort of a kid-version of art-o-matic. Seems easier than squiggly-draw too. I think this is great for kids.
This one has a ratio of 39:40. I like it! Seems perfect for markers. For the pens I tried I’m guessing 79:80 might be fun to try…
The current challenge is how to move arm attachment to the gears without a wrench. I suppose there’re wing nuts and stuff. But they don’t lock to allow rotation. I will add more holes to the arms for experiment too. Of course how to do that without a wrench is a good question too. Different gear ratio’s comes to mind. What else to try?
The last two pictures are a laser version that I’m making for some of my friends.
Swirly Draw V2 is like the original except it has magnetic paper holder (like Art-O-Matic and Isocel-Ease). The idea of Swirly Draw was to be small and simple but I found that a lot of people don’t have the dexterity to manage it.
How It’s Made
I made up the gears using the Gear Generator by woodgears.ca. I then imported them into Sketchup and drew the rest of the parts. I got the fasteners together and measured them so I knew what size to make the holes. I used 1/4-20 bolts for the gear shafts and crank handle. I glued the pen holder layers together. I added some rubber bands to hold the pen in the holder…
Wow! It works for kids!
I’ve made some of these machines for my friends. The first image shows the rough layout to help with assembly.
Fasteners
One thing I’m looking at to make it more configurable is some sort of snaps to hold it together.
Here’s my first run at 3D printing them. I’ll need to figure out what I did wrong…
Bill of Materials
Home Depot
- 1x sheet of 1/8th” hardboard (24×24″), $1.60 (makes two machines)
Ottawa Fastener
- 5x 1/4-20 bolts from Ottawa Fastener (length to follow)
- 12x 1/4-20 nuts
- 3x 1/4″ washers (outside diameter to follow)
- 4x 8-32 1/2″ bolts
- 8x 8-32 nuts
Other
- 4x Rubber bands
- 8x rare earth magnets magnets
- Paper
- Colored pens!
The arms are double nutted together with the 8-32 nuts and bolts. 1/4-20 Cranks are bolted to main gears. Gear shafts are nutted to the platform, gears in position then double nut over them. Add more nuts as spacers for cranks and add cranks.
Related
Downloads swirly-thing015_21p2x11p4
Gear Generator Program by Matthias Wendel of Ottawa.
ArtEngine Laser
Swirly Draw at the Ottawa Makerfaire with the Ottawa Public Library.
Download: swirly-015
yeah, the Isoscel-ease machine is fun to fiddle with.
Hi Darcy. No sadly got way laid this past weekend with chores. Hoping to give it another go this weekend. Will definitely let you know how it turns out when I get there. I’m watching your site for updates. I’d really like to make the Isoscel next.
Brilliant, thanks. I should get some time on this over the weekend. I’ll let you know how it goes!
I’m looking forward to seeing your machine!
Did your machine come forward?
Hey, This is great. I would love to run one of these through my CNC machine for my daughter. Would it be possible to get a copy of the sketchup file? I would like to play around with the design also and maybe we can exchange ideas once I have mine built.
Glad you like it. Sure I’ll post the design files.
I just added a download to the bottom of the post! I’m a little unsure of the spacing of the right gear to the center gear… So check that part before gluing it onto the assembly…
Any luck?
similar machine