From Sketch to Print: Designing a Custom 3D-Printed Clipboard Pen Holder

Here I go again, making either something better or just another variation for the sake of it. I designed a clipboard pencil holder previously. Now I thought of holding a pen. The pen I frequently use. 

Not because I like it, but because I bought them in bulk. And really, they are not too bad. Else why would I bother making a clipboard pen holder just for this specific pen? 

To begin, I always start with a sketch of the most basic potential holder design. One that first comes to my mind. Before that, I would sketch the cross-section of the pen, then the holder 'gripping' it. See Fig. 1. 

Figure 1: A quick few minutes Pen Grip Sketch

As I sketch, a mental calculation simultaneously refines and considers subtle details like a ‘clip grip’ at the pen’s end. This provides extra hold while enhancing its overall aesthetics.

I’ve determined the top of the ‘U’ shaped grip should slightly pass the pen’s centre for a better grip.  The other dimensions like the flat section for attaching to the note pad’s reverser are simply estimated.

  

Figure 2: Series of photos showing the pen-grip in action

Figure 2 displays a batch of photos showing the 3D-printed pen grip in real life.  When placed correctly at a specific angle, the pen clicks neatly into the grip with a satisfying ‘click’.  It remains securely fixed even with light handling. However, any nudge on the un-gripped pen section dislodges it. Despite this, the pen fits the grip perfectly.

Figure 3: Tinkercad model of the second iteration

I felt the initial print could have been improved.  For the next version I doubled the horizontal grip section’s length and added slots to the flat section.  The Tinkercad model is shown in Figure 3.

Figure 4: The new improved pen-grip design

Figure 4 shows a comparison between the first and second 3D-printed pen grip designs.  Visually, the second variation appears to offer a better grip than the shorter one.  It’s easy to guess which I used on my notebook.

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3D Printed Pencil Extenders: A Simple Lesson in Design Thinking, Sustainability, and Iterative Problem Solving

Once upon a time, pencils used to be nice and long. As they serve as tools for ideas, sketches, and notes on paper, they gradually become shorter over time. Eventually, even the smallest hands can no longer hold a pencil that has been reduced to a tiny stump steadily enough to do its work.

But that doesn't mean we retire them. At least, I don't.

Pencil extenders can easily be bought from stores. However, with 3D printers and modelling software at our disposal, we can put our heads together and make our own.

Figure 1a shows a pencil holder I made quite some time ago. As students use the pencils, however, they gradually become shorter and shorter—to the point where some are simply too short to be used comfortably.

Figure 1a                      Figure 1b

That inspired me to design pencil extenders and, subsequently, a holder for them (see Figure 1b), allowing these pencils to continue serving their purpose for as long as possible.

The images that follow (see Figure 2) are screenshots of the pencil extender holder model from Tinkercad, alongside photographs of the finished 3D print doing its job. If you're interested in the design process behind the pencil extender itself, you can read about it here: Click HERE.

Figure 2

Learning Point

So what's the point of showing you this?

Design doesn't stop at any stage. Every solution solves a problem within a particular context. As you may already know, every solution often leads to a new problem, a new design challenge, or even an opportunity to extend the original idea.

In this case, I had my pencils neatly lined up and ready for students to use. But what happens when they become too short? I created an extender for each one so they could continue to be used. Then another question emerged: if full-length pencils deserve a holder, why should these shortened pencils in extenders be left lying around? They deserve storage too.

Figure 3 shows the complete setup—from brand-new pencils to those nearing retirement and now fitted with extenders.

Figure 3

What do you think comes next?

• What new design opportunities do you see? 
• What potential improvements or extensions can you foresee?

Have a go. Let me know in the comments what you think.

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How to Avoid Sizing Mistakes in 3D Design: Model Accessories First

In this post, I'll show you how I designed and printed a coffee bean grinder, brush, and measuring spoon holder. See Fig. 1.

Fig. 1

I've seen too many instances where a student's completed 3D design turned out to be the wrong size despite looking proportionately correct.

This happens because students often start by 3D modeling their design as the first step. But what's the problem?

The moment I sketch the accessories (items or objects to be held or stored) into their design, the holder almost always ends up looking tiny compared with the accessories. What happens next usually requires extensive modification, sometimes even re-modeling the entire 3D design.

This is how to avoid making the same mistake ever again:

• Always model the items to be held or stored first.
• Then model the design that will hold or store those items.

Here are the steps:

• Firstly, make a list of the items you want to hold or store.
• Secondly, make notes about their dimensions. I call these the "Critical Dimensions". (see Fig. 2)
• Next, before modeling your design, model all the accessories first (see Fig. 3).
• You don't have to model them exactly as they look.
• Use basic geometric forms to represent each item.
• Finally, model the design. Then place the items into the model and see if they fit (see Fig. 3).

Fig. 2: Critical Dimensions of the coffee grinder, brush and scoop

Fig. 3: Modeling the accessories first (see the three items on the right hand side)

Fig. 4 shows the coffee grinder (round cylinder), the brush (narrow cylinder), and the scoop, all positioned on the holder. These are their final positions after a few rounds of adjustment. You can see that all the items fit nicely on the holder. The holder not only looks proportionate, but it is also the correct size.

The image on the right shows the actual 3D-printed holder with the accessories in place. They all fit nicely.

Fig. 4: 

Left: The Tinkercad Model. 

Right: The actual printed design.

Conclusion

It is not necessary to model all the items or accessories before modeling your design. In fact, if you model your design using actual dimensions during the development phase, you may be able to get it right on the first attempt.

However, in my experience, many students either miss the instruction that their design must be modeled according to its actual proposed size, or they are simply too excited to see their design in 3D and forget about the dimensions altogether.

Whatever the case, I believe it is good practice to model the accessories first. This gives the designer another opportunity to evaluate whether the placement of the accessories is final or requires further adjustment.

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