Egg Bot
Official Documentation:
Install:
Inkscape
Egg Bot Extension: Driver
First plot (or read our short version below: [http://wiki.evilmadscience.com/Making_your_first_plot First Plot
Getting started video: Getting Started
Running:
Calibration! (Try on sacrificial object)
- When mounting object - when you setup the pen it can contact it on all sides as it rotates. The cups are spring loaded. If you draw a line from the pen motor to the egg it should hit it at the widest part of the egg. If not slide things around.
- Set the plunger - This should be tight enough that the tiny o-ring between two pieces of wood is at a position of 1/2 to 3/4 of the way compressed (per the site!)
- Set pen height so when in up position tip is 1mm - 3mm off egg.
- Make sure everything is aligned.
- Install pen
- Goto Inkscape -> Extensions -> Eggbot Control -> Setup
- Set pen so when up it's about 5mm off your object and when down it is touching with a little force. Try 71 and 75% (it worked for me)
- Hitting apply will toggle the up/down motion.
- Down motion should be set roughly horizontal (a little under)
- Default is to start with pen centered on top of Egg (see checkbox on Options tab). You will need to bump the pen to this position in the manual movement tab. If you are not centered your document will come out weird.
- Move pen to default position (use manual screen, pressing apply to move it). Negative values are valid.
- When egg is mounted and spun it should not wobble!
Killing a print:
- Reset button on control board by big capacitor. Press it.
Pausing a print:
- Button of board below the Reset button is a prg button. Press it.
- Resume using resume tab in Inkscape plugin
Document sizing:
You can use any size document you like. The plotter will wrap your document to fit the egg. Since the plotter cannot go to the very top and bottom of the egg it is recommended you stay away from the top and bottom edges. The better your pen is centered above the egg vertically the better chance you have of it actually plotting the top and bottom lines.
Small lines close together do not print.
Filling an area
By default the plotter will just draw the outline of an enclosed area. The eggbot software has another plugin which will fill in enclosed areas with lines or do cross hatching. This allows you to "fill" areas.
Multiple colors
The egg bot can plot multiple colors. Create a document with multiple colors then remove all but the color you want. Plot it. The pen returns to center after completion. Put in the next pen, test the height and when satisfied, paste the color you want to plot back into your document. Plot that color. Continue until all colors are done.
Printing
Draw something then in the plot tab of the Inkscape plugin (after Calibration) press apply. The Egg bot will begin to print.
Egg bot also comes with many plugins you can use to generate patterns.
What type of egg can I use:
- Raw
- Hard boiled
Basically anything that is room temp, clean and dry.
What type of Pens can I use?
Anything really. We've used fine point sharpies but any type of marker should work. It helps to rub paper under the marker before plotting to get it flowing. We also have etching bits with the CNC that would work on Shot glasses.