PowerDoodler V-Twin Engine

In response to overwhelming interest and feedback, our resident PowerDoodler, Samson Wong, has put together this action packed advanced 3D pen project tutorial. We'll be walking you through creating a V-Twin Engine with your 3Doodler - it even has moving parts! Are you up for this latest challenge?
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What You'll Need

1 Tubular

It all starts with a tube. We've used one of our 100-strand plastics tubes, but any tube will do!

Make sure your tube wall isn’t too thick (less than 1mm - so you can cut it easily) and the diameter is roughly 40mm. Before you start make sure it's completely empty and then proceed to cut it into two smaller pieces. Be sure to make a straight cut along the edge of your pieces so that it's open on one side.

2 Let's Get Rolling

It's time to pull out your masking tape, using it to cover the outside of your tube. Proceed to Doodle around your tube (on top of the masking tape) with a color of your choice. Repeat this until you have a pair of tube Doodles!

3 Piston Precision

Next we're going to get to work on the pistons. Take the same tube piece you used and cut it even shorter, applying masking tape to the inside of the tube this time. Carefully Doodle around the interior of the tube, using the opening you cut in the side of the tube to help peel the Doodle out when you are finished. Do this twice too!

Make sure to check that your piston shapes fit smoothly inside of the larger tubes that you've already made.

4 Doodling In The Lines

Now that you're an Expert Tube-Doodler, break out that DoodlePad. Place it over the top of the V-Twin Engine Stencil printout.

Now Doodle the rest of the engine components, including the round piston tops (you'll need two!), crank shaft, and casing.

5 Crank Shaft

Time to crank up the difficulty a little :P. For this piece you'll need an unused strand of plastic cut into three pieces (two larger pieces of the same length, and one very short piece that fits in the middle).

Doodle each longer strand piece into place, resting it in the middle hole of the paddle-shaped pieces you've made on the stencil. Make sure both paddles and both longer strands are aligned.

The smaller strand segment will connect both paddles together in a similar fashion - be sure to thread it through one end of each of the two remaining stencil shapes. Afterwards these should freely swing around, just like hands on a clock.

6 Seeing the Big Picture

Time to bring the pistons and the crank shaft together! Use another small segment of unused strand cut to the same diameter of the pistons. Feed the each segment through the opposite end of each "clock-hand" shape before Doodling it in place inside each piston. Once in place, you can go ahead secure your piston covers on top.

As a final touch, Doodle a pair of stoppers near the center of each piston axel. This prevents it from moving around or seizing up unexpectedly.

7 Just In Case

Time to wrap it up! Doodle the cylinders to their respective crank case panels and one of the shaft panels. Carefully slide your pistons and crank shaft into place, taking care to let it flex a bit.

Once it seems to fit right, Doodle the opposite side of the case into place along with the curved bottom part. You can also place stoppers on each strand right where it exits the case.

8 Start Your Engines

You're ready to rock! Take your DoodleEngine for a spin and challenge yourself to the next level by making a single cylinder alternative.