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Step 5Always leave a tip.
To construct the tip, we need two small strips of copper and one strip of plexi. We are going to make a sandwich of metal>lead>plex>lead>metal
Cut the pieces somewhere in the area of 1/4 inch wide and 1 inch long. To cut the copper, I just used a pair of shears. To cu the plexi, I used my Craftsman table saw. Cutting a piece that small by hand with a regular plexi cuter would be .. dangerous.
Use your file to cut groves on either side of the piece of plexi. These grooves will hold the pencil leads. The groves should be deep enough to seat the leads, but no so deep that they are totally under the surface. The lead should sit just above the surface. You could also use a dremel with
a cutting disk. It would prob be faster and more precise.
Take the two pieces of copper and solder a wire, about 12 inches long, to each one.
Create your sandwich, (being very careful with the leads, they break easy). Gently wrap some tape on the back end, away from the lead. I only taped it about halfway up the metal to make it easier to change the leads out later. I just slide a blade in to pry it open a little and slide a new one in. Make sure your soldered connections are NOT TOUCHING. Each metal plate should be electrically isolated. If you make your pieces small enough, you could use a piece of heat shrink tubing instead.
If you have access to some other heat resistant non-metallic, non conductive material (like mica) that you can make the middle spacer out of, please feel free to experiment. Plexi is all I had on hand and works OK so far. I think it will melt though after some repeated use and it may be difficult to get the lead out.
*EDIT: Many people have recommended regular glass, Pyrex or a slice of ceramic light bulb socket for the insulator instead. All are MUCH better suggestions than plex. If you have this material on hand and are comfortable working it, I would say give it a shot.
This.... is your tip. Gently place it to the side and DON'T LOOK AT IT! Not yet....
Cut the pieces somewhere in the area of 1/4 inch wide and 1 inch long. To cut the copper, I just used a pair of shears. To cu the plexi, I used my Craftsman table saw. Cutting a piece that small by hand with a regular plexi cuter would be .. dangerous.
Use your file to cut groves on either side of the piece of plexi. These grooves will hold the pencil leads. The groves should be deep enough to seat the leads, but no so deep that they are totally under the surface. The lead should sit just above the surface. You could also use a dremel with
a cutting disk. It would prob be faster and more precise.
Take the two pieces of copper and solder a wire, about 12 inches long, to each one.
Create your sandwich, (being very careful with the leads, they break easy). Gently wrap some tape on the back end, away from the lead. I only taped it about halfway up the metal to make it easier to change the leads out later. I just slide a blade in to pry it open a little and slide a new one in. Make sure your soldered connections are NOT TOUCHING. Each metal plate should be electrically isolated. If you make your pieces small enough, you could use a piece of heat shrink tubing instead.
If you have access to some other heat resistant non-metallic, non conductive material (like mica) that you can make the middle spacer out of, please feel free to experiment. Plexi is all I had on hand and works OK so far. I think it will melt though after some repeated use and it may be difficult to get the lead out.
*EDIT: Many people have recommended regular glass, Pyrex or a slice of ceramic light bulb socket for the insulator instead. All are MUCH better suggestions than plex. If you have this material on hand and are comfortable working it, I would say give it a shot.
This.... is your tip. Gently place it to the side and DON'T LOOK AT IT! Not yet....
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