Homemade Pantograph

Lots of time we need things traced, and we just do not have the resources to do that. For example tracing paper, a window, or some other tracing device. Luckily, you have me to provide you with a new tool!

Step 1 Materials

Whats Needed
4 Cardboard Strips
Hole Puncher
Glue or tape
Two Pencils

The cardboard strips have to be

(2) 2 by 4 inches
(2) 2 by 8 inches

Comments

[jeandeau]

My suggested PANTOGRAPH uses a pizza box base and a plastic wrapped tool package. Cut the cardboard in two and cut two 1 inch wide strips from plastic. Six pins and a pencil work fine with the bottom left pin anchoring the frame into the box, and the other four pins pointing up acting as hinges. a small hole is made at the top right corner for the pencil. In the sturdy model photographed here, screws are used in place of pins. only the bottom left screw is into the box below. If you choose a different drawing ratio. the cursor must lie somewhere on a line drawn from the anchor to the pen.

[jeandeau]

If clear plastic is available to make it from, you can see the region of the smaller image. This would permit easy scaling to larger sizes from the first image. Plastic suggestions?

[lemonie]

Is this not caled a pantograph? L

[Brennn10]

Never heard of the word, but from some Google searches, it is in fact called a pantograph. Should I change the name of this Instructable?

[lemonie]

I don't mind, it's just years since I saw one of these. Nice that they can be made so cheaply and easily. L

[dataphool]

I don't see it anchored at an end, but I would call it a pantograph. I think it would be very difficult to trace anything, though.

[Brennn10]

Yea, I decided not to have an anchor just because it was my personal preference.

[schorhr]

Neat :-) I think I will build this when I work at a kindergarden again.