Today I was talking with my husband about doing an Instructable with my new 3Doodler 2.0 when it arrived. Literally 2 minutes later, there's a knock at the door and it's DHL with my pen. Talk about coincidence.

I backed the first 3Doodler on Kickstarter a couple years ago and by the time it had arrived, I'd already built my first 3D printer. I thought it I would use the pen in school, but the learning curve was a bit steep and my students (and I) can be impatient.

When the 3Doodler company came out with their newest iteration, I looked a lot better so I decided to give it a shot. Can I just say, it is SOOOO much easier to use than the original pen. There's options for continuous extruding, different temperatures to accommodate different filaments, and is thinner so it's easier on your hands.

My husband is a big biker, but hasn't had a new (or working) bicycle probably since he was a child. He keeps getting used bikes from CraigsList with the intention of fixing them up, and he usually does, but the bikes are always so crappy to begin with that they don't last. So, I decided to make him a model of the Mongoose Mountain Bike advertised on the Bike Contest in hopes he'll get some inspiration.

Step 1: Template

When you're starting out with 3Doodler, it's a good idea to have a stencil (image) of what you want to make as the template to get you started until you feel comfortable using the pen. I found a couple of images of a Mongoose Mountain Bike and printed them.

I traced the body of the bike and the wheels separately because I knew I'd be printing them separately. I used a Sharpie for tracing, but a pencil works just as well.

Step 2: 3D Materials

Before plugging in the 3Doodler, I selected which filament I was going to use. I picked the neon orange ABS and since none of the packs of filament had black, I used ABS silver for the wheels and other parts.

Plug the 3Doodler in, turn it on (selecting low for PLA or high for ABS) and wait for the red light to turn blue. When the light turns blue you can start feeding your filament.

Step 3: Doodling

The first thing I started with was the frame. I put the 3Doodler on continuous feed (clicking the largest top button twice) and then pressed the pen down to the paper and traced the "bar".

To fill in, I made continuous back and forth "s" making sure the filament connects to both sides of the bar. Then I went back over the insides a few more times, which is only as necessary as you deem it.

When the orange filament stick ran out, I put the silver in and added the pedals. Because the filament is hot when extruding, it sticks on to the hard filament with no problem.

To make the seat, I again trace an outline and then go over it with the 3Doodler. I make zig zags to make filling it in easier and then I used more filament to attach the seat to the frame.

The last video is just an example of how I doodle a shape and then fill in.

***As I mentioned, I found this 3Doodler to be much easier to use than the first. Learning to work with the continuous extrusion is a little tricky, but if you go slow (slow is key with getting the shape and design you want) it'll become a lot easier.***

Step 4:

I used more filament to attach the wheels to the frame.

Step 5:

The handle bar I started off free-handing a bar on the tracing paper and then added more lines to make it sturdier. Then I propped it on to the bike and used the grey filament to secure it. Last I added the brake wires for a little more of an authentic look.

Step 6:

Ta da!