Faster, Cheaper, Better? iDraw vs. Axidraw Showdown! | a.k.a. bad cables, good speed.

For what kinds of projects and scenarios would you prefer to use the iDraw machine?

Thanks for that. On the topic of cable management, could you attach it to an upright spring, one that will bend but return to position once tension is removed?

thanks for the video learned alot. love the personality, and elevator music!

I love your videos Dan , I always wonder why these plotter manufactures don’t adopt core xy or Hbot mechanism which I believe are faster and more accurate !

Thanks for a great comparison. I wonder if idraw plotter can be mounted vertically, given that pen down isn't depending on gravity. All thing considered, I think I would end up getting Axidraw just for Evil Mad Scientist support and open source development. (Full disclosure: I already have an A4 version of the Axidraw and I think EMS is a big part of the plotter community)

Dan, love your vids. I really need your advice on which pen plotter I should buy. I'm leaning towards the idraw 2.0 a0, because I want to create huge drawings. The a0 is 1400 on Amazon. Your advice is to buy a T a3, not a H a0 a1 a2 or a3. You said to reposition paper using a a3 T. let's say I want create really large illuminated manuscript, Using the a0 H to pencil in guide lines, then I'll by hand do huge black letters, majors, floral borders etc.

Great video. As to your "cons for the IDraw: 1) It appears that for italic plotting you can move the plotting surface over towards the origin by loosening the 4 screws that secure it to the frame and slidding it over and retightening the screws. 2) I agree the cable managent fo t he x-axis is shabby. A little DIY effort could make a simple elevated support attached to the X-axis cross bar and suspend the cable in the air from it with some rubber bands. Wouldn't take much to keep things moving reliably. Your comments are dead on for the delivered "as-built" cable magement solution provided. I had questions about the pen lift: 1) Does the pen lift use a servo similae to the axidraw? 2) Is it as noisy as the axidraw?

great video again and that obstacle course looks fun! ... I feel you pain about making this video.

I’m really enjoying my idraw, only thing I can’t figure out is stopping the mark it leaves when raising/down to start another line. Any ideas?

Do they both use gravity for the downwards force? Or does either push down with a controllable amount? thanks

Hello, on complex plots, my iDraw A3 H often "freeze" and start again with a significant shift in the plot (several millimeters). Certainly a micro USB connection lost... Do you encounter this issue too ? Does th Axidraw have the same kind of problem ? I'm planning to buy an A1 plotter and I would like to make the good choice for complex plots...

Have you tried the Vector to Gcode 2 application ? I would love to hear your opinion.

Hi Dan, Could it be that reason for the Axidraw using almost the same time independent on the speed setting is that it's limited by a fixed acceleration? Plotting a lot of small lines with sharp angles causes it to never reach the full speed. That would also explain why the continuous line plot are more comparable in terms of speed between the two machines.

If i jst want to get started with this kind of Hobby, what u recommend for low Budget? :D

Hello, can either machine be used on a canvas?

I can't imagine spending hundreds on a commercial plotter. They are easy enough to built out of every day materials. Lots of videos on youtube to give you options and ideas. I went down the road of having XYZ constructed out of Din rails with carriages riding on them. Arduino running Grbl, Grbl shield, 3 stepper motors. G code generated by Inkscape and modified Makelangelo. There is an online CNC programme called Easel that can also be utilised for quicker results. I produced some pretty decent images and learned a lot building it myself. I think going down the DIY route it could easily be done for less than £50. I noticed in your demo the pen waggled as it's high off the paper, If you can get the end of the pen gripped and held close to the surface you'll get better accuracy/definition. Thanks for the video btw. Do you plan to show us some of the software?

Would you prioritise speed or precision when choosing a pen plotter machine?

Do you also have better/other servos for the idraw?thx. Great vid.

Great video, Dan, and I appreciate your style! You mentioned that you're not a big fan of Inkscape. I'm considering using an HA3 pen plotter, but I've never worked with one before. I have some line drawings in Corel 10 (from 2000, so it's old and simple). Will .cdr files work directly with the HA3? 🙃 If not, do you have any recommendations on how to convert my .cdr files or save them in another format for use with the HA3? Additionally, besides Inkscape, what other software do you recommend? 🤔

Can you create a personalized fonts here?