The Cricut Maker is an amazing machine that you can use to make a lot of things. Among the things you can do are calligraphy and pen drawings. And although Cricut sells pens that you can use with their machines, what pens work with Cricut Maker aside from theirs?
Here is the great thing about the Cricut Maker. You can use a lot of pens from other brands with it. You can already use a lot of other pen brands with the pen holder that already came with the Maker, but you can open up even more options using pen adapters.
This article will list down the different pens that are compatible with the Cricut Maker and how you can use them properly.
What Pens Can You Use with Cricut Maker?
Aside from cutting intricate designs on vinyl sheets and cardboard, you can also use your Cricut Maker as a plotter. You will notice that there are two clamps in your machine – one is for the blade and the other a pen holder.
This means you only need to insert the pens inside the holder and you are good to go. To give you an idea of what kind of things you can create with your Cricut Maker, here are the pens that you can use with it:
Fine Point Pens
These Cricut pens are the ones stamped with the letter “F” on one end. These are pens that have 0.4mm thick nibs and they come in a variety of different colors.
Extra-fine Point Pens
As the name suggests, these pens have an even finer nib size than the Fine point pens. These pens have 0.3mm thick nibs, which you can use for the finer details. They also have “XF” stamped on the ends.
1.0mm Markers
If you need thicker pens for your project, Cricut offers them in 1.0mm sizes. These pens are best for when you need to create big bold lines for your projects, like borders and the like. While they do not come in as many colors as the fine and extra-fine-tipped pens, they still have metallic colors that you will surely love using.
Gel Pens
Just like other gel pens, the ones made by Cricut use roller balls instead of felt. The nice thing about gel pens, specifically the ones used by Cricut is that they have bright and vibrant colors. These pens are the ones that have a “G” stamped on them.
Glitter Gel Pens
If you are not satisfied with just the bright and vibrant colors provided by gel pens, you can up the ante by using Cricut’s glitter gel pens. Now, instead of just the loud colors, you will also be getting brilliant glitters in the mix.
These are great for projects that need a lot of whimsy. Check for the “GG” stamp to make sure that you are getting a glitter gel pen and not just a gel pen.
Calligraphy Pens
Yes, you can also use Cricut calligraphy pens in your machine. However, you need to carefully place the calligraphy pens at 45 degrees so that you can get the effect that you want. These pens have a chisel nib and have a “C” stamped on the ends.
What Pens Work with Cricut Maker 3?
The proprietary pens made by Cricut can work on all their machines, so they can also fit in the newer Cricut Maker 3. They have the same auxiliary pen adapters so you do not have to do any kind of modifications whatsoever.
What Pens Work with Cricut Explore Air 2?
Just like with the Cricut Maker and Maker 3, the Cricut Explore Air uses the same auxiliary pen clamp. This machine can accommodate all of the Cricut pens and markers, and even pens from other brands.
Other Pens that the Cricut Maker is Compatible With
Here are the other pens you can use with the Cricut Maker without having to do any modifications:
- Sharpie Fine Point and Ultra Fine Point Permanent Markers
- Copic Original Markers
- Ohuhu Markers
- Shuttle Art Pens
- Crayola Super Tips
- Sakura Jelly Roll
- Pilot Fine Liners
- Prismacolor Premier
- Tombow Dual Brush Markers
How Do You Use Other Pens with Cricut Maker?
Using the Included Adapter
If you have Cricut markers or pens, you won’t have any problem slipping them into the pen adapter. Just take off the cap and place the pen into the adapter until you hear it click into place.
If you want to use another pen brand, you need to make sure that it can fit through the clamp first. If the pen is roughly the same size as the official Cricut pen then you can use it.
The only problem that you will encounter while using other pens is that they won’t click into place. You will have to position the pen manually so that it will work as intended. This means it should not be too low or too high.
Using Aftermarket Pen Adapters
If you want an easier way to use other pen brands on your Cricut Maker, you can purchase unofficial pen adapters. You can find adapters specifically designed for different brands of pens and markers. With these special adapters, you do not need to worry about the positioning of the pen.
To install special aftermarket adapters, you have to remove the included pen adapter in the clamp of the Cricut Maker. You can do this by pushing the adapter out from underneath the clamp.
Just push the clips to loosen the adapter and it should pop right off. You can then insert the adapter inside the clamp so you can use whatever brand marker you want.
Conclusion
Even though Cricut has its own collection of pens that are also compatible with its machines, you can still use other brands if you want to. What pens work with Cricut Maker and the other machines for that matter? Any pen that can fit inside the Cricut’s clamp will work.
Even smaller pens can work with a bit of tweaking. Whether you are using Cricut’s own pens or those from other brands, you will be quite impressed at all of the things that you can create using your Cricut Maker.