Adjustable combined filament roller and storage system

prusaprinters

Hello friends, first of all: Thanks for visiting this design. If you have special requirements, please let me know. I created a flexible filament roller and storage system/rack, utilizing 8mm steel rods (1m length readily available from stores like Amazon for around 2,50€ +shipping), 608 bearings and a few printed parts that are easy to print and use only a minimal amount of filament (I used PLA because it is quite rigid).I personally use this setup/system on a shelf directly above my three smaller printers, but you can position it anywhere. I’ve opted to use a pair of rollers per printer, with the remainder of the rail for filament storage, so I can easily swap between the filaments. Feel free to mix this up based on your needs/preferences.What you will need: For the rails you will need two steel rods. Their length is variable and depends on your space/needs (of course they need to be wide enough for the roller you print + some additional length to clip onto the holders/stands).You will need to print of the two “double” holders to fix the rods in place. You may also want to print one or two of the “single” holders, to add additional support along the length of each rod. The holders have been designed so the steel rods simply snap into place.The “foot” is optional and can be screwed to the stands using M3x4 to M3x10 screws. These will all work. I chose to print it using TPU, but other materials such as PLA or PETG should work well, too. The roller has been designed to utilise type 608 bearings. You will need four bearings for each pair of rollers, which press fit nicely with minimal force (place the bearing on a work surface and press the roller on top). If you have tight fitment problems, there is a little notch at the end of the roller that you can sand down a little to improve fitment.Each roller can handle filament rolls up to about 11cm wide and these can easily fit my 2,3kg spools. If you need other sizes (larger or smaller) just let me know. Addition: Just added a spool holder 13cm wide which should fit Prusament 2kg spools. The files also include two optional “collar” parts that may also be of use to you. With my setup (see images), I guide the filament through 4mm holes in the shelf using PTFE tubes, and these collars help to prevent them slipping through the holes. You can insert M3x6 (up to a max of M3x10) screws into the collar.I added a variation of this design, to allow each pair of rollers to be “free standing”, eliminating the need for steel rods altogether. This design is best suited for individual spools of filament, rather than the rail/racking system for managing multiple rolls. This design will utilise the inner holes of each bearings as the mounting point, so they can be pressed in as well. (First put the bearings into the rollers and second on the stands. Make sure the bearings have a very tight fit, as this will keep the construction together!) Some advice on the bearings: Especially cheap ones come with some sticky grease. To make them roll freely, you should (for this usecase) wash them thoroughly with IPA and apply some light oil. They will roll much easier.