CTC Extruder Mounted Spool Holder

thingiverse

I was fed up with my filament constantly coming loose from my spools or getting tangled so I came up with an easy way to mount the filament spool with minimal resistance to the spool and filament. For me, mounting the spool directly to the extruder and allowing it to move as one unit results in little to no resistance. It has two mounting holes that fit perfectly onto the factory threads on the extruder. This solution is only suitable for single-extruder setups, as it won't work with dual extruders. The design is incredibly simple to use and at a 15-degree angle, the spool stays securely in place without needing any additional holding devices. To feed the filament correctly, make sure it's inserted on the right-hand side of the spool. This mount was engineered to distribute weight evenly over the center of the extruder, with the spool mounted at its lowest point before reaching the printer casing, thus preventing a wobbling effect. The lower central section of the mount rests directly on top of the stepper motor for added stability. I've been using this mount in five printers that run almost non-stop and have had no issues whatsoever after six months of continuous use, which is why I decided to share it with others. Some prints can move relatively quickly, especially when printing at high speeds, and originally experienced a wobbling effect due to the extruder's motion. To resolve this issue, I added spring feet to the bottom of the unit, and I've included these modifications in my design as well. I'm using 20mm OD x 40mm Height springs for optimal performance. These spring feet make a significant difference when the extruder moves rapidly. Thankfully, I haven't encountered any problems with the added weight affecting the stepper motors' performance, and if issues do arise, replacement motors can be had for as little as $6. This design can be printed without supports using 15% infill density. I'm currently using Inland brand filament, and I've also included a file that allows you to mount the spool onto the rear stepper motor bolts, provided you use longer bolts to compensate for the 4mm plate holding the spool in place.