Filament dry box for 4 spools

thingiverse

This is a remix of the great design by bummster, made better through several key changes. No bolts are required for the box; instead, a clever rod mount design eliminates the need for drilling altogether. A 608ZZ skateboard bearing allows for smoother spool rotation, while a 3/4 inch PVC pipe is used in conjunction with the bearing to create a larger shaft. To secure the PTFE attachment, PG7 cable glands are employed, providing an airtight seal and requiring only a 0.5 inch hole to be drilled for each. Materials required include: 1x Sterilite 20QT air-tight box 1x 12in 5/16 threaded rod 4x 5/16 nuts 2x 608ZZ skateboard bearings 1x 11in 3/4 inch standard white PVC pipe (OD 1 inch, ID 0.812 inch) 4x PG7 cable glands 2x 20mm M3 cap head screws for the spool clamp (optional) 2x M3 standard nuts for the spool clamp (optional) All necessary materials can be purchased from a combination of Amazon, Target, Home Depot, AliExpress, or other stores. The total cost was approximately $14 in US dollars. PTFE tube with an outer diameter between 3mm and 6mm fits perfectly into the cable glands. Leftover PTFE from a water purification system was used for this purpose. Instructions: 1. Print the rod mounts; they must be laid flat on one side that is completely flat, allowing them to print without support. 2. Print the shaft bushings; the busing must be flat on the wider side, and it's designed to print without support. 3. The bearings fit inside the bushings, while the other end slides into the PVC pipe. Use two nuts on each end, one inside the bushing and one outside, to sandwich the bearing. The bearing inner race is wide enough to prevent the nut from interfering with rotation. Adjusting the inner nuts can be a bit tricky, but it only needs to be done once. 4. Cut the 5/16 threaded rod to 12 and 3/4 inches (324mm). 5. Cut the PVC pipe to 11 and 1/8 inches (282mm). 6. Hang the rod mounts on the box handles that protrude inside the box, then insert the rod into the mount slots. You may need to adjust the length of the PVC pipe to ensure the shaft fits in the available space. 7. Drill the gland holes with a 1/2 inch step drill. The holes are spaced by 68mm each and are 1.5 inches above the top of the PVC shaft. While position is not critical, this location works well for four spools. 8. When using fewer than four spool, the spool tends to "walk" the rod. Use the provided clamp to keep the spool in place.