Filament Dry Box Mounting System for Ender 3

thingiverse

DIY filament dry box using Sistema 5.5L Storage container (https://sistemaplastics.com/products/klip-it-plus/5.5l-square). Sliding dovetail bracket allows for easily swapping out filaments and maintains compatibility with the original spool holder for filaments without a dry box. Low profile dovetail allows containers to be stored without taking up additional space. Design should be able to fit most similar containers (ensure the container has a good seal). #Required hardware:# - 6x M3 10-12mm screws to secure the Male dovetail to the contaner (longer screws will not fit) - 4-6 M3 screws and nuts of any length to secure the female dovetail to the ender 3 spool holder - 8x M3 6mm screws to secure the adjustable spool holders to the container - 2x 608 skateboard bearings - 14x M3 Thermal inserts (https://au.element14.com/tr-fastenings/m3-uhbrhesf/brass-insert-unheaded-m3/dp/2474921 - Great for all 3d printing projects. I highly recommend these over the junk from amazon/ebay.) - 2x M3 25-30mm Screws and square nuts for the roller. - Some kind of moisture absorbing beads like silica gel beads to keep any moisture in the box to a minimum. - Bowden tube and coupler to feed the filament from the dry box straight to your extruder to keep it dry. #Required to print:# - 6x 10mm M3 Washer (to secure the dovetail bracket to the ender 3 spool holder) - 2x Ender 3 Spool holder backplate (to secure the dovetail bracket to the ender 3 spool holder) - 1x Ender 3 Spool Holder Female Bracket (Mount to ender 3 spool holder bracket) - 1x Internal bracket plate (Requires 6x M3 thermal insert) - 1x Male Dovetail Bracket PRINT THE MALE AND FEMALE DOVETAIL BRACKETS IN PETG, NYLON, or a material with good layer adhesion. PLA may separate along the layer lines when holding a heavy spool. - 2x Adjustable Spool holder bracket (Requires 1x M3 thermal insert each) - 2x External Spool Holder Plate - 2x Bearing Flange (to secure the bearings to the adjustable spool holder brackets) - 2x Internal Spool Holder Plate - 1x Frame Mount Gasket (Print in TPU) - 2x Spool Mount Gaskets - 1x Roller Nut Half (requires 2x M3 Square nuts) - 1x Roller Screw half - (optional instead of using the dovetails you can securely hold the dry box to the spool holder bracket using the external bracket plate with 3 screws keeping the internal bracket secured and 3 screws through the ender 3 bracket into the dry box) If you do not have TPU for the gaskets blu-tac or other sealants may be used to create a seal between the container and the brackets Instead of the roller, I initially used a 25mm OD, 23mm ID Aluminium tube cut to about 90mm which worked great and easily slides over the bearings to hold the spool. #Assembly Notes:# Using the external brackets as a template you can mark out with a pen or marker the hole locations on your container. For the filament spool holder brackets please note that they need to be mounted above the centerline of the container as the internal diameter of the filament spool will cause the spool to hang lower than the roller. Each filament is different so I suggest placing the spool inside the container so that it is not touching the top/bottom of the container and marking out where the spool holder brackets need to be. The spool holder brackets are designed to be mounted vertically and can be adjusted up or down to suit the required offset for your spool's internal diameter. Glue the TPU gaskets to the inside of the internal brackets for easy assembly. Just a few dots of superglue makes it easier. DO NOT DRILL into the container. Most containers will likely crack and it is difficult to keep the drill aligned without slipping. Instead, use a *soldering iron* on low heat (220C works well for me) and slowly press the soldering iron through the container. It will melt very easily and create a perfect hole. Note that you should only do this in a well ventilated area, I'm sure the fumes are not healthy. You may want to keep an M3 screw handy to test the diameter of your hole for a good fit. You may need a knife to clean up any stands or excess plastic such that the screws can fit well. This process creates an uneven lip of plastic around the hole which is why the TPU gaskets are used to prevent any air entering the container. Choose where you want the filament to exit the container and mark a location for the Bowden fitting. You can use the soldering Iron to create a larger hole to fit the Bowden tube fitting by slowly spiraling outwards until the diameter is large enough to press the fitting into the container while the plastic is still melted. This creates a good seal and holds the fitting tightly. Once you have assembled your dry box, I recommend drying out your filament in a filament dryer or oven (check your manufacturer's recommendations for the correct temperatures). Quickly place the filament spool into the container with your chosen desiccant, run the end though the Bowden tube and seal the container. Your filament should stay moisture-free for years. Before using after extended periods of storage I like to cut off 10-20cm of filament that was in the Bowden tube as this may have absorbed some moisture.