Filament Guide for Lack Table

cults3d

I'm currently crafting an enclosure for my Prusa i3 Mk2, choosing the lack table method, which seems to be popular. I've been researching various filament guides, mostly small holes or long narrow holes. Both designs make sense. To increase my internal height to 18 inches, I'll be adding printed parts that hold the acrylic sides in place. A friend told me that a small hole might hinder taller prints, so a longer hole would work better. This is where my idea came from – with a wider cone base on the underside and a small hole at the top, the filament's pivot point is raised an additional 1.5 inches, which should be enough to accommodate a small hole right at the top. That's my theory, still to be tested. I designed the bottom for a 2.5-inch hole since I have a corresponding hole saw bit. It should screw into the bottom, and the top piece should fit inside from above, with some glue if desired (I chose not to). My approach seems to have been successful, but I messed up the dimensions on the larger cone's size – a modeling newb mistake. The cone 'fit' initially, but I need to downsize it, guessing by the thickness of its walls. The files have been updated with better dimensions now. Outside, the cone is 2.5 inches in diameter, so a hole saw of that size should work well. This design has been thoroughly tested – I've run several prints through and moved the filament full left to right at maximum height; it works perfectly. Note: my enclosure's bottom (the start of the cone) sits exactly at 18 inches, matching the precut acrylic height I purchased and designed my risers around. Paired with my filament spool holders, I believe I've established a well-working system in place.