Filament Spool Bearing 2020

thingiverse

A clever DIY project was undertaken by creating a ball bearing using 6mm AirSoft BB's. This innovative approach involves placing two races inside each other and feeding 20-22 BB's into the opening within the inner bearing. A small arrow-shaped cover can be snapped or glued onto place, filling the void of the filler channel with precision. To assemble the bearing, slide it over a 2020 tube with the spool positioned in between. Fortunately, my FolgerTech extrusion already features a 90° fastener mounted on a 2020 tube to securely hold the spools in place. The heavy-duty spools now spin effortlessly with minimal effort. For optimal performance, I recommend mounting the bearing with arrows pointing downwards, ensuring that even with tolerance issues, the BB's will not come into contact with the cover. In my case, I didn't find it necessary to install a lip inside to hold the spool in place, but if problems arise in the future, upgrading might be an option. To print this innovative bearing, no supports were needed, allowing for a smooth and hassle-free creation process.