Filament Spool Weight / Screw Cap Container

thingiverse

UPDATE 15DEC2017: I've updated the design to fit through more spool holes and made it better balanced, which wasn't necessary but is a welcome improvement. The new design also prints faster because it's shorter, yet still holds nearly as much weight. I created this weight specifically for filament spools that were running low on material. As these spools got lighter and the chances of tangles increased, they'd often get pulled off the rollers by the stepper motor. Adding a weight inside the spool solved this problem without adding noticeable friction to the system. The screw cap fits tightly to ensure watertightness, but it's designed to be broken in by screwing and unscrewing it a few times. To use, fill the container with heavy objects like 90 x 1.5", 5/16 hole washers on a 5" long, 1/4" bolt, which added 2lbs of weight. The design holds water without leaking, but this depends on your print settings. The filament spool weight pairs well with my filament spool roller, available at http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2250077