Half-Kilo Spool Holder - for Monoprice Select Mini

thingiverse

The Monoprice Select Mini is an affordable yet remarkably capable 3D printer, plagued by woefully inadequate manufacturing quality control :). Seriously, many individuals who purchase it encounter problems with manufacturing errors. My own unit had a crimp connector without a conductor in it, and the display exhibited artifacts right from the start. Others report quickly failing power supplies. But with its extremely low price ($200-ish) and exceptional print quality (once tuned), it's challenging to argue against it. It's most suitable for those with some electronics career experience. (The unit is manufactured and sold under other names as well.) The spool holder for your filament, although it fits a 1kg spool adequately, doesn't fit the half-kilo spool I bought recently. So this is a holder that will slide over the existing one, supporting your half-kilo spool. There are two little tabs on the metal spool holder that need to be bent out of the way. Caution though, those tabs keep the big spool away from the housing. Ensure you use a spacer when using your 1kg spool to prevent it from snagging the unit housing. I find there's enough 'sag' to the metal holder than the spool stays away from the unit anyway, but just-sayin'. Printer Settings Printer: MP Select Mini Rafts: Yes Supports: No Resolution: 0.2 Infill: 25% Notes: It seems nicely rigid and functional with 25% fill, and 0.2mm resolution was enough for a nice clean result. Note that it prints at a 45º angle on the print-surface to fit on the Mini's smaller bed. Part photo attached is a v1 print. The v2 .STL file attached has a few improvements (like the slight up-tilt to counteract strut angle) and a dimensional fix. Post-Printing Fit to the MP Select Mini's Existing spool holder The existing spool holder has a couple of poke-out tabs near the unit. These keep a regular 1kg spool away from the housing. Some spools can snag on the unit potentially, so having a spacer here is a good idea. Perhaps print yourself a little chunk to stick in here after you've bent the tabs out of the way, so this half-spool holder will slide over the metal strut. Use a spacer when you're not using your half-kilo spool, and you'll be okay. How I Designed This Notes: Made the unit with a slight tilt-back because the metal holder strut leans down a tad. The bend-back cancels out the lean. Made for a half-kilo spool that has a hub-hole of about 32mm.