LACK Enclosure Filament Feed Tube

thingiverse

*Abstract:* * A simple filament feed hole for the IKEA LACK table that is frequently used for printer enclosure construction. *Brief:* * I wanted to design a filament feed hole that would be small, tidy, and easy to install, without the worry of drilling the hole at an incorrect angle. *Parts:* * 1x Tube * 1x Installation shim * 1x Bottom cap * 1x Top cap *Tools Required:* * Drill * 10mm drill bit * 5.5mm (or 5mm) drill bit * Pencil * 30cm rule or measuring tape *Instructions:* 1. Take the pencil and rule (or tape measure). With the 0cm mark held on the front left corner of the table surface, place the rule diagonally toward the centre. With the 0cm point still held, hold the pencil on the 30cm point and slide the rule around in an arc toward the front of the table. Repeat this for the right hand corner. The two arcs should intersect in the centre of the table [picture1]. 2. Using the 10mm drill bit and drill, drill a 10mm hole through the upper surface of the table [picture2]. The table surface is quite thin so only a small amount of pressure will be required to break through. Push the drill deeper into the table cavity beneath the hole to move any stray cardboard structure out of the way. Do not drill through the bottom layer at this time. 3. Place the Shim part over the Tube part, there is a chamfer on one side of the shim hole to make this easier if it's a tight fit. Push the tube through the 10mm drilled hole until the shim is touching the table surface completely flat [picture 3]. If the tube can't be pushed all the way down, there is likely cardboard structure in the way, use the 10mm drill to clean this out as before, then try again. 4. Take the 5.5mm or 5mm drill bit (choose the bit that fits well inside your printed tube, you may need to use the 5mm if the hole shrunk from printing). Carefully push the drill bit down through the installed tube until it contacts the bottom table surface. Before drilling ensure once again that the shim is flat to the top table surface. Gently drill the lower surface until you can see the very tip of the drill bit poking through on the underside [picture4]. 5. Remove the tube from the hole, remove the shim from the tube. 6. Using the 10mm drill bit, drill from the underside of the table upwards, using the mark left from the smaller drill bit as a guide [picture5]. 7. Clean up the holes and install the tube without the shim [picture 6]. 8. After ensuring the top of the tube is flush with the top table surface, push fit the bottom cap onto the tube [picture 7]. 9. After removing the supports from the top cap, push fit it onto the top of the tube [picture 9]. 10. insert filament and ensure it slides freely through the tube [picture 8]. *Versions:* * 1.0: Initial submission