Makerfarm Prusa i3V spool holder

cults3d

I adore my Prusa i3V, but the standard spool holder leaves a lot to be desired. It blocks access to the SD card, makes strange noises when replacing certain spools, and is a hassle due to its design of cross member and height, making it difficult to cover with a box to control draft. Clearly, a better design is needed. This attachment moves the spool from the top of the printer to its left side just behind the z-step motor. It consists of three parts: the spool holder, the filament guide, and a round spacer that matches the stock M5 screw coming with the Prusa i3V. The shiny cylinder part of the filament guide is a short stainless steel piece found in a local hardware store (the Hillman Group 1/4-in x 3/8-in x 1-in Seamless Steel Spacer model 880416). It is held in place by two M3 screws from both sides. The cylinder can turn, but it's not critical as long as it is smooth. I also wrapped kapton tape on the main spool holder to reduce friction, probably unnecessary but harmless. The main part is secured with four M3 screws. Use small washers on the plastic side (they will sink into the base) and large ones on the wood side. Ensure it's positioned so that all spool sizes can fit without touching the Z-step motor (remember, the Z-step motor moves up and down and should have enough clearance in all positions). Printing is straightforward; I printed everything with PLA and no material support. All source files are included, so if you need to modify anything, simply change the relevant file and regenerate the STL files using OpenSCAD. My printer has an 8" x 8" hotbed, but I believe it should work with all i3V versions.