Mini 50mm filament spool, 40, 31 or 22 mm wide

thingiverse

If you buy filament in small quantities and it comes without a spool or no spool worthy of the name, you can print one of these mini spools to neatly store it or print with the filament without it lingering everywhere. I have made several iterations: The original version is the most lightweight and suitable for storing small strands of filament or printing with flexible filament. However, it's not very suitable for printing as the spindle is too narrow and the spool is too light, causing the springiness of the filament to unwind spontaneously when mounted on a spool holder. The v2 version is slightly sturdier with thicker flanges but has the same problems as the first version. You can use this one if you like the small size but find the first version too flimsy. The v3 version is much heavier, sturdier, and has a wider spindle, making it more suitable for mounting on a printer and more resistant to abuse. You can also make it less likely to unwind by sticking something heavy inside. All versions have an inner hole with 54 mm diameter, like many normal spools that come with commercial filament, fitting on the same spool holders as regular spools with a "50 mm" (more accurately 54 mm) hole. How to print and assemble: If you want a 40 mm wide spool, print two 40 mm parts. If you want a 22 mm spool, print two 22 mm parts. If you want 31 mm, print both a 40 mm and a 22 mm part. For the v3 spool, print both an A and B model and screw them together. The thread should be tight enough to stay together by friction; if not, just use a drop of glue or some tape to secure it. The A models also come in a 'sloppy' version with a less tight screw thread. If even the 'sloppy' thread is too tight, you can cut it off and glue the parts together (but you really should be checking your printer's calibration before printing anything else that requires precision). For the smaller spools, print two halves of the desired size and snap them together (the clip mechanism is symmetrical, so no A and B models for this one). Print Settings Printer Brand: FlashForge Printer: Creator Pro Rafts: No Supports: No Resolution: 0.2 mm Infill: 20% Notes: I recommend printing at 0.2 mm layers to ensure the thread works well or for the smaller spools, that the parts snap well together. Of course, you can also print at a finer thickness if you have a lot of time to spare. For the v3 spool, you may want to use a high infill and heavy filament to increase weight and reduce the risk of spontaneous unwinding. If need be, you could stick heavy objects inside the space between the spindle and the hole to further increase the weight. To check whether the regular or 'sloppy' screw thread will work best for you without wasting an entire print, first print the B model, then print only the topmost 7 millimeters of the A model containing the screw thread. Most slicer programs should allow this; if not, cut up the model in an editor. Try screwing this test part into the B model. If it works all right, you can print the entire regular A model; if not, you should print the 'sloppy' model. Updates v2: 2017/01/08 Added a v2 version of the models with thicker flanges, smaller holes, and some modifications that should make wrapping filament easier. These will be heavier and sturdier. I left the original models available for those who want to print the most lightweight spool possible. v3: 2017/03/22 The v3 version has a wider spindle, screws together instead of snapping together, and should be a lot heavier, therefore more usable to mount filament for printing. 2017/05/20 Added a 'sloppy' variant of the A model screw threads for those with less accurate printers.