Parametric marble roller bearing for cheap filament spindle

thingiverse

This creation is an evolution of Thingiverse's http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4641 and http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4885 designs, designed for Makerbot printability. The idea involves placing marbles inside a roller bearing, which sits atop a freely spinning board (made from materials like cardboard, press board, or scrap wood). To counterbalance tilts and asymmetries in the filament spindle, it's recommended to print the parts as large as your printer allows. Two variations are available: marble_bearing_simple.stl, which employs a grooved ring design above and below marbles for easy printing; and a more advanced version (lower_part.stl and upper_part.stl), which encloses the marbles within the bearing to prevent them from rolling away when the spindle is touched. Both designs can handle significant weight, and might be useful for rotating heavy items like plants or cabinets. Each variation requires up to 12 marbles with a 16mm diameter. If you lack marbles, printable marble versions (marble.stl) are available, although support may be needed during printing. To assemble, print the chosen design and place the marbles between the two parts; for variation (2), ensure proper locking in place. Minor adjustments with a knife might be necessary if there's clearance issue.