Quick Change Universal Spool Holder

thingiverse

This is a universal spool holder that makes changing spools quick and easy. Three "bolt" lengths are available: Original, Large, and Extra Large. It accommodates spools with center holes of 50-65 mm in size. To accommodate larger spools, the Enbiggener can be printed to expand the size up to 85 mm. Other sizes are possible using the included Fusion 360 file. It can be used with or without 608 bearings and is designed for printability with no supports required. The hub has cone-like faces that quickly engage with coarse thread pitch. To change spools, simply slide a piece of 5/16" or 8mm rod into place. Spools larger than 65 mm can have their ID size increased by printing the Enbiggener expansion sleeve. Mounting options include placing it on an Ikea ALGOT wall shelf with the rod cantilevered out from one bracket, fitting inside itself and allowing easy spool changes. Designs exist for free-standing or mounting to i3 printer frames and popular options can be found online. The holder's design lets users pre-load bearings by threading lock-nuts onto the "bolt" sides, adjusting free-wheeling during prints. Users can customize dimensions, lengths, bearing/axle tolerances, etc., in Fusion 360 files, which are available for download. This project was inspired by cone-like hubs and AndrewBCN's bearing insert design allows users to extract bearings as needed. Change log: * Initial upload on 2016-01-03 * Version 2.0 released in 2016-11-24 with improved thread engagement due to added chamfers. * In 2017-12-04, Large and Extra Large "bolt" lengths became available for larger spool holders. * Update on 2018-06-29 suggested mounting methods for the rod and provided a Fusion 360 file. * On 2018-11-01, the Enbiggener expansion sleeve increased ID size capacity to 85 mm. Printing information includes: * Brand: RepRap * Printer model: Prusa i3 * Resolution: 0.3mm * Infill density: 30% * Print time: Approximately 4.5 hours at 70mm/s * Material used: PLA, no supports required