Remixed Parametric/Adjusable Replicator1 Spool Holder with extended bearings

thingiverse

For five years, I've been relying on joeyC's excellent Parametric/Adjustable Replicator 1 Spool Holder (https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:40084). It has given me a decade of reliable service with no issues whatsoever. Nevertheless, I have encountered a problem with it recently. Some filament manufacturers (CC3D is one example) have adopted a spool width that doesn't mesh well with the spacing on the original spool holder. The spool will sometimes slide and get stuck between the frame and a bearing. In at least two cases, this has caused the spool to roll off the table, which tends to grab your attention at 2am. Initially, I wanted to create long, solid rollers to replace the bearings in hopes of alleviating the problem. Unfortunately, there isn't much clearance in the original design for that. Therefore, I extended the original bearing shafts to accommodate three 608ZZ skate bearings in a line instead of one. This means that the spool holder requires twelve bearings instead of four, but skate bearings are inexpensive and this works amazingly well. As an added benefit, the beveled grooves which form when you push the bearings together have a tendency to redirect the spool if it wanders a bit. It appears to have tamed the issues I was experiencing. Also, it means that I can leave it adjusted to its widest setting and accommodate all of the different spool widths that I possess. In addition to the added bearings, I rounded the edges of the tab on the T-shaped spool hanger to make it easier to insert into the main body. All other aspects of the models have been left unchanged from the original. When I built the original spool holder, I printed it at 100% infill in natural PLA. In five years, it didn't warp or bend, so I opted for 100% infill again using Hatchbox black PLA. That seems to be the best-performing PLA on my old Replicator. I used some self-tapping screws which were liberated from an old Samsung laser printer, which worked satisfactorily enough. Refer to joeyC's original Thingiverse page for hardware/assembly instructions.