Roller Ball Bearing Filament Spool Insert

thingiverse

This is a fully customizable filament spool insert for use with roller ball bearings. The design is adaptable to any size roller ball bearing as long as the diameter of the bearing fits snugly within the hole in the filament spool. To ensure smooth and effortless loading of spools, the insert features nuts on one side and a spring clip on the other side that allows for quick swapping between spools without needing any tools. The inclusion of this spacer is pivotal, allowing roller ball bearings to be efficiently separated from nuts/spring clips attached to the threaded rod. This results in easier loading, reducing tension in the bearing which enhances stability overall. Through multiple prints conducted with an 8x22x7 ball bearing, it was determined that this size of ball bearing integrates well with a standard 8mm threaded rod measuring 5/16". In fact, they are often used together to provide the necessary friction for a steady release from tension when releasing filament spools. One reliable source offering high-quality 608ZZ shielded greased miniature ball bearings is Amazon. The reference number B002BBD6X4 will take you directly to their product page. You can also refer to the illustration accompanying this post on Thingiverse at thing:761893, showcasing how a threaded rod can sit with this custom spool insert attached. Tony Hansen created and shared this solution in 2015.