Small spool for filament samples

youmagine

I was looking for a hassle-free way to load 50g samples of filament onto a spool without tedious winding. Essentially, remove the side panel, drop in the hoop of filament, secure the tail end with a hook, and screw the side panel back on. The center accommodates an 8mm rod. CAD sources are included for those who want to modify it for different rod sizes. This design is optimized for 0.5mm bead widths, which should work well with 0.35 and 0.4mm nozzles. Supports are likely unnecessary, but be prepared to print 25mm bridges. Two perimeters are recommended (any more and your slicer may encounter issues), along with 4-6 top and bottom layers. I've designed this part to be thin and lightweight, minimizing material usage. It should consume less than 50g of material. However, built correctly, it should remain durable.