SpaceSpool - A lightweight MasterSpool

thingiverse

This is an expandable printable spool called the SpaceSpool. The design requirements were clear: the spool had to be lightweight, expandable for use with 1KG refills, compatible with both 1.75 and 2.85 filaments, easy to print with larger nozzles, and available for commercial use to facilitate adoption by filament refill manufacturers. The SpaceSpool weighs in at 106g per spool, made up of: 24g per rim, totaling 48g per x2 rims 29g per half core, totaling 58g per core Key features include: Printing in four parts that can be secured with filament or zip ties Compatibility with all filament sizes No hard-to-print features Printability with large nozzles of 1mm+ Two versions: the Original SpaceSpool and the Saver SpaceSpool. The Original SpaceSpool adheres to MasterSpool guidelines, featuring a reduced inner diameter for spool holders that use the inner surface as the contact point. The Saver SpaceSpool removes most of the inner core, saving on filament weight and designed for use with 'roller' style spool holders (TUSH), but may also work with inner contact holders due to its smooth inner surface. To encourage improvement, .STEP, .F3D, and .STL files are provided so users can make their own changes if they find something lacking. This is an untested WIP, with pictures and testing to follow. UPDATE: September 12, 2018 - Version 2 added after initial tests revealed tolerances were too tight. Tolerances between alignment tabs and holes increased from .25mm to .4mm, and chamfers were added to all bottom surfaces for easier printing and reduced 'elephants foot' presence. The lock pin hole was enlarged from 2mm to 2.5mm, with its width doubled for improved filament insertion.