Spool Claw - Multi-diameter spool holder

thingiverse

I required an upgraded spool spindle and thoughtfully anticipated that I would need one capable of handling any size spool I might encounter. I used 1" OD by 3/8" ID flanged bearings, which I obtained locally at the hardware store, and they fit snugly in place. I recommend using 3/8" threaded rod, but due to a lack of it at the time, I had to use 1/4", resulting in the bushings shown in the picture. Jam nuts will be necessary for the static position support cone, and the adjustable cone must slide freely. The printed jam nut (knob) is not essential, as a regular nut would suffice, but I thought adding a knob matching the design would look neat and make it less cumbersome to use. If using 3/8" threaded rod, I would simply drill out the knob and cut threads into the print. On the 1/4" rod, I ended up attaching a 1/4" nut to the knob with epoxy because the print was slightly too large and loose. I printed mine in PETG and it has held up well so far. I recommend printing it with high infill, especially if using PLA. Also, do not overtighten it as this is unnecessary; instead, lightly tighten it to avoid snapping off the claw fingers due to poor layer adhesion.