Table Clamp Paper Roller

thingiverse

Table Clamp Paper Roller is a pretty unusual name, but I couldn't think of anything better. The "Roll-o-Tron 5000" doesn't sound bad either. Here are some videos that might help you understand how it all comes together: Overview Video, Assembly Detail, CAD Assembly, and The Idea. I had an idea: so many packages come with giant reams of paper as padding. People who stuff packages tend to be a bit lazy about jamming that paper in there, so it usually stays intact. If you spend one minute of your time rolling up that paper, you can get a 10-30 meter roll of decent craft paper. I've been hoarding this paper for a while now, trying to figure out what to do with it. Then I thought: make a paper roller table! With CAD! Design Goals were to create something mechanically useful entirely with 3d-printed parts and no external hardware. If you have a 3D printer, you can make a useful object with this setup. I also wanted to create a modular system where you could extend the roll holder arm if your paper roll is bigger than mine was. Or adjust the clamp mouth opening for different table thicknesses. You could even reuse the clamping setup and design your own part that might clamp to it, like an electronics vise or something. How It Works: print four full sets of parts, two for each side of your table. One end holds the rolled-up roll, and the other end cranks it across the table. The parts clamp to the table, and the assemblies are held together with dovetail joints. I kept the rotating shafts from sliding out with 1.75mm filament cotter pins - you just break off a piece of filament and jam it through there to hold the assembly in place. I find that taping the paper into the end you'll be cranking helps get it started. MOAR VARIABLES: I designed the model in Onshape parametrically. You can find that model here, where almost every variable matters is set up as variables so you (I) can adjust the whole thing to work. I've even included a sketch that lets you create your own involute gears of variable pitch + diameter etc. If you fiddle too hard with it (screw threads tend to be fiddly), you might need some familiarity with Onshape, but you should get familiar with it anyway because it is awesome. The models I'm including here on Thingiverse are an iteration that worked for my particular setup - table thickness and paper roll diameter. YMMV if you download those. I've included both my generated STL files, and my Factory files from Simplify3D if you've got that. Print Settings: I used a PrintrBot Simple Metal, which works quite well.