Universal Spool Holder

thingiverse

Update: Coming soon! - Optional Filament guide/cleaner and possibly other modular add-on's This is my go at designing a spool holder. This spool holder is universal and can hold spools from 40-115mm without the need for nuts/bolts to assemble and no tools to adjust. Assembly requires: 4x 608ZZ roller bearings 2x 10mm rubber O-Rings Special tools: A metal ruler or other flat metal like a butter knife. A cigarette lighter. Optional: Adhesive rubber pads - I had these lying around and stuck them to the bottom of the spool holder to give it some grippy rubber feet. Print Settings Printer Brand: Printrbot Printer: Simple Black Rafts: No Supports: No Resolution: 0.1mm Infill: 20% Notes: I used a brim with my heated bed to give a nice flat print with no curling Post-Printing Step 1: Remove the brim by snapping it off. Step 2: Press the 608ZZ bearings onto the 4 posts. They should just slide straight on but may need a firm press. Make sure they are pushed all the way down. A lip at the bottom of the post will provide 1mm clearance from the spool holder and there should be 2mm of post sticking up past the bearing. Step 3: Securing the bearings in place. Place your printed parts with the bearings installed on a firm surface with the posts pointing up. Take your metal ruler or other flat smooth metal tool (A butter knife will work) and heat it with a cigarette lighter. You need to get it hot enough to melt the PLA, 10-20 seconds should be enough. When your metal tool is hot press it down firmly on the top of one of the bearing posts and hold it there for 20-30 seconds before removing it. Blowing on it will cool it faster. Remove the tool you used, you may have to give it a little twist to break it free and the top of the bearing post should have squashed flat securing the bearing in place (see the picture in the description) Step 4: Take your 2 pieces of the spool holder and slide the dovetail rails together. Turn the spool holder upside down so you are looking at the bottom of it. With the smaller part of the spool holder started on the dovetail rails but sticking out so you can see the depressions for the O-Rings, take your rubber O-Rings and drop them into the depressions. Slide the smaller part of the spool holder with the O-Rings in place completely onto the dovetail rails. You may have to hold the O-Rings down as you do this. The adjustable part of the Spool holder should be able to slide along the dovetail rails with some firm pressure, but not move accidentally.