Maker Box 1.75 Filament Spool with Inserts by spradlinb

Last crawled date: 3 years, 1 month ago

This my version of a sample filament spool for Maker Box that combines what I liked from some other spools, and adds a design element of my own. This is the fifth (and hopefully final) revision I've gone through.
The main components of this spool are printed in two parts, with a large threaded center that allows them to be securely connected, and later re-used. You can lay the filament sample in one half (the spool bottom), anchor one end in the provided 60 degree hole (in either direction), and lock it in place with the top half of the spool. Then the filament can be hand-tightened, or (my preference) used to unspool onto a second filament holder, which I've shown in an example picture. The design is sized to easily slip back into the zip-lock bags that the filament samples come in, with a bit of room to spare. There are holes around the outer rim to anchor the end of the sample, which should be snug for 1.75mm filament.
I created two sizes of inserts that snap into the center of each half of the spool to make it fit different spool holders more closely. One is 25mm in diameter, the other is 40mm in diameter. The spool can be used without the inserts at all. If anyone needs a different size, let me know and I can add others.
I suggest printing in PETG or some material that has a bit more flex than straight PLA. PLA might work, but could crack more easily over time on the arms of the inserts or the outer ring when pressure is applied. ABS might also work, but I haven't tried it, and don't know if shrinking would cause any issues. All pieces print without supports, and shouldn't need any brim or raft.
The threads typically come out best with proper cooling around the print head. Some stringing could occur otherwise. Even if it does, there should be enough clearance between the threads in the two parts to still fit together.
Design ideas borrowed:
Small anchor holes around perimeter and in base to anchor the filament: Dingoboy71
Screw-together column design to separate the spool: Dingoboy71
Ability to fit sample spool back into original bags: jlarsenwy
Note: This is designed to be used with Maker Box samples, but the samples themselves may not contain enough plastic to print these!