I am thrilled that many of the filaments I like to use are now on recyclable cardboard spools but unfortunately, not all are. So I wanted a re-useable spool that was easy to use and had some features that were important to me. This is what I came up with.
This spool consists of the same part printed twice and they mate together by simply twisting them. There is a detent to hold them in position but you can reverse twist them to separate the halves just as easily. They also can be nested for stacking the same way. But I did a couple of other things that I think are somewhat unique.
The first feature I added is a printable snap-on label card for marking what filament is in the spool. The card also has some slots so if you remove a partially used spool you can tie the card to the partial spool before putting it in storage. The card can snap onto multiple locations and of course on either side (since both halves are identical).
Another feature I added which is out there but I did not like how it was done on the ones I looked at was the ability to add zap straps to the partially used filament roll before removing it from the spool. I made the side slots for inserting the zap strap extend to inside the spool diameter where there is a space for the strap to pass under the filament core. And, then I created offsetting additional space that allows the re-useable spool to be twisted and separated without interference with the now-installed zap strap.
Lastly, I added more holes for inserting the end of the filament for storage. It always bothered me that some of the spools from the manufacturers have very few holes in the sides so you have to unspool some filament to reach the hole. Not a big deal… unless you are OCD. ugh.
The inside diameter of the spool is 92mm and the inside width is 58mm. I arrived at those dimensions to suit the eSun Refillament spools but I suspect it will be quite suitable for other brands as well. Please let me know if you use another brand if it works or does not work. I can include that information here for future users.
Printing
This is a pretty straightforward print as long as you have a print bed large enough. I used PETG and I think it is ideal but probably any material is fine. No support is needed. I have tried to make my main print settings visible on the Cura screenshot but in case they are difficult to read I have summarized them again here…
Material: I choose to use PETG for its durability and flexibility.
My Setup:
Nozzle = 0.4mm
My Settings:
Layer height = 0.2mm
Line width = 0.45mm
Wall count = 4 (1.6mm)
Infill = 40%
Support:
Designed to print without support.
Print Orientation: As shown in the screenshot(s).
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