Ultimate Spool Roller V2 [21cup dry box compatible]

Tired of adjusting your roller to fit different spool widths? Tired of spools jumping off your roller in the middle of a print? Is your current roller too big to fit in your dry box?

Solve these problems and more, with the new and improved one size fits all derail proof...

Ultimate Spool Roller 2!

-Max width... fits spools 10mm wider than the original Ultimate Spool Roller

-Less filament to print versus the original Ultimate Spool Roller

-No need for adjustments

-Works with a wide variety of spool sizes (~165-215mm dia. X 0-79mm wide)

-Spools will not jump off the rollers while printing

-Fits inside Rubbermaid 21 cup dry box containers

-Can be used as a standalone roller

-Easy to print (<=45degree overhangs & minimum bridging)

-Note: the original version uses tapered rollers which helps reduce friction when the spool rubs the sides. See the original here: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3327709

To complete it, you will need:

-2@ printed rollers (spoolRollerRoller.stl)

-2@ printed side frames (spoolRollerFrame.stl)

-1@ printed desiccant riser (spoolRollerDesiccantRiser.stl), or printed plate (spoolRollerPlate.stl)

-4@ 608 size ball bearings

-4@ M3x6 bolts

The desiccant riser is convenient if you are using Rubbermaid 21 cup dry boxes. If you don't want the riser, use the standard plate for a base, or optionally bolt it to the top of your enclosure if that's how you roll... no pun intended (70x70mm bolt pattern). Here is a link to the PTFE bulkhead I am using on my drybox cartridges (shown in the photos):

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3223256

It works perfectly for my printer, which has a PTFE filament guide coming out of the heated enclosure. When I swap filaments, I plug the bulkhead with a scrap piece of PTFE, folded over with a zip-tie for easy handling, and sealed on the end with hotglue.

Enjoy, and Happy Printing!

Kevin

[Update 1/26/19: I uploaded FrameB.stl increased vertical height so that desiccant beads will not get wedged between the frame and rollers. This does not reduce max spool diameter, which is actually limited by the sides of the container.]

Print Settings

Rafts:

No

Supports:

No

Resolution:

0.2-0.3

Infill:

30%

Notes:

When printing the rollers, setup your slicer to "randomize z-seams". If you don't, all of the seams will likely be aligned on a single line, forming a speed bump that results in not so smooth operation. Sanding lined up z-seams is a lot more work and often results in a flat spot. Randomizing z-seams makes the seam bumps much easier to remove with sanding, and prevents flat spotting (since the areas to sand are evenly spread out).

Use whatever filament you like. Keep in mind you may want to sand the rollers smooth after printing. So keep this in mind when selecting your filament for the rollers; ABS sands easily, PLA takes a lot more work, PETG is even harder to work with, and nylon is not sandable.

Post-Printing

The stl files are high resolution, but depending on your printer and slicer setup, you may still have discontinuous circles (very small facets on the surface) that can lead to rough movement. Some setups print smoother circles than others. Regardless, if you need very smooth motion you should plan on doing a few minutes of sanding on the roller surfaces after printing to remove faceting and z-seams. On the upside, since V2 doesn't have the roller wedges it is much easier to sand!