My Stoopid Stuff
  • Home
  • Projects
  • Blog
  • Lec'tronics
  • Links
  • CNC
  • Quick Recipes
  • 3D Printer Tips

COMPLETED - Spool Holder for a Rubbermaid 21 Cup Container

8/27/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture
This is a Dr Frankenstein type remix, where I started with Ocieward's "Ocie's 21-Cup Filament Silos" which looks great, and added a few extras like a latch and my filament guide.  I also re-worked the spoolholder to use use an adjustable type, though it can also use the regular roller type that is original to Ocieward's design.  I'm not sure which I will use yet, but like the idea of using fewer bearings.  I'm hoping that everything fits but will update the design as I go if it does not.  This will likely not be posted for a few weeks since there is a lot to print and test.
Picture
Picture
Update 1 - 8/28/2021:   This is close to the final design if everything works.  I'm printing some test parts now to see if things fit well or need some adjustments.  The plan is for the back of the container, with the plate attached to the lid, to catch on the "heel" and then rotate "toe" down into the mount where it will be held by the quick release lever.  That will allow the bowden tube to be connected up.  There is also a version to use a pneumatic coupler (which is like everything so far untested).  With the pneumatic coupler, the regular cap (pictured in orange) should be able to be used, which will allow the container to sit flat.  The major changes to the design are that I split the base up to make it easier to print without supports.  This also allowed me to make a bit of a pocket to accommodate some bumps in the lid of the Rubbermaid 21 cup container.  There is also now a desiccant container and some screw positions to hold the spool holder which will still allow some adjustment or swap out for the rollers.  Assuming everything works when printed, I expect this to be posted in the next 2 weeks.

Updste 2 - 8/29/2021:
Doh!  After uploading the pics I noticed that I chopped part of the threads off the base, which has been fixed, along with a few other optimizations for printing.  I have shaved several hours off the total print time by adding some holes here and there, and decreasing the thickness of parts in non-critical areas.  The first prototype is not much to look at, but everything works as I'd hoped for the most part and where it has some issues, I'm hopeful the current version will fix some minor annoyances.  I still expect this to be done in about 1 to 2 weeks, and then it will be posted to Thingiverse.
Picture
Picture
Picture


Update 3 - 9/1/2021: I had to make some changes but the design is now tested and works.  It will be posted to thingiverse in the next week and I will add a link to it below.

I uploaded some new pics of the completed design.  Pardon the poor print quality on some of them, it is partly due to a worn 0.6mm nozzle (now swapped) and mostly due to the problem this holder is meant to solve - which was too much tension in the filament path.  Prior to this the filament had to make two 90° turns to get to the extruder, now it only makes one and there is no tension in the filament prior to the extruder.  I have yet to print the TPU gasket but plan to do that tomorrow, and will see if I can mount this to the top frame of my ender3 as well.
Picture
Well... maybe one more thing to do, and then this will be done:
Picture
Picture


Update 4 - 9/10/2021: As usual I can't keep messing with the design.  But since I printed and used it, I noted two things and thought of one more thing that could be improved:
  1. The center axis spool holder has too little friction for some materials like TPU which wanted to come unspooled when I used it with this.  So I re-worked it into a roller like the original model has, but this prints with one side and has some caps which hold the bearings on.
  2. The desiccant compartment needed a way to be closed more or less securely.  I don't use the loose pellets in mine (I use the pouches), but for anyone who does, it would be frustrating to have them spill.  I fixed that by adding a way to hold the lid down with a screw.
  3. Probably not a big deal but the center of mass of the spool is now over the 2020 rail on the "top mount" version which is designed to be mounted above printers that have 2020 rails.  This version will also have a wire conduit to route a wire to the area below the spool holder since that seems like a nice place for a light, however I have no plans to develop that idea further since I cannot use this version on my printers.
I will need to re-print some parts but that'd OK since the originals will not go to waste.  But it will mean that this will not get posted for a bit longer.
Picture
Update 5 - 9/16/2021: This project is not abandoned, it's only getting better :D  I have completely re-designed the bogies for the wheels and the way they attach and can be adjusted will be much more convenient (no need to use screws to secure them in place anymore).  It's a bit hard to explain, but I have designed and tested a button and ratcheting mechanism which will be used to adjust the bogies in or out.  I'm still fine tuning some parts of the design but I could post it tomorrow and be 95% fine with it.  The last bit to make it as good as it can be, just takes a bit longer.
Picture
Picture
Update 6 - 9/17/2021: Assembly instructions posted here.  I should be getting this uploaded this weekend.

Update 7 - 9/19/2021: Thingiverse seems to be having some problem since when I posted the design for the label roll holder (posted above), that thing did not make it into my designs on Thingiverse.  So I can only find that thing when I go to it directly, but I don't find it using search or in my designs.  So the design exists on Thingiverse but nobody can find it unless they go to the design directly, and that sucks.  That's pretty much the way it is with Thingiverse, but I'm gonna wait till they get that problem fixed before I post this spool holder system, since I would guess the only way to "fix" it would be to delete the thing and re-post it.

The design is now uploaded to Printables here:
https://www.printables.com/model/79719



0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    Stoopid Me

    Welcome to my Stoopid corner of teh Internet.  It's mostly gonna be 3D printing stuff, but I also post some recipes, projects, and the occasional rant here as well.  More Stoopid stuff is updated regularly.

    I recently joined the Amazon Associate program, so some of the links on this site are Amazon affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.  This will help to support this site, and pay for more Stoopid Stuff.

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    April 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    November 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    June 2017
    December 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    July 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    September 2015
    August 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    November 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

      Contact Form (Name is optional)

    Submit
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.