Ultimate Filament Spool Enclosure - Singular
I really liked the Ultimate Filament Spool Enclosure by Supergrapher but I never liked the fact that the enclosure was handling two spools at once. Whenever I wanted to change one spool, it also gave humidity to the other… So I designed my own.
Before starting the project:
Print the Tolerance Test plate to make sure that everything will fit properly. I RECOMMEND PETG.
If you still want to use it with the TOP MOUNT, you need to print the TOP MOUNT MODIFIED print profile too, or else, the print head won't have enough clearance at the top!
The guide is available in PDF format if that's more convenient.
Things that you’ll need:
- Simple rubber bands
- Lots of filament. Each drum is around 200-300g. I recommend transparent PETG.
- Spare PTFE tubing
- 3mm or 3.5mm drill bit for drilling
- Plastic food container lid (sadly this is a 4 pack and you only need one of these):
- OPTIONAL: Transparent scotch tape or some sort of transparent plastic (if you print the drum with the window)
- The big ring is the test fit for the plastic lid you purchased. The lid should snap on it pretty tight.
- This is the middle part of the “drum”. The hole should be exactly the size of the diameter for the rod that you need to remove the AMS lite Rotary Spool Holder from. Try it on, see if it fits for you. If it’s tight, that’s great.
- Part 3 is the bottom part of the silicagel holder lock mechanism
- Part 4 is the top part of the silicagel holder lock mechanism. When printed, try fitting part 3 and part 4 together. If they slide into each other without much effort, it should be okay.
- This part is the cutout for the circular Humidity sensor. If the sensor snaps into it with a LOT of force, then it will stay in place and won’t rotate on its own, meaning it’s perfect.
- This is the part where the PTFE tubing will slide in. In a later picture, I demonstrate how to make the PTFE tubes fit this hole even better with rubber bands. Follow the tutorial to test it out.
PRINTING:
- Print the “drum”. I Highly recommend PETG in order to minimize wear on the flaps.
- Apply clear scotch tape or use any transparent plastic and glue it in place to have a sealed window. I used scotch tape. Properly applied it seals the drum correctly.
- Unscrew this. Don’t worry the AMS Lite won’t fall apart.
- Remove AMS lite Rotary Spool Holder from the AMS. There are guides online on how to do that, but basically, hold onto the AMS lite with one hand and then forcefully pull the AMS lite Rotary Spool Holder and it will come off without causing any damage.
- Insert a small rubber band into the hole where the PTFE tubing should be, like in the images below:
- Then insert a short PTFE tube into the hole, making sure it’s tight, then cut off the inside part of the PTFE tube to make it “flush” with the surface, minimizing filament friction, like in the picture below. Make sure it’s a tight fit. The best way to minimize air coming inside is to wrap around the rubber band around the PTFE tube. Exact measurements for the PTFE tube may vary so do your own measurements.
- Position the “drum” on the spool holder, making sure the outlet for the PTFE tube is horizontal, like shown in the image below.
- Notice the screw behind the “drum”. Mark it with a permanent marker. Then pull it off, and drill out the hole.
- Put it back on and screw in the screw to secure it. To help minimize air coming inside and also make it more secure, add a rubber band around the spool holder tube as shown in the image.
- Put back the Rotary Spool Holder. Make sure it can spin freely.
- If it does, then proceed with assembly and you’re done. I recommend printing The AMS lite Quick Release System by BigJon1378 on Makerworld, because otherwise, it’s a bit hard to remove the attached spools. The link to the print is here: https://makerworld.com/en/models/823228-the-ams-lite-quick-release-system
- After putting on the spool with the Quick Release system mentioned above, just put the silica gel holder in front of it. It is significantly smaller than the “drum” as can be seen in the image below. That is normal.
- When finished, put on the lid and happy printing!
FAQ:
Q: How to insert the filament? There’s not enough room.
A: What I usually do is that I put the entire spool on the bed of the printer and feed the filament from there. That way I have enough clearance. After the AMS Lite has pulled enough filament through I just put the spool in the spool holder.
SethPDA
