Qidi X-Max Spool Holder & Filament Guide

Update 01/23/22:

I've added a new holder with integral guide and a super fancy "X" that I created shortly after the original upload just in case anyone else has a preference for that. Added a couple bad photos of that--sorry printer was running.

To answer the question: "does it fit with the top cover on?" Yes. You can feed from the rear of the printer or through the top. Should you feed through top (like me with PLA/+) the guide arms can remain in place and will clear the opening. Pro tip (from a friend of mine): if you cut a small slit in the back of the top cover, you can even take the lid on/off without threading the filament through the cutout each time... If you use a power tool (Dremel or jigsaw?), use painter's tape and go slow--the material gets melty when heated...

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Filament spool holder and filament guide arm for the Qidi X-Max...

I'm a fan of the X-Max printer, but the supplied spool holder rod and feed mechanisms leave something to be desired. I wasn't able to find anything online as a replacement quite to my taste, so I decided to design my own.

This spool holder attaches to the rear of the X-Max printer using two M3-.5 x 16 bolts (and washers) which you can pick up from any hardware store or order online. I'm not certain all X-Max printers have these "mounting" holes, so you should check before printing. There is no modification necessary to the printer and you can always revert to the original Qidi hardware if you need. The "spindle" will accept filament spools up to 70mm wide which accommodates everything in my collection.

I've also designed a few options for guiding the filament. While the filament guide is somewhat optional, it provides some insurance against the filament escaping the spool and tangling. A side benefit seems to be that it cuts down on some of the filament "slapping" noises as the extruder travels around quickly. I've preserved the rear filament feed location on the rear of the spool holder, though my personal preference is to feed from the top of the roll into the printer. I rarely use the top cover on the X-Max, but things should also work OK with that in place.

Everything will print without supports. You'll need to rotate the parts such that flat areas are against the bed (or prongs up in the case of the swivel piece)--I haven't done that in the supplied STLs. I recommend printing the items in a tougher material like PLA+/Pro or PETG. You will need some "flex" to snap the pieces together. I used PLA+ (eSun) for the parts pictured.

I'm using a 0.4mm nozzle. My print settings (in Cura) are as follows:

-0.6mm line width

-0.2mm layer height

-Bottom, top layers: 4

-Wall line count: 2

-Gyroid infill @ 5mm spacing

Enjoy!

Category: 3D Printer Accessories