Anet A8 quick release ball bearing top bar filament holder

I recently noticed that my print quality suffers a little bit if I have the filament holder standing on one side of the printer (uneven pull); it also unnecessarily occupies desk space. So I designed this spool holder that clamps to the top bar of the Anet A8 and utilizes two skate bearings that rest in seats to create a smooth running 'quick release system'.

It uses three aluminium tubes: 8mm in diameter, two 170mm in length (for the clamps), one 150mm in length (for the axle) – saves filament, time, is easy to customize (e.g. for spools with a diameter larger than 20cm) and you can always tweak the bearing holders without having to print the whole construction again.

I widened the ends of the axle with a center punch to create a press fit for the bearings. I guess super-glueing them in place would also work.

So far I'm really happy with how it works! Swapping filaments is quick and easy and the ball bearings make for a smooth feed while the spool doesn't unwind all by itself, because the offset of the axle in the spool provides just enough resistance to prevent that.

Category: 3D Printer Accessories