Perfect stay-on-spool filament clip

Perfect stay-on-spool filament clip

As you probably know, filament clips are one of the most popular themes here at Printables. So why another version? To understand, you should know my configuration. I use the MMU2 with dry boxes and full PTFE tubing from the dry box through the buffer and MMU2 to the extruder. The drying boxes are above the printer on the shelf so I can just see inside. The coils have a silica container in the core. For storage, the coils go individually into airtight PE storage boxes. I mainly use Prusament on the honeycomb spools.

So why another version?

• I hate having to fight with the silica container, the stubborn filament and a clip at the same time when changing spools (pulling back the filament) in the drybox. • I have printed and tried many other clips - I have never been satisfied. You either keep looking for them, they don't hold properly or they bend the filament. • Clips that can stay on the filament only work semi well in a dry box with full PTFE tubes. Occasional filament blockage, or they fall off when rewinding anyway. • The holder on the Prusament spools would actually be perfect, but it's never in the right place.

When I found the first stay-on-spool clip I thought it is a great idea, but I couldn't get the print stable enough to use the clip twice (it broke). In the comments, the creator already suspected that a screwed solution would have been a better alternative. After extensive testing, here is the final solution (for Prusa honeycomb coils).

Advantages

• The clip can even be fixed before the first use onto the full spool • The clip does not hinder the unwinding in any way, neither on the inside of the filament nor on the outside of the spool holder (tested excessively) • can be reused almost as often as you like • Only one M4x8 mm countersunk screw is required (printed thread in the clip) • can be printed very quickly without support- fits in every hole of the spool where the hole is equal or bigger then 4mm (the honeycombs have different sized frets on the inside) • can be easily adapted to other spools by modifying the outer sleeve.

I also tried a smaller version with an M3 screw, but it could be broken by pulling on the filament with a little force. More stable materials are out of the question here, as the small thread can only be printed with PLA and a small layer height (< 0.15 mm).

So, now have fun printing

Design and description by steffanders , licensed CC-BY.