Mendel Feed Spool
Description
Be sure to check out pictures and more information about my Mendel @ reprapbreeding.blogspot.com/
This has now been tested with a 5lb roll of PLA on it and it works very well. I added some more pictures showing this. I also have a video on YouTube youtube.com/watch?v=BFcND7u_Sqk showing it in action (while printing in PLA that glows under black light)
Instructions
3 @ 160mm
4 @ 220mm
Cut 4" ABS to 75mm
Cut 3/4" PVC to 65mm
Print required qty of all printed parts (optional to cut the Spool-side-wood.stl from wood, 22.5mm x 125mm x 6mm thick, and drill a hole)
Assemble as shown in pictures (in detail picture you will notice a stack of washers between spool vertex and bearing, these should not be needed as the file has been updated, but add as required). For the 1/2" PVC pipe I used a hot glue gun to attach it to the inside of one of the spool sides. Optionally print standard or footed vertexes for the bottom and and don't print y-bar clamps. Then assemble as normal.
To use simply remove the center rod for spool, lift out, remove one side, place roll on spool, reassemble and enjoy...
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The spool side inner hold must be much larger.
I changed if from 8mm to 20mm.
There should be just enough lip to hold the 608 bearing securely, and no more!
Otherwise the bearings don't turn well when tightened down because they are rubbing against the spool side plastic.
I'm thinking it might be easier to use 4 x M8 bolts to attach the spool to the Mendel instead of the 2 x 160 mm M8 threaded rod. Think I might try this instead.
Ahhh... I see in the directions you specify 65mm which is probably correct so all you have to do is change it from 3 inches to 65 mm in the BOM.
BTW - to keep things in perspective...
I REALLY LIKE THE DESIGN (and the blue glow-in-the-dark PLA is also cool)! :)
3 inches for the inner pipe but the outer pipe is 75 millimeters?
Something doesn't make sense here...
Again, from the pictures we can see that the inner 3/4 inch pipe must be twice the width of the SpoolSide less in length than the 4 inch pipe, ergo:
length = 75 mm - 2 * 6 mm = 75 mm - 12 mm = 63 mm
But you specify 3 inches = 76.2 mm!
*DONT_KNOW* *DONT_KNOW* *DONT_KNOW*
You are apparently missing an essential component from your BOM.
It appears that you are using ~1/2 inch plastic pipe to connect the two SpoolSide parts.
This is visible in the pictures but is not in your part list!
*DONT_KNOW*
Sorry about that. I did not have the inner PVC pipe in the original design. I had to add it when I actually installed a whole roll of plastic as I then discovered the sides would deflect enough to cause problems. I should have added it when I added the bottom 4 pictures.
License
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I've made some refinements to this design. Unfortunately it seems I have a non working extruder and extruder stepper driver board all gone bad in one day so I'm waiting for parts before I can print it and get some photos. O:-)