Spool alternatives

[fingerpuk 0]

Hello everyone.

As I'm moving on to filament not on a spool I wonder what are the alternatives to keeping filament tidy? I'm going to be creating a nice caddy style support with bearing for the two rolls of filament I have still on a spool so they can sit on the floor and feed straighter. But for filament in a bag? I don't really want to print out a massive spool, so what other options are there?

Cheers.

 

[illuminarti 18]

I just keep it loose, and lay it on a flat board that is mounted on a lazy susan turntable, positioned on the floor behind the printer. It's easy enough shake the coils loose, and keep several meters of free filament for the printer to feed on, so that you only need to check the filament every few hours.

 

[fingerpuk 0]

OK, I'll try that then

 

[discostu 0]

I've got my filament from faberdashery today. Printing without a spool doesn't seems to be a problem. But how do you store the filament? I think, if I simply put it in a bag without any spool, there occur many knots.

[aviphysics 9]

The trick to preventing knots I believe is to fix the free end of filament so it can't get knotted. At least that is what they do for rock climbing rope.

 

[skint 61]

Man! when that filament twists its a bugger getting it untwisted.

I leave mine on the floor behind the printer and basically unravel the approximate amount I need for my print. So far so good, no twists.

 

[IRobertI 520]

If the filament goes nuts on the floor and twists itself into a ball you can fix it, just don't panic. All you need to do is grab whatever is left of the coil that hasn't knotted up, hold it firmly and just start twisting it, grab it with your other hand before letting go with the first and twist some more, rinse repeat. Eventually it pops back into shape. As long as you twist it the in the right direction that is. The key is to never let go of that bit of coil that looks right.

 

[skint 61]

One fast workaround I have done when I have had bad coils, is to simply just cut the correct length amount required for the print +/- a foot or two Much easier to unwind it then.