Filament Storage and DryBox

[NikosSprocket]

I have tried a few different filament storage/dry box designs for individual 1kg spools, and I believe this version covers my filament storage/dry box needs. There are many difference versions out there; this is my original interpretation.

Also, it had to incorporate a fully enclosed but can be opened container that will hold about 100cc of silica gel beads. No supports required, just some CA glue for the small walls.

With dry silica beads, I get about 10 to 15% humidity reading.

Used the following besides the prints:

• Smallest possible airtight cereal container to hold a 1kg filament spool.
• Use only 2 608-2RS Ball Bearings per storage box.
• Small Digital Electronic Temperature Humidity Meter
• Standard size bulk Blue Indicating Silica Gel Beads.
• Bowden Tube coupler

[SuperBoppy]

Nice. 

[MysteryHunter]

This one looks very nice. Is it possible to get the STL Files? 

[sleepster217]

13 hours ago, NikosSprocket said:

I have tried a few different filament storage/dry box designs for individual 1kg spools, and I believe this version covers my filament storage/dry box needs. There are many difference versions out there; this is my original interpretation.

Also, it had to incorporate a fully enclosed but can be opened container that will hold about 100cc of silica gel beads. No supports required, just some CA glue for the small walls.

With dry silica beads, I get about 10 to 15% humidity reading.

Used the following besides the prints:

• Smallest possible airtight cereal container to hold a 1kg filament spool.
• Use only 2 608-2RS Ball Bearings per storage box.
• Small Digital Electronic Temperature Humidity Meter
• Standard size bulk Blue Indicating Silica Gel Beads.
• Bowden Tube coupler

Nice and simple I like it 

Who makes them cereal boxes as would be curious if u can get them here in Australia or if the measurements are similar over here

[NikosSprocket]

6 hours ago, MysteryHunter said:

This one looks very nice. Is it possible to get the STL Files? 

Yes, of course. I will post the link here. Please give me a day or so.

[mafe72]

Very nice! 

I bought a SUNLU Filament Dryer Box back in 2018, and it's now on its last leg. This is the perfect replacement!

I will be printing this project once you make the STL available.

Thank you for your contribution to the community!!

 

[mvdveer]

6 hours ago, sleepster217 said:

Nice and simple I like it 

Who makes them cereal boxes as would be curious if u can get them here in Australia or if the measurements are similar over here

Seems both Woolies, Coles and K-Mart stock them at around $6-16 AUD. Size 127.5cm height 12.1cm width.

Woolies (in stock), K-Mart (in stock) and Coles (out of stock currently)

Woolworths - $15.00AUD                                                         K-Mart - $6.00AUD

                                      

Your next project!. 

Thanks to @NikosSprocket for sharing.

[claudermilk]

Woolworths? K-Mart? LOL, I remember those stores. Both dead and gone here in the US.

[mafe72]

I remember back in the day my BlueLight dial-up service was sponsored by K-mart

[kharrisma]

Nice looking setup; one of the first things I did was look for a similar solution... there are a LOT of different approaches out there, but I couldn't find one that worked in the containers I was getting (mainly they were too small at the base, and had grip grooves that interfered with spool rotation.)  Any issues with the spool impinging on the grip ribs/depressions at the back of the container?  I've always had to use a heat gun, blocks and a clamp to flatten them out to make them useful for this application.  Other issue I had was with the container base; there just wasn't room for one; the width at the bottom wasn't as wide as the spools, so I ended up hanging the spool on an 'axle' mounted in the center of the large side face (Box-1.)  You can see the odd-looking area at the rear where the grip recess got flattened.  The spool feeds up from the bottom to a threaded/capped ball-swivel fitting mounted in the dispensing flap (Box-4.)  The fitting has an inner plate, a swivel-ball retainer plate (O-ring loaded), the swivel ball, and an outer plate with threads for a storage cap (Box-5.)  Three screws/nuts hold the inner and outer components in place through three small holes drilled in the spout flap.  The ball swivel and the cap are both O-ring sealed to minimize moisture infiltration.  While not necessary, I chose to incorporate a bowden fitting, as I plan to enclose the filament in tubing up to the (direct) extruder, again to minimize moisture pickup.  There's are optional files for a ball with threaded bore for a bowden fitting or without the threaded hole.  There's an inner and outer axle-carrier plate, connected via hardware through close-fitting holes in the container.  The inner plate incorporates a saddle for the 5mm aluminum axle shaft; I lengthed the shaft so it pushes out the sidewalls of the container just a little for positive retention of the axle.  Two 680 bearings support the spool, and the bearings are mounted in a parametric spring-star adapter... since no two manufacturere seem to use the same sized spool hole.  The diameter of the star can be expanded or reduced, and arms added or reduced (Box-6.)  Small 'ears' at the end of the star arms prevent the star from going into the spool, and there's a lip to prevent the bearing from doing the same.  The bearing isn't captive, but it can't migrate into the spool, and can't migrate outward because it's held in place by the inner plate.  The bearings let the spool rotate freely - - too freely sometimes; I've had a couple of rat's-nest tangles until I added a reel-brake of sorts (arm with leather pads, weighted with another 680 bearing... just enough drag to prevent free-wheeling of the spool post-extruder-pull; Box-8.)  Just for convenience, I printed a duplicate threaded plate and mounted it at the rear of the lid, so I could park the cap on it (and NOT lose the thing) when the box was in use feeding the printer.  Not necessary, I just know me and I'd likely misplace it... so I made a place to put the cap safely.

Again with the too-small container base - - couldn't fit any kind of base, so I ended up just dumping the dessicant beads on the floor, where they're clearly visible.  Do you have any issues seeing the color change of the beads in that container?

Still looking for a good solution for mounting the humidity/temp gauge (I use the same one you do.)  Wanting to minimize the number of holes drilled in the container, I tried a magnetic mount, but the mount was dead flat, and the container definitely isn't, so it wouldn't stay put.  Still don't want to use a through-hole to mount it; something will turn up.

Any issues with the printed axle sagging over time under the constant load of the filament reel?  I've had several prints (PLA mostly) deform over time under load (normal ambient room temperatures.)  The container you're using solves a number of issues I was having with similar but apparently smaller ones; I'd likely change that printed axle to an aluminum shaft.  Only issue I've had with the 5mm shafting and 608 bearings is the fit of the shaft to the inner bearing bore is way past hand tight; a press would push it in, but that's impractical for this application, so I cut them a little long, chucked them in a drill press, and used a file and sandpaper to reduce the shaft diameter to a snug push fit inside the bearing, making spool changes a lot easier.  A nuisance step, but it makes life a lot easier.  I tend to run them off in batches so I don't have to do it too often.    

 

[NikosSprocket]

@MysteryHunter and @mafe72. It may need some editing, but all the files for printing are there:

 

Filament Dry Box Dispenser with a build-in Hydrometer

Please, let me know if you have any issues with the prints etc.

Enjoy!

Nikos

 

[NikosSprocket]

2 hours ago, kharrisma said:

Nice looking setup; one of the first things I did was look for a similar solution... there are a LOT of different approaches out there, but I couldn't find one that worked in the containers I was getting (mainly they were too small at the base, and had grip grooves that interfered with spool rotation.)  Any issues with the spool impinging on the grip ribs/depressions at the back of the container?  I've always had to use a heat gun, blocks and a clamp to flatten them out to make them useful for this application.  Other issue I had was with the container base; there just wasn't room for one; the width at the bottom wasn't as wide as the spools, so I ended up hanging the spool on an 'axle' mounted in the center of the large side face (Box-1.)  You can see the odd-looking area at the rear where the grip recess got flattened.  The spool feeds up from the bottom to a threaded/capped ball-swivel fitting mounted in the dispensing flap (Box-4.)  The fitting has an inner plate, a swivel-ball retainer plate (O-ring loaded), the swivel ball, and an outer plate with threads for a storage cap (Box-5.)  Three screws/nuts hold the inner and outer components in place through three small holes drilled in the spout flap.  The ball swivel and the cap are both O-ring sealed to minimize moisture infiltration.  While not necessary, I chose to incorporate a bowden fitting, as I plan to enclose the filament in tubing up to the (direct) extruder, again to minimize moisture pickup.  There's are optional files for a ball with threaded bore for a bowden fitting or without the threaded hole.  There's an inner and outer axle-carrier plate, connected via hardware through close-fitting holes in the container.  The inner plate incorporates a saddle for the 5mm aluminum axle shaft; I lengthed the shaft so it pushes out the sidewalls of the container just a little for positive retention of the axle.  Two 680 bearings support the spool, and the bearings are mounted in a parametric spring-star adapter... since no two manufacturere seem to use the same sized spool hole.  The diameter of the star can be expanded or reduced, and arms added or reduced (Box-6.)  Small 'ears' at the end of the star arms prevent the star from going into the spool, and there's a lip to prevent the bearing from doing the same.  The bearing isn't captive, but it can't migrate into the spool, and can't migrate outward because it's held in place by the inner plate.  The bearings let the spool rotate freely - - too freely sometimes; I've had a couple of rat's-nest tangles until I added a reel-brake of sorts (arm with leather pads, weighted with another 680 bearing... just enough drag to prevent free-wheeling of the spool post-extruder-pull; Box-8.)  Just for convenience, I printed a duplicate threaded plate and mounted it at the rear of the lid, so I could park the cap on it (and NOT lose the thing) when the box was in use feeding the printer.  Not necessary, I just know me and I'd likely misplace it... so I made a place to put the cap safely.

Again with the too-small container base - - couldn't fit any kind of base, so I ended up just dumping the dessicant beads on the floor, where they're clearly visible.  Do you have any issues seeing the color change of the beads in that container?

Still looking for a good solution for mounting the humidity/temp gauge (I use the same one you do.)  Wanting to minimize the number of holes drilled in the container, I tried a magnetic mount, but the mount was dead flat, and the container definitely isn't, so it wouldn't stay put.  Still don't want to use a through-hole to mount it; something will turn up.

Any issues with the printed axle sagging over time under the constant load of the filament reel?  I've had several prints (PLA mostly) deform over time under load (normal ambient room temperatures.)  The container you're using solves a number of issues I was having with similar but apparently smaller ones; I'd likely change that printed axle to an aluminum shaft.  Only issue I've had with the 5mm shafting and 608 bearings is the fit of the shaft to the inner bearing bore is way past hand tight; a press would push it in, but that's impractical for this application, so I cut them a little long, chucked them in a drill press, and used a file and sandpaper to reduce the shaft diameter to a snug push fit inside the bearing, making spool changes a lot easier.  A nuisance step, but it makes life a lot easier.  I tend to run them off in batches so I don't have to do it too often.    

I mostly print with ABS/ASA, so hopefully axles should be fine. Also, the rollers are designed to touch the inner bearing flange, so as long as the axle does not slip or elongate will not be an issue.