Since I now need to wind filament onto a spool I wanted to try a device to assist with the task, so I printed a Filament Spool Winder. I had a few issues assembling it, mainly when it came to some of the threaded parts. 3D printing threads is a neat trick, but I don’t always think it’s practical. In this case, it just did not work for me. Some of the parts that were threaded did go together, but not easily, and pliers were involved, and they are never coming apart without breaking.
For the rear assembly of the device the two parts that attach to the axle specifically need to be disassembled during normal use, to put on or remove a spool, so the threaded parts need to work, and work well. They did not for me, so I made a few edits so the pieces use square pegs to assemble.
I released my modified parts on Printables, Filament Spool Winder (Non-Threaded Rear Axle Parts), in the hopes it may help someone who struggles with the threads like I did.
This was actually a really difficult project for me, some of it was definitely my own fault. I tried to just print the parts I needed, but somehow printed the wrong part at least once. The threads that did work only worked after sanding, shaving, and forcing. I think if you print all of the parts and watch the assembly video, it would probably make more sense. That said, I really do like assembly guides with photos/illustrations and step-by-step instructions rather than a long video. I should have learned after I built the Provisional Press that it’s best to watch all assembly videos all the way through without skipping ahead, before you start assembly. (This is really difficult for me, and apparently others, to do.)
I have not yet actually tested this Filament Spool Winder but hopefully it works well… Keep an eye out for another post on the subject.