Everybody talks about how PLA filament tends to spring off the spool. I decided to do something about it. This is the result. 3 rollers with F608zz bearings stay in contact with the spool's flanges preventing the filament from coming off and getting tangled. The rollers are tapered at each end to keep the spool centered in the holder and the bearings make it very easy for the extruder to pull the filament.
https://vimeo.com/219591384
This thing will hold spools between about 140 and 210 mm diameter and up to 120 mm wide.
Technical
I used PLA, but ABS is OK too. You'll also need three 5/16-18 or 8mm bolts and nuts, 12 washers, and 6 x F608zz bearings.
The print is 305mm talll, so you're going to need a big printer.
I printed in 0.25 mm layers with 15% infill. The rollers need support material on the bottom, so turn it on but limit it to bed plate only.
Former electrical engineer, I became a dentist in 2011. I designed and built my printer, Son of MegaMax, using surplus machine parts at the Milwaukee Makerspace.
My newest printer design, Ultra MegaMax Dominator, is a coreXY machine with a 300...