Double Pivot Parametric Filament Guide for P3Steel or Prusa i3 6mm frame

thingiverse

This redesign of the Filament Guide for the Prusa Mendel was inspired by an oscillating arm design submitted by tosjduenfs (thing #34133). The concept intrigued me, but its limitations were clear - my P3Steel already had too many items stacked on top: a filament spool holder, extruder cable bundle, and LCD controller mount. I needed something more flexible. That's why I designed this double-pivot filament guide. It tracks the X-carriage motion without obstructing other moving parts or static elements on my P3Steel or Prusa i3 6mm frame. This design is compact, lightweight, and works well with my printer setup. In fact, I've applied it to my Prusa i3 Twelvepro as well. Considering that filament spool holders have unique dimensions, I made this guide parametric, allowing you to adjust the two arm lengths according to your specific needs. The frame thickness can also be adjusted - specifically for a P3Steel (with its 3mm frame thickness) or a Prusa i3 (with its 6mm frame thickness). Recently, I added a parameter to control the frame thickness tolerance (0.1mm is the default). To access and customize this design further, simply open the OpenSCAD sources provided. To assemble the filament guide, use 2 M4 bolts, washers, and nyloc nuts along with one small nylon tie. Then, attach it to the top of your P3Steel or Prusa i3 frame with a 6mm frame thickness and adjust its position accordingly. For extra stability, secure the small nylon tie as shown. In Customizer, you can adjust two main parameters: Arm Lengths (currently set at 30mm for the short arm and 52mm for the long arm) to suit your printer setup; and Frame Thickness Tolerance to ensure the pivot part glides smoothly along your frame without excessive lateral movement. Measure your frame's thickness with a caliper to determine this optimal value.