Ultra-Smooth Desktop Filament Roller with PVC Pipe Rollers

thingiverse

**Ultra-Smooth Desktop Filament Roller with PVC Pipe Rollers** I can't print 3D a roller as round or smooth as a commercial PVC pipe, so I decided to design ball-bearing roller ends for PVC and a saddle-style mount for the roller assemblies to sit in. I am totally satisfied with the result and it's one of my first multi-piece designs where everything worked perfectly the first time. The spacing of the rollers is such that they accommodate everything from some of the tiniest 200-250g mini-spools to the widest 1kg spools. My satisfaction with the end product overcame my laziness enough that I am sharing the project here. **Parts needed:** Qty. 2 One inch PVC, Sch. 40 cut to 100mm length. The cut needs to be really square and clean. I used a table saw with a sled. If you have a lathe, that could work, too. Qty. 4 608 size (roller skate and skateboard) ball bearings. You can use open, metal shield (ZZ) or rubber shield (RS/2RS). It really doesn't matter and there's no need to spend big bucks for exotic ceramic bearings. Other than the PLA to print this, that's all that you need. **Design/build notes** 1. I used 1" schedule 40 plumbing PVC because the relatively large outer diameter reduces rolling resistance and minizes the effect of irregularities on spool edges (big-tire/small-pothole effect). 2. Rather than trying to make a cylinder that perfectly fit inside of the PVC, I derived the shape from a gear, givng a fluted exterior that can be pushed in even it your printer, and slicer settings, are not identical to mine. It worked so well with a push fit that no glue was required. 3. The base is one piece and designed to be printed bottom side down without supports. This gives strength and avoids problems with printer and slicer variations leading to poor-fitting joints on a multi-part base. 4. I used silicon nitride 608 ceramic bearings. with a rolling resistance so low that a fly landing on a roller might make it spin. There's no reason for that other than I had them to hand. **UPDATE:** I changed mine over to the cheapest ($0.36 each), metal-shielded, 608ZZ bearings I had. It rolled too easily with the silicon nitride 608 ceramic bearings, especially with heavy spools that had well-formed, smooth edges.