Handy Hose Reel – Rev. 0

1. Introduction

Tired of overpaying for a hose reel and looking to keep your printer warm and busy - why not try making your own garden hose reel, how hard could it be? Make to be fully 3D printable with an assembly guide below, go ahead and put it on your list of to-do projects for this year. Best of all, your hose reel can be customised to match your garden aesthetic!

This kit was deigned to be printed with as few part types as possible, no support material and an intuitive assembly process.

The inspiration for this project came when looking through the hardware store at the price of individual hose reel bundles vs. loose hose that was looking for a hose reel home. And of course… the inevitable thought of ‘I could probably print that’. 

This document covers the following sections for reference:

1. Introduction
2. Bill of Materials
3. Recommended Print Settings
4. Assembly Guide
5. Update Notes

2. Bill of Materials

Below are the required parts could to successfully print the entire Handy Hose Reel. The 3mf files have been named in accordance with the below bill of materials.

* While great effort has been made to have all parts press fit, if any parts are looser than you anticipate you may want to use some form of 2-part plastic glue from your local hardware store.

3. Recommended Print Settings

The 3mf files were arranged for easy printing without supports. Files were prepared in Prusaslicer, but can be loading in your slicer of choice by selecting something similar to ‘load geometry only’.

Below are the recommended printing settings to achieve a minimum design strength, but feel free to beef up the perimeters for increased durability:

* 0.3mm layer height is recommended to create a rougher surface, to help lock the press-fit parts together.

4. Assembly Guide

Below is a brief assembly guide from start to finish. Real world photos of the finished product will be added in at a later stage for additional context.

Before assembling your hose reel, try to remove as may printing artifacts as you can to ensure good fitment of the press fit parts.

Recommend assembling the hose reel on a flat hard surface with some form of scratch protection covering you work area.

4.1 Spool Side 1

Parts Required:

1. Arrange 3x S1 pieces on a flat surface to complete a circle, and so that all J1 cutouts are lined up.
2. Press firmly until flush all 9x J1 pieces into the cutouts to join the S1 pieces together

4.2 Frame Side 1

Parts Required:

1. Arrange 3x F1 pieces on a flat surface to complete a three-point star, and so that all J1 cutouts are lined up.
2. Press firmly until flush all 9x J1 pieces into the cutouts to join the F1 pieces together

4.3 Spool Handle Side Assembly

Parts Required:

1. Press firmly until flush the 1x S3 piece all the way onto the locating ring in Spool Side 1. Ensure the locating cutouts in S3 line up with the ridges on Spool Side 1 locating ring.
2. Mount Spool Side 1 onto Frame Side 1 on the circular bearing surface. S3 should slide through the opening in Frame Side 1 and be visible.
3. Press in 1x S4 into the octagonal pocket on S3, that is visible from the outside of Frame Side 1. S4 will not press in flush, but leave a 2mm gap between the back of the handle and Frame Side 1.

4.4 Spool Side 2

Parts Required:

1. Arrange 3x S1 pieces on a flat surface to complete a circle, and so that all J1 cutouts are lined up.
2. Press firmly until flush all 9x J1 pieces into the cutouts to join the S1 pieces together

4.5 Spool Assembly

Parts Required:

1. Press in firmly all 3x S2 pieces into Spool Side 2.
2. Now take the partially assembled spool drum and press the other end of all S2 pieces into Spool Side 1 (now connected to the Spool Handle Side Assembly)

4.6 Frame Side 2

Parts Required:

1. Arrange 3x F1 pieces on a flat surface to complete a three-point star, and so that all J1 cutouts are lined up.
2. Press firmly until flush all 9x J1 pieces into the cutouts to join the F1 pieces together

4.7 Hose Reel Assembly

Parts Required:

1. Place all 3x F2 pieces into the Spool Assembly by seating into the octagonal locators (on Frame Side 1 now connected to the Spool Assembly). The J1 cutouts on both the Spool assembly and F2 are lined up
2. Press firmly until flush all 3x J1 pieces into the cutouts to join the F2 pieces to the Spool Assembly.
3. Mount the Spool Assembly onto Frame Side 2 on the circular bearing surface. While mounting, ensure to locate the other side of the F2 pieces into the octagonal locators on Frame Side 2.
4. Press firmly until flush all 3x J1 pieces into the cutouts to join the F2 pieces to the Frame Side 2.

4.8 Hose Reel Assembly

Parts Required:

1. Pick up the hose you intend to use with this hose reel and find the end you intend to connect to the tap.
2. Pass the tap connection end through the middle of the hose reel drum and out the centre hole in Frame Side 2.
3. Press firmly until flush both 2x F3 pieces around your hose and into the centre hole in Frame Side 2. F3 is two pieces in case you have a hose that has a crimped on quick connector.
4. Hurrah, your Handy Hose reel is now finished! Now time to go outside to not only touch some grass, but water it too!

5. Update Notes

01/06/2025 – Revision 0 Published.