Refillable Filament Spool – 60mm Wide Cardboard Refill – 80mm ID

REFILLABLE FILAMENT SPOOL FOR 60mm-WIDE CARDBOARD REFILLS

I came up with this design after trying several other refill spool holder designs here on Printables and MakerWorld. I wanted something that was solid and strong, because some of the other designs seemed to flex too easily, and I had a few come apart while mounted on my printer's spool holder.

I designed this spool to provide a strong, reusable solution for anyone who has experienced spool failure or wants to help prevent it.

This is a reusable, refillable filament spool designed specifically for filament refills wound onto cardboard cores that are approximately 60mm wide with an 80mm inside diameter.

Instead of throwing away or storing empty plastic spools, this design allows you to reuse the same printed spool for multiple filament refills.

The spool is assembled using three M5 × 70mm socket head cap screws and matching M5 nuts. The three fasteners securely clamp the two spool halves together around the cardboard filament core.

Just added a spool lock to help if your wanting to use a re-spooler .

CENTER ALIGNMENT CAGE

An optional center alignment cage is included with the files.

The center cage serves two purposes:

• Helps align and position the three M5 × 70mm screws and nuts during assembly.

• Provides an open area inside the spool for placing moisture-control/desiccant packs.

The center cage makes assembly easier while also providing a convenient location to keep desiccant inside the spool.

MOISTURE CONTROL

The center area can be used to hold moisture-control packs or desiccant packets along with the filament.

This is especially useful when the spool is being stored in a sealed filament container or used in a filament dryer.

HEATED AMS / FILAMENT DRYER USE

Because this spool may be used in heated filament storage, AMS systems, or filament dryers, I recommend printing the spool from a higher-temperature material.

Recommended materials include:

• ABS

• ASA

• Polyamide / Nylon (PA)

• Other suitable high-temperature engineering filaments

PLA is NOT recommended for use in heated filament dryers or other applications where the spool will be exposed to elevated temperatures.

Always verify the temperature rating of the material you choose and the operating temperature of your particular dryer or AMS before use.

DESIGN FEATURES

• Designed for 60mm-wide cardboard filament refills

• Designed around an 80mm cardboard core inside diameter

• Reusable spool design

• Two-piece spool construction

• Uses standard M5 × 70mm socket head cap screws

• Uses standard M5 nuts

• Three-fastener assembly

• Optional center alignment cage

• Center cage helps align the fasteners during assembly

• Center cage provides space for moisture-control/desiccant packs

• Ventilated spool design

• Suitable for higher-temperature materials

• Designed with filament dryers and heated storage in mind

HARDWARE REQUIRED

The correct hardware line is:

3 × M5 × 70mm socket head cap screws

3 × M5 nuts

3D PRINTED PARTS

2 × Spool halves

1 × Center alignment / desiccant cage (optional)

The center cage is optional, but I recommend using it because it makes assembly easier and provides a convenient location for moisture-control packs.

IMPORTANT

This design is intended for cardboard filament refill cores measuring approximately 60mm wide with an 80mm inside diameter.

Cardboard cores can vary slightly between manufacturers. Check your refill dimensions before printing if you are unsure about compatibility.

The spool should be inspected before use for cracks, damaged fasteners, or other defects.

When using the spool in a heated environment, use a filament with appropriate heat resistance and verify that the finished printed part is suitable for the intended temperature.

I designed this spool as a reusable alternative to disposable filament spools and hope it helps reduce waste while making filament storage and drying easier.

PRINT SETTINGS

The spool shown in the project photos was printed using ABS.

Recommended starting settings:

Material: ABS

Layer Height: 0.20mm

Infill: 25%

Walls/Perimeters: 4

Top Layers: 4+

Bottom Layers: 4+

Supports: None

Brim: 8 lines

Build Plate Adhesion: Glue stick

NO SUPPORTS ARE REQUIRED

The model is designed to print without support material when oriented as provided.

I normally use an 8-line brim with glue stick when printing this spool in ABS. The brim provides additional build-plate adhesion and helps reduce the chance of warping during an ABS print.

The 25% infill provides a good balance of strength, weight, print time, and material usage.

For heated filament dryers or heated storage, ABS is recommended. ASA, PA/Nylon, or other suitable high-temperature materials may also be used depending on the intended application.

PLA is NOT recommended for heated applications.

Printing conditions can vary between printers, so adjust temperatures, cooling, bed adhesion, and other settings as necessary for your particular printer and filament.

CAD FILES

STEP files are included for the spool components.

The STEP files allow users to make their own dimensional adjustments if needed.

In particular, the length of the Center Alignment & Desiccant Cage can be adjusted to accommodate different cardboard refill widths or other user-specific requirements.

The supplied design is sized for approximately 60mm-wide cardboard filament refills with an 80mm inside diameter core.

If your refill is a different width, the Center Alignment & Desiccant Cage can be modified in CAD to suit your application.

The STEP files are provided so users with CAD software can make these adjustments without having to modify an STL mesh.