Overengineered Filament Closet

Bill of Materials with links at the very bottom. Some links are part of an Amazon Associate program, and I may receive compensation from qualifying purchases. 

Introducing the Overengineered Filament Closet. The system uses the RepRack: Open Source Spool Holder And Storage System by Repkord to hold everything and adds magnetic label holders for 10x3 magnets, InDesign label template, and Excel tracking template. 

The labels have barcodes, which are scanned using a cheap Amazon barcode scanner and a thermal printer to fit on 2.25" x 1.5" labels. Just click the green Add square and scan. The macro will add an entry to the log and update the quantity in the spreadsheet. The cell will turn red if the quantity goes to 0, but this threshold can be adjusted in the conditional formatting to warn you if you are getting low rather than if you run out. 

The labels have blank spots to enter additional information, such as flow and CHT information. Each label also has a unique code generated automatically based on brand, material, etc. If you have a brand, color, or material not listed, add it to the legend.

I used ByteScout BarCode Generator to batch-create the barcodes. They use Code 128, bar height 50, narrow bar width 3, and no margins.

F3D file included for the magnet holder.

The room is kept dry using a mid-sized dehumidifier set to turn on and off using an AC Infinity controller and a control plug set to 20% humidity. A smart smoke detector was mounted on the ceiling to be safe.

***Disclaimer***

Some filament is very sensitive to humidity. I have yet to run into any printing problems with TPU, but Nylon needs to be dried before use.

The room can sit anywhere between 95 and 105 degrees Fahrenheit with a dehumidifier cycling on and off 24/7. Is this safe? Probably, but maybe not. Replicate at your own risk. I put a smart smoke detector in there so I could get alerts to my phone and smart speakers in the event I couldn't hear it in the closet.

Having a dehumidifier run as often as it does uses a lot of power. I estimate this setup will add about $20/mo to my bill.

 

***Edit***

If you get the InDesign error “Data field doesn't exist in the data source” look for SamK_848390's solution in the comments section.

For those that don't want to download a macro-enabled spreadsheet from a stranger, this is the VBS code used courtesy of ChatGPT:

Module1

Option Explicit
Public Sub AddQuantity()
    UpdateQuantity 1
End Sub
Public Sub RemoveQuantity()
    UpdateQuantity -1
End Sub
Private Sub UpdateQuantity(ByVal change As Long)
    Dim code As String
    Dim wsMaster As Worksheet
    Dim wsInput As Worksheet
    Dim wsLog As Worksheet
    Dim lastRow As Long
    Dim foundCode As Range
    Dim timeStamp As String
On Error GoTo ErrorHandler

Set wsMaster = ThisWorkbook.Worksheets("Master")
Set wsInput = ThisWorkbook.Worksheets("Input")
Set wsLog = ThisWorkbook.Worksheets("Log")

If change = 1 Then
    code = wsInput.Range("B4").Value
Else
    code = wsInput.Range("F4").Value
End If

Set foundCode = wsMaster.Columns("A").Find(What:=code, LookIn:=xlValues, LookAt:=xlWhole, MatchCase:=False)

If Not foundCode Is Nothing Then
    foundCode.Offset(0, 1).Value = Application.WorksheetFunction.Max(0, Val(foundCode.Offset(0, 1).Value) + change)
    
    lastRow = wsLog.Cells(wsLog.Rows.Count, "A").End(xlUp).Row + 1
    
    timeStamp = Format(Now(), "mm/dd/yy HH:MM")
    wsLog.Cells(lastRow, "A").Value = timeStamp
    wsLog.Cells(lastRow, "B").Value = code
    If change = 1 Then
        wsLog.Cells(lastRow, "C").Value = "Add"
    Else
        wsLog.Cells(lastRow, "C").Value = "Remove"
    End If
    
    If change = 1 Then
        wsInput.Range("B4").MergeArea.ClearContents
    Else
        wsInput.Range("F4").MergeArea.ClearContents
    End If
End If

Exit Sub

ErrorHandler:
    MsgBox "An error occurred at cell: " & foundCode.Address & vbCrLf & Err.Description, vbCritical, "Error"
End Sub

 

Sheet 1

Private Sub Worksheet_Change(ByVal Target As Range)
    If Target.Address = "$B$4" Then
        Application.EnableEvents = False
        AddQuantity
        Application.EnableEvents = True
        Me.Range("B4").Select
    ElseIf Target.Address = "$F$4" Then
        Application.EnableEvents = False
        RemoveQuantity
        Application.EnableEvents = True
        Me.Range("F4").Select
    End If
End Sub

 

Bill of Materials:

Almost everything on here can be found cheaper if you search around. The links included are for convenience only. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask!

Shelf:

Item: 1/2 in. x 5 ft. Steel Conduit
Qty: 2x Shelf
Price: $4.54 each
Notes: Home Depot / Lowes should be able to cut to size for you, but it only takes a few seconds with a reciprocating saw.

 

Item: 1 in. x 2 in. (0.75 in. x 1.5 in.)* Common Board
Qty: 1x Shelf
Price: 2.25
Notes: The link is just for reference. Almost any type of 1x2 board will work, though I tend to avoid furring strips.
*Lumber is sold by its nominal measurement, which is the size before it has been planed smooth. Unless it states otherwise at the store, if the lumber is listed as 1 in. x 2 in., you are buying the right size.

 

Item: Bi-metal Reciprocating Saw Blade
Qty: 1
Price: $19.98
Notes: You don't need to buy this set, any bi-metal blade will do.

 

Item: #9 x 3 in. Wood Screws
Qty: 1
Price: $9.98
Notes: This is what I had on hand already. Use whatever you want as long as they anchor deep into the stud.

 

Item: Countersink drill bits
Qty: 1
Price: $10 - $30
Notes: Any brand will do.

 

Item: #6-19, 5/8" Thread Forming/Rolling Screws
Qty: 4x Hanger
Price: $8.87
Notes: These lock the clamps to the bar, you could get away with 3x hanger.

 

Item: Cereal Container Storage
Qty: 1x Spool
Price: $20
Notes: Only needed for things like Nylon and TPU, and depending on your setup, you might not need them at all. Shelves for the rack can be found here: https://www.printables.com/model/479085-chefs-path-single-spool-rod-mount

Room:

Item: Dehumidifier
Qty: 1
Price: $100 - $1,000
Notes: No link because this is going to vary based on your room size and specific needs. I had a refurb one rated for 3,000 sq. ft. that I got on Woot for like $125. If you want to drop below 30%, you need one that is way overkill for the size of the room.

 

Item: AC Infinity Controller
Qty: 1
Price: $99
Notes: This is absolutely not required and much cheaper options are available if you want automation.

 

Item: AC Infinity Control Plug
Qty: 1
Price: $19.99
Notes: To turn the dehumidifier on and off

 

Item: Smart Smoke Detector
Qty: 1
Price: $39.99
Notes: This uses Z-Wave. Get a different smart detector if you don't already have a Z-Wave hub.

Labels:

Item: Barcode Scanner
Qty: 1
Price: $34.99

Item: Label Printer
Qty: 1
Price: $156.58
Notes: There are a ton of different brands and prices out there. I already had this one so I just bought the correct-sized labels for it.

 

Item: 2.25 in. x 1.25 in. Direct Thermal Labels
Qty: 1
Price: $11.99