Filament storage containers
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The amount of filament rolls in stock is exploding, and I prefer to store all filament rolls with desiccant. Keeping filament dry and drying when it isn't does make quite a difference.
I am currently using various boxes to store the rolls, but they are always too large, too small, not high enough, too high, have to unload everything to get to roll X, etcetera.
Prusa's filament drybox looks nice, but costs a fortune and an age to print. Locally I did not find a cereal container or similar that fits the bill. These Amazon containers seem to work, but 20-30 still waste quite some space.
It is an option to buy a length of 250mm spiral ventilation tubing, cut it in pieces, have a couple of fitting steel discs plasmacutted by a friend, weld them in, and create a lid to close it up (maybe the standard lids for the tubing would work already). But buying is easier and probably cheaper too.
Did any of you ever find a nice round(ish) container that fits a 'standard sized' (Prusament, eSun, Real) 0.8-1kg spool of filament like a glove, preferrably stackable, transparent and reasonably priced?
I don't need filament feedthrough. I have filament storage integrated in my printer which can hold 2 active spools and one extra.
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I have also been looking for a solution for some time.
Currently I am welding the spools in vacuum foil.
But how about a waste water pipe and 2 printed lids. These are available with a diameter of 250mm. You could put 2-3 spools in one container. 1m costs 15€ which should be enough for 4 containers (12 spools).
I think I will give this a try. -
That is another option. You can also buy caps and plugs, would work for the bottom and maybe top too. It all depends on local availability for average Joe, which isn't that good for 250mm PVC tubing. Otherwise shipping cost for those bulky things are probably a multiple of the actual cost.
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Ikea 365+ storage boxes work well.
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4570340
https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/ikea-365-food-container-with-lid-rectangular-plastic-s79276760/ -
i use the bigger ikea boxes
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:743280
if you want them airtight, you have to use some door rubber with self adhesive on the lid.
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Sistema 5L boxes https://sistemaplastics.com/products/klip-it-rectangular/5l-rectangle are not far off one spool size.
I chuck a handful of silica gel in the bottom, then I print a 15mm high spacer grid to hold the spool clear of that.
A 1kg spool fits in. Having measured what's spare around it, I think it would take up to 210mm diameter, 90mm wide spool (with my grid - if you leave that out you'll get 15mm wider).
Not cheap though (as plastic boxes go), and still not as efficient space-wise as I'd like.
empty:
1kg spool:
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In picture those Sistema boxes look quite nice. EUR 11,50/pc is stiff though, considering the amount of boxes required.
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I currently use a plastic ammunition box that can fit 3 rolls side by side. On the back there are pneumatic coupling with a piece of PTFE tube to route the filament through. Works well so far and they can be easily stacked if needed.
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@Pakue : those look quite bulky on pictures?
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They are a little larger than they need to be, but it leaves room for some 3kg spools if needed. They already have a gasket installed which is nice.
I also put one of those 4-5$ Xiaomi BLE humidity sensor in the box to get a notification in case the desiccant is used up. -
My method is probably a bit OTT. I built a reasonably air tight "booth" to house my printer and I use a couple of those cheap de-humidifiers inside the booth (the type that use Calcium Chloride because it absorbs much more water than Silica Gel - but is non-re-usable). Because I have 6 reels of filament loaded at all times and I'm not very disciplined at removing the filament from the machine, it's just easier to keep the entire thing dry.
I store all the other filament in re-sealable bags with some "rechargeable" desiccant (Silica Gel that changes colour). The bagged and boxed filament goes inside the original boxes and I built a pull out storage rack which sits inside the "booth" next to the printer. https://somei3deas.wordpress.com/2019/12/13/pull-out-filament-storage-rack/