News: V-Spooler spindle and clamp options are now listed on a separate page here.

Our manufacturing partner Veetec3D provides hardware kits, printed parts and fully assembled V-Spoolers at their Etsy store, for which Fyrby Additive receives a percentage. You can find the store here. If you are looking to upgrade from beta 8.1 the kits and/or parts are now also available here!

Please be sure to get the kit that matches your model. There are now two versions, the normal V-Spooler kit and the “Large Bed Edition” kit for H2D, see below.

V-Spooler is free here but it would be great if you can support me by either joining my club for at least a month, which gives you access to this and other models for the duration of membership. An alternative is to also buy it from the Printables store.

To help you with your build you can now also preview V-Spooler in a web browser on your computer, or using AR on a phone or AR/VR headsets such as the vision pro here. Note we provide upgrade files separately in the profiles area so you can upgrade incrementally from any version.

V-Spooler 1.0 Changes From Beta 8.1:

• Revised cam and gearing to allow more stable higher speed operation of V-Spooler.
• New quick change adaptors allowing quick easy changes between drill/handle.
• Updated stronger handle design.
• New tensioner via addition of a clamp on the tube guide. The hole in the guide for the tube is now also larger for easier insertion and removal.
• Slightly less play around the drive shaft (no play is not desirable).
• Bearings around the drive shaft are rotated to ensure less load on the bearings at rest.
• The right core frame part has holes to fit the future motor modification.
• The tube guide mounting screws are on the opposite side making fitting/removal easier.
• Two of the inner spool clamp parts have had internal overhangs removed.
• The drill attachment option is now included by default

The barrel cam and follower on the original V-Spooler worked, however was sensitive to small differences in build configurations (printer/plastics/etc) and will never work well or for long at high speed. It also wobbles a bit.

The new assembly balances the cam with bearings above so the follower is more well aligned and overall has much less friction, helped by the addition of a spring under the follower. The assembly is also more stable and less prone to wobble and can be operated much faster.

Introduction

V-Spooler is a re-spooler optimised for re-spooling to Bambu and Extrudr spools (will work with other same diameter spools) and is designed to occupy the smallest footprint in a vertical arrangement, hence the V in V-Spooler.

I designed the gears in FreeCAD, the cam in Plasticity and did the rest of the project in Shapr3D. The model above was printed using Prusament PC-CF and Spectrum PETG-PTFE composites.

One of the biggest requests I get is for a video of V-Spooler working, so here is a short video (currently Beta 8.1, will be updated!). If you would like to see how to load V-Spooler, please scroll to the bottom to find the tutorial videos there.

Which V-Spooler Should I Print?

Additionally there is a “Large Bed Edition” version available for 3D printers with larger print beds and files prepared for the Prusa XL and Bambu Lab H2D printers. This is slightly easier to build due to having less parts and has a slightly smaller bill of materiels.

Which Profile Do I Print?

You Want To Print A New V-Spooler

V-Spooler 1.0 is the main profile for this model which is updated every release to include all changes, so you do not have to upgrade when printing a new V-Spooler.

If you have a H2D you have the option to use the profile above or the V-Spooler 1.0 Large Bed Edition.

You Want To Print A V-Spooler Option

Look at the options section below and pick one, then go to the files area and choose either the Bambu or Generic 3MFs depending on your preference and print the matching file.

You Want To Upgrade V-Spooler

If your upper rollers look like the ones pictured to the right with a lip on either end, you should use the Beta 4 - 8.1 to 1.0 upgrade.
If your upper rollers are straight you should use the Beta 2 - 3 to 1.0 upgrade.

Required Components

The helical compression spring can be easily sourced at Bambu Lab at the following links US/EU/UK/AU/CA/Global.

Please note that inserts require that you have access to a soldering iron and that those supplied by Bambu Lab are a slightly different size and less suitable. Ruthex or CNC Kitchen are good choices.

Optional Build Items

Loctite Blue

At least one of the screws as detailed in the instructions benefits from Loctite Threadlocker Blue. Do not use the red Loctite, it is too strong for plastic parts with inserts.

When you use Loctite Blue put a very small amount of it on the end before screwing it in. This is important for future removal. Please do not use this all over the model for ease of maintenance.

PTFE Lubricant

Plastic parts susceptible to friction benefit from lubrication. If you have a PTFE lubricant or other lubricant that is compatible with your choice of plastic, when final assembly has been completed a light greasing of the lead screw will help operation.

Optional Model Parts

V-Spooler spindle and clamp options are now listed on a separate page here.

These options are provided in separate profile downloads:

Desk Mounting - There are now optional desk mounts, the holes for screws in the desk mounts are 6mm in diameter. You can remove objects called “brace front lower” and “brace rear lower” from the main print job if you want to use these.

Dust Protection - This part stops cardboard particles and other dirt dropping on to the target spool. It is supplied separately as it obscures the view a little, uses a bit more plastic. You can remove the objects “brace front upper” and “brace rear upper” from the main print job if you want to use this part. Note you will need to upgrade to Beta 4 to use the current part.

Upgrading From Betas

If you are upgrading from beta 4 - 8.1 the upper frame part provided as part of the upgrade only deletes an unused screw hole.   Hence this part is optional and can be deleted from the build plate it is on to save a little plastic.   If you are upgrading from beta 2 - 3 both of these should remain in your print.

As this page is getting rather complicated, depending on your familiarity with V-Spooler if you are performing an upgrade the best approach may be to disassemble your existing V-Spooler and follow the instructions below using the upgraded parts in combination with parts carried over from betas.

Assembly

Please find the relevant instructions for your model under the files tab on this page.