Paper Towel Retention Bracket

Probably like many people I keep a roll of paper towels in the back of my car.  And that roll of paper towels unrolls as it moves around the cargo area.  No matter where I wedge it, the roll manages to get loose and the next thing I know I have paper towels everywhere. 

I looked around the various communities to see who has come up with some sort of solution.  There are thousands of paper towel holders out there! However every single one I looked at either wouldn’t retain the paper towels from unraveling or used way too much filament. 

So it was time to design my own.  I wanted something simple and that could adjust as the diameter of the paper towels shrank from use.  So after a number of iterations version 1 of the PTRB was born.

This version uses a central spine with pins on each end.  Attached to the pins is an adjustable bracket that holds the end of paper towel against the roll, keeping it from unraveling.  It’s not so tight that you can’t pull off a paper towel and as paper towels are used you can adjust the pinhole for a smaller diameter roll. It will fit the giant CostCo/Sams Club sized paper towels (that’s what is shown in the pictures). 

If you are going to keep it in a car, do not print it in PLA as that will warp from the heat of a car’s interior.  I printed the model in Sunlu sky blue PETG.  The file has been configured with the necessary brims and supports. Because of the length of a roll of paper towels the model is split into two pieces for the spindle and the bracket. You may need to do some post-processing to clean up the areas which had supports to make everything fit smootly. The dovetail joint should be secured with a dab or two of superglue.  The two spindle pieces fit tightly together through friction and do not need glue.

Future enhancements will focus on reducing filament use and addressing any weaknesses found through use. 

I appreciate any comments and suggestions!  The model is free for personal use, however if you wish to sell it you much purchase a license.  Contact me for more information.