I had a problem with prints looking like the layers were not lining up and also layers not adhering to eachother, along with gaps in the print sometimes and other things like infill not always making it to the perimeter. Along with all this I had always noticed a lot of ABS dust building up around the hobbed gear and on the extruder. Out of all things I searched to try and help there was always one common possible cause and that was that it wasn't extruding enough filament or the extruder was being starved.
So on that note I started doing some test prints and I wasn't watching anything but the extruder, seemed like it was doing fine for the most part, though I did notice after a while it would skip sometimes like something was pulling back on the filament. Now I started doing some test prints and was watching the spool, and wouldnt you know it, the spool should be gradually unrolling as the extruder is pulling filament, it should be at a pretty much constant rate except for when its time for retraction, but mine was not constant. It would pull for a little bit then pretty much stop then after a few more seconds it would unroll real quick then back to the steady unrolling. It did this all the time, pretty much like clockwork because the spool was not able to freely roll on the stock spool holder.
I then decided enough was enough, and went to my local hardware store to see what I could use as a better spool holder. I grabbed a 10 inch long 3/4 bolt, some nuts to fit, some washers to fit and two flanged bearings as well. Below is a picture of what I came up with to solve my problems. I'll tell you what, once I installed my new spool holder and started printing it felt like I had a whole new machine! Now my prints are coming out fantastic! I've seen a lot of people on this forum talking about tons of ABS or PLA dust building up on the EZstruder and wanted to present this as a possible solution.
Things you will need:
1x 10 inch long 3/4 bolt (zinc plated since its cheaper and isnt going to be outside so no need for Galvanized)
5x nuts to fit 3/4 bolt (zinc plated)
4x 1.37 inch D fender washers (zinc plated)
2x 1.37 inch D flanged bearings
Total cost: $20
You use the stock spool holders brackets and screw a nut all the way down to the end of the bolts threads and then put a washer following it now slide the bolt through the slot on the inner bracket, tilt the bolt so the end is up in the air and put a washer then a nut on the bolt, once you get them far enough you want to lay the bolt back down and have it resting on the bottom of the cutout of the outer bracket. Before you tighten the nut in place that will be holding the bolt, make sure the bolt is level with the bottom of the cutout on the outer bracket, now tighten that bolt. Now slide on a flanged bearing, washer, and nut (in that order) until everything is flush with the outer side of the outside bracket. Now put on a nut then washer, flanged bearing, and another nut so that the two bearings are the width of your spool, I set it so the flanges of the bearing come up around the edges of the spool, so the spool fits just right in between the flanges of the bearings. Now you have an adjustable spool holder, if your next spool is thinner or thicker just tighten or loosen the outside bearings nuts.
That's it, pretty simple I'd say, didn't cost a fortune either!
One thing I plan on doing is removing the whole thing and hacking the end of the bolt off with my hack saw so it's not sticking out so far on the other side of the brackets ( I had to use one this long so the threaded part would be long enough to cover everything)
Now that I think about it I could have probably just used a threaded rod but that most likely would have been more expensive and I was looking for the cheapest solution to my problem.
Thanks guys, hope this helps someone out there!
