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Turn empty filament spools into drawers

Measure an empty spool: across the flanges, across the hub, the hole in the middle and the width between the flanges. The page fills the ring between the hub and the rim with 2 to 6 drawers that either swing out on a pin near the rim or slide straight out.

Give each drawer a pull and a raised label in any font on your computer. Add a base and a top cap with a handle to stack spools into a drawer tower, with a rod through the middle if you want to carry it. Every part prints without supports, and a drill guide marks the pin holes.

Tips for a good print

  • Measure the width between the flanges on the inside, in a few places: some spools have ribs there.
  • For swinging drawers, drill straight through both flanges using the drill guide, then push the pins in.
  • A cut piece of 3 mm steel rod or a long nail makes a pin that lasts longer than a printed one.

Frequently asked questions

Will it fit my spool?

Yes, if you enter your own sizes. Most 1 kg spools are about 200 mm across with a hub of 80 to 100 mm and 55 to 70 mm between the flanges, but they vary, even from one maker.

Swing out or slide out?

Swinging drawers stay in the spool and turn out on a pin, like a classic drawer tower; they need a small hole drilled for each pin. Sliding drawers need no holes and come all the way out.

Does it work with cardboard spools?

Yes. Leave a few millimetres of cardboard outside each pin hole so it does not tear; the page tells you how much is left.