Want to keep your ABS coil dust and jam free? Here is something you can do for cheap and it is stackable for all your various colours!

This spindle came about after finding a Sterilite storage drawer in Walmart that pretty much matched the dimensions for a 5lb coil of ABS that I had.

A bit of foam core board, a 6" lazy susan, a few other simple bits and I was off!

One of the key features that makes this work well for me is that the drawer slides out, and the feed is in the drawer front. Stack several of these with different colours and you are set!

Tools needed: Hobby razor/exacto knife. Hot glue gun Measuring tape Compass, or a string with pencil and a nail.

Materials needed: Storage drawer that is at least 4.5 to 5 inches high inside, and 12-14" wide. Foam core(art stores carry it) 6" lazy susan(available at most hardware stores) 4-6' of tubing, the stuff used for installing a fridge with an ice maker. Anti slip matting, also available at hardware stores.

First obtain this sotrage drawer, or any other that is similar in size: http://www.sterilite.com/SelectProduct.html?id=631&view=0&picture=1&tab=Specifications&ProductCategory=185§ion=1

Next take a piece of foam core, or thin plywood, perhaps even cardboard? And make two circles that are about 11.5" is diameter. Next make a strip of foam core that is 4" wide by 17" long. This rectangular strip will become the center piece. On one side of the rectangular piece, score a line every inch across the 4" width until you reach the end. Make sure to cut deep enough to cut through the paper of one side of the foam core, and not into the paper of the other side.

You should now be able to snap the score lines and form a round center for the spindle. I sized mine up by placing it inside my still twist tied 5lb roll of ABS. Once you obtain the correct size, cut any additional length so that you can bring the two ends together.

Place the coil of ABS on one the circles of foam core that you have cut out and center it as closely as you can, not a big deal if it is off by a little bit. Insert the foam core center piece and fire up your hot clue gun. Join the seam and bottom edge to the circular piece, then let cool for a minute.

Take your ABS coil off and place the other circular piece on top, trying to ensure that it is centered as well. Now turn it upside down and trace with a pen or pencil around the circumference of the center of the spool so you end up with a mark that you can cut out. Cut the center our and make sure to undersize it by a few mm. Once you have it roughly the right size slowly make it bigger until you can friction fit it on top with the ABS coil in place.

You don't really need to have it secured any stronger as the top piece is just there to prevent the coils from springing up during feeding into the Makerbot.

Now take the whole assembly, without the ABS coil and have the bottom circular piece facing up. Place the lazy susan in the center and hot glue it on each of the four corners. Let cool to ensure the glue sets well.

I then used some of that anti-slip mat roll stuff that you put in drawers and put that in the bottom of the storage drawer. This was a much simpler way for me to be able to place everything inside without needing to secure it. Center the spool and test that it spins freely.

Now take some of the tubing and gauge the length you need by placing your Makerbot on top of the drawer and holding the tube to the front of the drawer and curve it up to where it will feed into the plastruder. Cut it with a hobby knife, the length isn't really that critical.

Use a hobby knife to "drill" a hole on one side of the front of the clear drawer. I did mine about in the center vertically so the feed will be even. Make the hole a bit smaller than the tubing so that it take a small amount of force to push it in about an inch. This way it is kept in place and no connectors or anything are needed.

Grab the end of the ABS filament on the outside of the coil and feed it into the tube after cutting all the twist ties. You are now done, do a final check before you slide the coil and the assembly in that it roatates nicely.

Total cost for me was under $25: Sterilite drawer $10 Refrigerator tubing $2 Foam core was lying around, but about $3 worth? 6" lazy susan was $8 Anti slip matting $.50

I hope to see others who find drawers that might improve on this. Mine bows quite a bit in the center but it doesn't interfere at all.