Thing-O-Matic Filament Guide

SummaryThis "thing" is a filament guide for the Thing-O-Matic, requiring no modifications to the machine body. It simply snaps in place of any of your ToMs' top guide-rod openings (uncovered, of course), depending on the location of your spool holder. My ToM's Z-axis motor wires run into the back/right opening at the top of my ToM, so I designed this guide with a channel for those wires. Your adaptation of this model may require repositioning that channel, or simply adding that channel to all sides of the model (it's up to you... hey, it's a free world here). This "upgrade" or "modification" piece was designed to snap into any of your ToMs' top guide-rod openings. My print did not "snap" in, but fit well. The base of the model works very well, but the guide arms need to be fully reworked. After using this in conjunction with my own filament spool holder, I now know the geometry needed to make this part work. The guide arms need to be removed & completely redesigned (they are backwards, and their size needs to be increased). THIS IS A WORK IN PROGRESS!!! PRINT THIS PART AT YOUR OWN RISK & WASTE OF PLASTIC! I have printed this object with success, but it does not meet my requirements yet(and probably not yours). This "thing" works, but the arched guide arms do nothing & tend to put a lot of uneccessary stress on the "A" axis (filament drive stepper motor) of my Gen-4 ToM. (My filament spool holder needs a bearing, and my filament guide needs the proper geometry.) Yes, this filament holder works (at least the center part works), but the guide arms need to be reversed (per Z axis) so that they hold the filament UP instead of DOWN... (and repositioned somewhat) and they could be a bit thicker, for sure! (If you don't trust me, go ahead and print this object. You'll see.) Everything but the guide arms work great! Version 2 is located here: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:15066InstructionsDo not print without reading this entire post. You'll just waste plastic. Feel free to modify this design: A) guide arms are of the wrong size & basically upside down, B) clips to not clip into the Thing-O-Matic well, and need to be changed somewhat (or may be my Skeinforge settings? My CAD model shows it gripping the edges of the openings, but my actual print barely did), C) the guide arms do not need to be arched, they can be straight or 45-degrees from the base. Updated version is at http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:15066 I'm only keeping this design on Thingiverse.com in order to others to see my design progression. Sometimes I think it's helpful for others (especially non-3D types) to see how a real-world design is created. It doesn't always happen the first time. :( I wish it did! :)