The filament spool tangle can be a total show-stopper for any print and can happen anytime. Any sized spool can tangle when you use or store the filament incorrectly. But fear not: if handled correctly, it won’t necessitate unwinding the entire spool and rewinding to untangle a filament spool.
I’ll clarify what makes spools tangle or knot in this article. I’ll show you how to avoid it from happening in the first place and how to deal with it if it does, all without having to pause printing.
How to Untangle a Filament Spool
What is the cause of the tangle?
Contrary to common opinion, a knot could be caused by weak or cross-winding of the filament when the filament was first spooled. But it’s hard to spool filament in such a way that it winds.
Allowing the coils to become slack can cause them to stretch and turn sideways over one another, resulting in the tangle.
The knot is caused when the winding becomes loose (either by user error, possibly during delivery, or even incorrect storage). Some rings of the filament extend and turn sideways over to a tightly coiled section of the filament.
When you begin to unspool the filament, it may easily tangle. Or it can take a while into the print until the tangle takes hold, trapping the spool. Perhaps the most worrying factor is that once a spool has become entangled, it is difficult to predict when it will lock up.
How to Untangle a Filament Spool
The best ‘cure’ is always prevention.
Since it’s difficult to say when a spool is tangled, the best bet is to actually take the appropriate steps to prevent it from occurring in the first place.
When you open a new spool from your supplier, check that the end of the filament is tightly fastened to the spool. Either through the guidance holes in the spool’s surface or, for more porous materials, taped to the side to avoid unraveling.
When you cut the end of the filament, you must hang on to it. And keep it nice and tight while feeding it into your printer. Allow no slack to shape – this will guarantee that it cannot unravel.
If you must keep it on its side, ensure the filament is firmly fastened.
Furthermore, some spool holders are very loose, enabling the spool to spin faster than the printer requires, allowing slack to move down the spool. Your spool holder does not spin too freely. Most spool holders are good, but those with bearings or feeble rolling resistance will sometimes cause this to happen. Try restricting it very slightly with a rubber bushing or something with very little friction, If yours spins too freely.
When you’ve finished printing, make sure to store it properly. Pull the filament close around the spool to remove any slack before reattaching it in the guide holes or filament clips. This ensures that the filament does not unspool while being processed.
a universal filament clip
It’s also a good idea to store your filament vertically rather than flat on its side. This is because storing the spool on its side allows the rings to fall and create knots in future prints. I always recommend using vertical spool holders for the same purpose.
How to Untangle a Filament Spool
How to Untangle a Tangled or Knotted Spool
When you find your spool has tangled during a print, all may be lost. But some printers allow you to pause, unload, and reload. However, a less obtrusive approach is to untangle while the 3D printer is printing.
If there is still enough filament between the spool and the extruder, it is easier to untangle the filament. First, remove the spool and bring it nearer to the extruder of your 3D printer, leaving some slack to work with. Pull the loose back through the knot to form a wide enough loop to push the spool through. It’s the same idea as if you’d stopped the print and removed the end of the filament. But you’re using the spool as the ‘free end.’
When untangled, replace it on the spool holder. And make sure it’s not moving too freely, which might cause it to tangle again.
In certain cases, small oversights may have major implications. I hope this short guide has provided you with the information you require to ensure you never have a tangled spool again.
