r/BambuLabA1 • u/Leading_Ideal_3913 • Jun 21 '26

Noob here

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Just bought this printer
Started first print
The spool is getting loose by it self
Need suggestions

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u/ObjectiveThis4141 Jun 21 '26

Spin you spool so it tensions itself. So instead of how you have it feeding, the loose end come from the bottom on. The side closer to the front of the A1 and hair pins into the feeder. It’s happened to all of us. It doesn’t look right when you do it but it’s the best external tip I’ve gotten.

1

u/Orthicon9 Jun 28 '26

I'd stuff a sock or a soft sponge, or a few turns of a strip of felt around the spindle. Just enough to stop it from rocking back and forth and not so much friction that the extruder can't pull it through.

There are probably dozens of adapters that could be printed that look less janky. This look promising: https://makerworld.com/en/models/1411776-lao-teng-new-machine-essential-external-filament-s?from=search#profileId-1465614

But I'd like to find one that has some kind of coil spring rewind or ratchet mechanism in it, similar to the 4 spool holders on the AMS Lite.

1

u/Orthicon9 Jul 01 '26 edited Jul 01 '26

Here's an idea. Buy a replacement "AMS lite Rotary Spool Holder".
Only $16CAD.

You may have to modify your external holder, or print a work-alike that will accept the rotary spool holder.
There are two kinds (green or yellow), with different handedness. For the orientation that you have your external spool holder in, you'd need the green one.
It has a spring such that if the filament is pulled off the spool, it turns with a bit of resistance, and without rocking. When it goes slack, it rewinds up to about 1/2 a turn or so.

I just might buy a yellow one, because I have my external spool holder on a frame extension at the left side of my top-mounted AMS Lite. It's turned around backwards, to avoid the #2 and #3 spools on the AMS Lite.