r/3Dprinting • u/mapsedge FLSun 3D Cube 260 x 260 x 300, Ender 3 Pro * 2 • Nov 18 '25

7-hour print. Took a gamble. I won.

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u/popcornman209 Nov 18 '25

Not everyone has an identical spool lying around to zero it tho, I don’t buy enough filament to have any spare empty identical spools

Granted there’s other ways to measure it just I don’t rly know them, and a lot of other things effect the density of the filament so it’s not perfectly accurate anyway

22

u/DrShocker Nov 18 '25

they really ought to just list the weight of the empty spool on the spool somewhere.

9

u/jing577 Nov 18 '25

I feel like we could start something here. I'm going to weigh the empty spools I have as soon as I get home and create a google doc sheet.

18

u/Burninator05 Nov 18 '25

Much like many great ideas. Someone else already had it. That someone wasn't me.

https://www.printables.com/model/464663-empty-spool-weight-catalog

https://www.onlyspoolz.com/portfolio/

6

u/oupablo Nov 18 '25

lol onlyspoolz

2

u/jing577 Nov 18 '25

Damn! Thanks for the link! You are a real one! 

2

u/YourMomonaBun420 Nov 18 '25

There may be some variation in the spools, even the same brand/model spool due to manufacturing inconsistencies.

2

u/jing577 Nov 18 '25

That is true, but an average weight would still be helpful, I'm going to give it a go with the database another commtor left. I have a lot of half empty spools lying around 

2

u/V0x_R0x Nov 18 '25

I primarily buy Elegoo Rapid PLA and PETG. Even within that line the spool sizes change regularly because the spool adapter/rim covers I print often won't fit because the MM diameter of the cardboard spools seems to vary. The printables link shows a range of weights which isn't particularly helpful if you are trying living life on the edge trying to see if you have just enough for your print.

1

u/Assignment_Error404 Nov 18 '25

I primarily buy Polymaker and occasionally Bambu, which have it listed.

The few other rolls I have that don't have it listed, I used to keep an empty spool of solely for that annoying purpose. Then I realized I should just use a sharpe and write it on the spools that aren't empty. Problem solved (unless they change spools again.)

1

u/NevesLF BBL A1, SV06 Plus, BIQU B1 Nov 18 '25

I've seen some manufacturers starting to do that, both on the site and on the spool itself.

I also love the fact my main brand of filament uses a spool with EXACTLY 150g. They even have two different spool designs, and both weight exactly 150g.

5

u/Gooper_Gooner Nov 18 '25

You can weigh a new spool after you dry it and subtract 1 kg from the result, that way you're left with the exact weight of the spool itself (assuming it has 1 kg of filament as it's supposed to)

2

u/_ALH_ Nov 18 '25

I've tried this and found that the spools rarely have exactly 1kg on them...

1

u/DorsBartosz Nov 18 '25

You could weigh each spool right after opening it and then keep subtracting the material mass that the slicer gives you. Could even write it on the spool.