Bheema Shankar
Properly managing your 3D printer’s filament is an essential step to take if you want it to perform optimally. Unfortunately, both Bowden and direct extrusion setups are vulnerable to the same issue: filament catching on the edges of the printer when the extruder is trying to feed the material into place. This often happens due to a lack of management that allows the strand of filament to move around freely and end up in positions or directions where it can get stuck.
If you’re looking to improve the quality, then using a filament guide is an easy solution. These guides are designed to help guide the filament from your spool to the extruder on your printer, which prevents jamming or sticking during the process. However, the majority of 3D printers do not include an integrated filament guide. Fortunately, the 3D printing community has provided endless options when it comes to these parts.
In this article, we’ll go over some of the best ones available. We’ll split it up into two sections: universal guides which are suitable for any printer and guides that are specifically tailored to certain types or models of printers. So, whether you have a classic FDM printer or something more complex, you should find what you need here. With these tips in hand, happy printing!
Versatile
These guides can easily be attached to your printer and are available for use with a variety of models. If you’re worried that the model you prefer won’t fit your printer, you can take advantage of all the makes and remixes out there. You might just find an alternate design that has been tweaked to work perfectly with your specific machine.
Swivel
Up first is a filament guide that uses two bearings to provide swivel motion, allowing the filament to be contained without being bent. Additionally, the filament direction can change, but the bearing wheels ensure that the filament doesn’t escape or get tangled around anything.
Assembling this swivel guide requires some hardware, including bearings, screws, and nuts.
Up first is an ingenious filament guide that uses two bearings to hold and swivel the filament in place, ensuring that it doesn’t twist, tangle, or escape its confines. This helps reduce tangling during printing and improves the smoothness of filament feed for a better print overall.
To assemble this swivel guide you will need some hardware – bearings, screws, and nuts, as well as a little know-how.
- Who designed it? bbleimhofer
- How printable/popular is it? This swivel-bearing filament guide has over 5,400 views and more than 200 downloads.
- Where to find it? Cults
Helping Hand
This popular and versatile filament guide brings a more playful look to your 3D printer. It takes the hand design from another creator and remixed it into a unique filament guide. Attaching it to your printer is easy – just slide it onto the frame! If it’s too large or small for the mount, no need to worry; the model can be easily sized up or down as needed. Suitable for all kinds of 3D printers, this filament guide specifically works best for Anet A8 owners but its practical slide-on mounting feature makes it suitable for various machines too.
The designer’s 3D-printed object truly demonstrates how precision and technical expertise can yield some impressive results. By using a 0.1-mm layer height and a 20% infill density, along with activating supports but not using a raft, they were able to craft an intricate and visually appealing object.
- Who designed it? mechracer84
- How printable/popular is it? This “handy” filament guide has 60 recorded makes, 17 remixes, and over 34,000 downloads. Since so many others have printed this guide, you can probably do it too!
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Top Roller
Some printers have the spool located above the extruder while others have it mounted on top of the frame. This filament guide is intended for those printers where the spool is above the extruder. While it’s specifically designed for the Ender 3, many other 3D printers use extrusions in their frame so it can be modified to work on those machines as well. People have even done remixes to make it work on other types of printers. So if you’ve got a printer with a spool above the extruder, this filament guide is definitely worth checking out.
This amazing three-part guide has found a way to 3D print a roller mechanism without the use of traditional bearings. The gap in the containment area allows you to add filament without taking it out, making this design as easy as possible.
If you’re going to be giving it a go, they suggest using 0.1-0.2 mm layer heights with a 15% infill when printing. It won’t hurt to go over the provided orientation and printing advice either, in order to get the most optimal results.
- Who designed it? Tomaskom_cz
- How printable/popular is it? This rolling filament guide has 47 recorded makes, 15 remixes, as well as over 53,000 downloads.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Slide-On
This universal slide-on guide designed on Tinkercad is a convenient accessory for 3D printer owners. Even though the model has an opening in its containment area, you won’t need to remove your filament when using the device. Furthermore, setting it up is easy too; all you have to do is scale the model until fits the frame snugly.
Although be aware that printing it might require support due to there being overhangs.
- Who designed it? chrisportback48
- How printable/popular is it? The maker’s print has over 4,700 views and around 400 downloads.
- Where to find it? MyMiniFactory
Dry Box
If you are looking for a convenient way to ensure your filament stays safe and dry, this design is perfect for you. With two mounting holes, it easily attaches to the side of your dry box and provides your filament with an easy path out with its angled guide and PTFE tube coupler.
It’s available in two variations to accommodate either 1.75- or 3.00-mm diameter filament. The designer also provided helpful printing settings for those new to 3D printing, such as 10% infill, no supports or rafts, three outer walls and six top or bottom layers – setting up even a beginner for success.
- Who designed it? bradcfisher
- How printable/popular is it? This filament guide for a dry box has 12 recorded makes, 5 remixes, as well as around 23,000 downloads.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Tailored
These guides provide comprehensive instructions on how to get the best performance out of certain feature-rich 3D printers like the Ender 3 models and Prusa i3 MK3S+, among others.
Ender 3s: Simple & Reliable
The Ender 3 is a great 3D printer, but even the best printer can benefit from some modifications. This filament guide has been around for a while, but it’s still one of the top choices among Ender 3 users. It doesn’t require much assembly – just attach the main piece using the aluminium extrusion across the top of your Ender 3 – so you’ll be ready to start printing in no time.
With such a great community composed of talented modders and remixes, there are boundless possibilities that you can explore with this model.
An experienced designer recommends using at least 10% infill in order to obtain adequate structural integrity for any given job.
- Who designed it? Filboyt
- How printable/popular is it? This guide has two versions with over 2,000,000 downloads combined, and 973 makes and 198 remixes have been posted.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Ender 3s: Planetary Gear
Planetary gears are truly an amazing sight – their intricate system captivates the attention with its precise and perfect design. But there is more to the planetary gear than meets the eye; these gears offer immense torque, which makes them a common sight in power drills.
Moreover, they are capable of even more impressive feats, like being applicable for 3D printing! In particular, there exists a super cool filament guide that uses planetary gears for Ender 3.
The supports should be enabled for the arm but absolutely avoided for the gear as it’s essential that they work together to even function.
- Who designed it? FragrantAbyss
- How printable/popular is it? This filament guide has almost 40,000 downloads and 74 makes, as well as 14 remixes.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Ender 3s: Dual-Bearing
If you’re a Creality Ender 3 user looking to improve the accuracy and stability of your filament usage, this new filament guide is the perfect solution. Designed as a remix from an older guide, it uses two bearings to guide the filament into the extruder no matter where your spool is located – above or below the extruder.
Installation is simple, requiring just seven 3D printed parts and a few screws and bearings; mounting it onto your Ender 3 is easy since it just slides into a pre-existing part on the Z-axis carriage.
The designer’s recommendation to print parts with a 15-30% infill will ensure the highest level of quality and a safe, reliable product. Furthermore, the fact that the model is listed as being support free adds an extra layer of efficiency to the process.
- Who designed it? syntaxcuemi
- How printable/popular is it? This dual-bearing guide has around 15,000 views as well as over 2,200 downloads.
- Where to find it? MyMiniFactory
Ender 3s: Extruder-Mountable
If you’re looking for another option to mount your Ender 3, Pro, or V2 closer to the extruder, this attachment provides a simple solution. Designed with convenience in mind, you won’t need any additional hardware to attach it to the Z-axis plate and the hook feature makes it so you don’t have to remove filament when installing.
The designer recommends using a 100% infill and enabled supports at an 80° angle, 15% support infill and 0.1mm Z distance for optimal performance. This attachment is truly innovative in its simplicity and reliability – making sure your 3D printing is as hassle-free as possible.
- Who designed it? FlintWeiss
- How printable/popular is it? This filament guide model has 172 recorded makes, 29 remixes, and over 241,000 downloads. So many makers have been able to successfully print this guide, you should have no trouble!
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Prusa i3 MK2/MK2S: Simple
Printing with a Prusa printer is already an incredible experience, but the addition of this filament guide makes it all the better. This model compliments the practical Prusa spool holder (either double or 2-kg varieties) several times over and is a must-print for those who own one of these spool holders.
With direct extrusion setups on Prusa printers, having complete control over the filament flow is essential if you’re to obtain truly exceptional prints. This handy upgrade can provide just that; by controlling your filament flow, you’ll be able to achieve higher-quality prints regardless of what type of material you’re using.
It also helps that it’s easy to modify and tailor to your own situation – makers from around the globe have praised this design for such reasons.
- Who designed it? GerryPB
- How printable/popular is it? This filament guide has 17 makes posted on Printables.
- Where to find it? Printables
Prusa i3 MK2/MK2S: Dynamic
If you’re an owner of a Prusa i3 MK2/MK2S 3D printer, This filament guide is designed to make your 3D printing experience a whole lot more enjoyable. With its simple clip design, you’ll get the added support and flexibility that your projects demand without any extra fuss. It even uses just 1.75-mm of filament to lock itself into place.
To make sure all goes smoothly, the creator suggests printing it with the spheroid on the bottom to give you all the compression and control you need during those longer print jobs.
- Who designed it? StormKat
- How printable/popular is it? This model has around 250 likes and has been downloaded over 1,500 times.
- Where to find it? MyMiniFactory
Prusa i3 MK3S: Dual-Filament
This filament guide is designed to make the process of dual-filament printing much easier. Compatible with all versions of the Prusa i3 printer, this guide mounts directly onto the top of the frame and works in conjunction with Prusa’s spool holder for smoother filament transition.
Once printed with four individual pieces that combine to form two mirrored parts, the guide can be easily attached to the top of your printer’s frame and allows you to precisely guide two strands of filament in tandem.
- Who designed it? kis79
- How printable/popular is it? This Prusa i3-compatible guide has over 2,400 views and around 100 downloads.
- Where to find it? Cults
Prusa i3 MK3/S/S+: Multi-material
If quick and convenient filament switching is something you value, then this filament guide will be an absolute godsend. Beyond the ease of snapping it right onto your printer, its PTFE tube adapters allow for a direct connection to your dry box. A magnetic reverse Bowden tube setup allows you to switch out different materials seamlessly with just a few snaps.
If you do own a Prusa printer, this guide was made especially with you in mind; however, some modification may be necessary if considering other machines that have direct extrusion systems.
Be sure to double-check what extra hardware is needed for the model before building – such information will be included in the description of the model.
- Who designed it? Kenneth Henderick
- How printable/popular is it? This guide has over 2,300 views, 145 downloads, and 3 remixes have been shared.
- Where to find it? Printables
Anycubic i3 Mega: Ball Joint
This ball joint filament guide is a great addition if you have an Anycubic i3 Mega 3D printer. It helps your machine maintain peak performance and is incredibly easy to install – all you need to do is attach the frame clip, then unload and insert the filament through the ball joint guide. This option works with both direct extrusion and Bowden systems, so it’s suitable for any setup.
Although the guide itself requires no support during printing, it would be helpful if some extra printing advice could be offered for those using this item.
- Who designed it? RKSF
- How printable/popular is it? This filament guide for the Anycubic i3 Mega has over 4,800 views as well as more than 330 downloads.
- Where to find it? MyMiniFactory
Anet A8: Slide-On Variation Set
This impressive 6-part project provides a great solution for filament guidance on the Anet A8 printer and offers three different angle options – 0°, 45°, and 90°. Whether you want horizontal or vertical tools, it’s all here. Plus, once printed using the recommended PLA filament and 20% infill method, each has a handy gap so you won’t have to waste time unloading the filament in order to install your newly purchased guide.
Not only that but the task is made easier by the fact that guides only consume a minimal 2 meters of 1.75-mm filament.
- Who designed it? Triple_S
- How printable/popular is it? This slide-on Anet A8 filament guide has 7 recorded makes and over 5,500 downloads!
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Bonus: Filter
This extra piece of equipment isn’t just optional – it pays off in the end! The filter serves the essential purpose of removing dust and providing a layer of lubrication to your filament flow.
To that end, a filter designed by the same company behind 3DBenchy can be printed and added near the filament guide to keep your latest 3D project in pristine condition. The model’s designer recommends using a 0.2-mm layer height with no raft or support structures and adding a small piece of foam along with a few drops of mineral oil to the filter for maximum dust removal and lubrication effectiveness.
- Who designed it? CreativeTools
- How printable/popular is it? This filament filter project has 340 recorded makes, 46 remixes, and over 230,000 downloads. It’s a simple print that could make a big difference to your filament!
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Bheema Shankar
I am Bheema Shankar. I have worked on SLS, CJP, DLP, SLA and FDM technologies at Think3D. Currently working as Process and application engineer at VEER-O-METALS PRIVATE LIMITED. I am always fascinated by the process of creating things layer by layer. This fascination led me to pursue a career in 3D printing technology. I am passionate about how 3D works and enjoy exploring new ways to improve the 3D printing process.
