These 3D printed DIY IKEA Kallax filament storage racks pack a ton of rolls into a compact space!
If you own a 3D printer, you know how quickly your collection of filament grows. What started off as a few basic colors in a neat stack turns into a rainbow of rolls everywhere!
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My Bambulab P1P is kept in our basement laundry room. One of my first 3D print projects was a set of wall mount brackets to hold my filament, but I quickly outgrew it.
The IKEA Kallax shelving unit was once part of a desk but now collects random piles of stuff. I was planning to get rid of it to make room for the resin printer, but I ended up building an enclosure and stand for it in the workshop instead so I could vent fumes out the window.
Since the Kallax shelves were mostly cleared out anyway, I started thinking that it would make better filament storage than the rack on the wall. I found this 3D model for Kallax filament rack brackets that keep the rolls neat and organized. Perfect!
I was able to fit four sets of the short brackets on one plate, but I could only print two of the larger ones at a time. Luckily, it was a pretty quick print and I was able to use up a partial roll of matching filament!
The model calls for 16mm dowels, but the closest thing I could find at Home Depot were these ⅝" ones. Measure each cube, and cut four dowels for each one with a miter saw or handheld miter box. Mine were 13 ¼" across.
Place the dowels into the back holes and slide it into the cube until just the front holes are over the edge. Then insert the front dowel and push the rack all the way in.
I left the racks loose to test the fit of the filament rolls and figure out where I need to screw them in. I wanted to fit both spools completely inside the shelving unit, so I can add doors over the front later on.
Measure the distance between the front of the shelf and the bracket so you get consistent spacing on all the shelves. I used the Kreg Multi-Mark tool so I could lock the distance in once and use it for all the shelves without remeasuring.
The middle divider isn't very thick, so you'll need to use shorter screws to ensure they don't bump into each other. ¾" wood screws seemed to work fine.
Now it's time to load up your new filament racks! I was surprised by how many rolls I could fit in each Kallax cube. I could fit five spools on each rack, for a total of 40 in just these four sections!
I even have room to add more rolls of filament to my collection. Look at all that extra space!
I took down the wall mounted racks and patched up the anchor holes in the wall, so the laundry room looks neater.
Now it's time to stock up on some fun new filament colors! 🙂
