Spool

A spool is a cylindrical device, often made of wood, plastic, or metal, around which thread, wire, tape, film, or other flexible materials are wound for storage, transportation, or dispensing. It's characterized by a central core for winding and flanges (sides) to keep the material contained. Spools vary greatly in size and material depending on their intended use. The act of winding material onto a spool is also commonly referred to as 'spooling.' The word 'spool' can also colloquially refer to the amount of material on a spool (e.g., a 'spool of thread').

Spool meaning with examples

• The seamstress carefully re-threaded her sewing machine using a new spool of bright red thread. She examined the thread's quality, winding it between her fingers to ensure there were no snags. It's easy to manage when you have a spool to hold the thread while using it. The size of a spool can matter when it comes to machine use; a bulky spool can become difficult to handle in the tension and the take up levers.
• The electrician used a heavy-duty spool of copper wire to connect the main power supply to the breaker panel. The spool was so heavy that it required two people to maneuver it. They used the wire from the spool to run through conduit installed in the ceiling, making sure to leave enough slack to allow for future adjustments or repairs as needed. A spooling tool was used.
• The photographer meticulously loaded a new spool of 35mm film into his camera. He was excited to use this spool for his next professional photo shoot, because he had heard the film's high contrast levels created stunning black and white images. The spool was placed in complete darkness to avoid ruining the film.
• The video editor needed to transfer the footage from a spool of magnetic tape to a digital hard drive to begin the editing process. The original spool was a delicate piece of media with footage that was recorded decades prior. Preserving the footage on that spool was essential.
• The factory worker managed a spool of plastic filament for a 3D printer. After placing a fresh spool of this plastic filament into the machine, he adjusted the settings to ensure the printer's smooth operation, then initiated the first print of the day. The settings were a must to make sure there was no clumping and the filament extruded smoothly through the hot end.