ESPoolBuddy turns a couple of cheap ESP32-S3 boards into an NFC-tagged filament spool tracker for Bambuddy — scan a spool's tag, load it into your AMS, and it's identified and assigned automatically. No Raspberry Pi, no SD card, no Linux image to maintain — just ESPHome firmware flashed straight onto the boards.
It's a from-scratch reimplementation of Bambuddy's official SpoolBuddy client (which normally runs on a Raspberry Pi) — same idea, same backend API, running natively on ESP32 instead.
A full setup is two devices, and you only need the first one to get started:
- Console — a touchscreen that shows AMS/filament status, lets you scan, assign, and browse spools, and optionally shows live scale weight. It's the only device that talks to Bambuddy directly.
- Scale (optional) — a load cell + NFC reader that weighs a spool and pushes the reading straight to the console, which relays it to Bambuddy. It never talks to Bambuddy itself, so it just needs to know where the console is on your network.
Bambuddy and your Bambu Lab printer are separate, existing projects this firmware talks to over the network — you'll need a Bambuddy instance running first.
| WT32-SC01 Plus ⭐ recommended | Panda Touch | |
|---|---|---|
| Screen | 3.5″, 480×320 | 5″, 800×480 |
| NFC built in | ✅ | ❌ — use the Scale instead |
| Speaker built in | ✅ | ❌ |
| Why pick it | Full feature set, smaller footprint | Bigger screen, one self-contained board, less to wire |
Both run the identical UI and firmware logic — only the hardware pinout differs. Whichever you pick, you can add a Scale later for automatic weighing (and it's the only way to get NFC on a Panda Touch build).
- Get Bambuddy running and grab an API key from its device settings.
- Pick a console above and open its page for the parts list, wiring, and case options.
- Follow the setup & flashing guide — install ESPHome, fill in your WiFi/Bambuddy details, and flash it.
- Optional: build a Scale too, for automatic spool weighing.
Scan a tag, load the spool, watch it get assigned in Bambuddy — most of it just works without you thinking about it. See Using the device for the full walkthrough: auto-assign, unlinked tags, weighing, writing tags, sleep behavior, and what the status LEDs mean.
- Setup & flashing — install ESPHome, secrets, first flash, OTA updates
- Configuration reference — every tunable setting, what it does, and its default
- API reference — the Bambuddy endpoints this firmware calls, for anyone working on the backend side
- Troubleshooting — fixes for the most common hiccups
- Development / repo layout — for anyone poking at the code
This project stands on the shoulders of two other open-source projects:
- Bambuddy by maziggy — the backend server this firmware talks to. It manages your spool inventory, Bambu Lab printer/AMS polling, and the original Raspberry-Pi SpoolBuddy client that this firmware reimplements. You need a running Bambuddy instance before an ESPoolBuddy device is useful — see its repo for setup.
- SpoolEase by yanshay (spoolease.io) — the hardware design the WT32-SC01 Plus console is built around. The console/scale wiring and two-device concept are based on SpoolEase's excellent hardware build guide and case designs on MakerWorld. ESPoolBuddy reuses that hardware but is a from-scratch ESPHome firmware speaking the Bambuddy API — it's not SpoolEase's firmware and isn't affiliated with or supported by the SpoolEase project.
If you're already running Bambuddy, maybe already have SpoolEase hardware on hand, and want a dedicated NFC console/scale for it, you're in the right place.
AGPL-3.0 (GNU Affero General Public License v3.0) — see LICENSE.
This project is provided for informational and educational purposes only. By using it, you accept the following:
- Work at your own risk — you're solely responsible for your safety and the proper handling of all electrical components.
- No liability — I'm not liable for any damages, injuries, or losses resulting from the use or misuse of the information and files provided.
- No warranty — this has been tested on my own workbench, but there's no guarantee it'll work flawlessly in your environment, given variations in component quality and assembly skill.
If ESPoolBuddy saved you a trip to the hardware store or an evening of sorting spools, consider starring the repo — it helps others find it — or supporting ongoing development via Buy Me a Coffee or Ko-fi. Any of these is appreciated, none is expected.