3D Printed Fidget Spinners That Come Off the Printer Assembled

How a bearing without metal works

The Trefoil and the Gear spinner have a roller bearing printed together with the body. Seven rollers — double cones, thickest in the middle — sit between the hub and the body. The hub and the body hole have V-grooves matching the rollers, so a roller can’t fall out up or down, and the hub rides on the rollers.

There is a 0.4 mm gap between all the parts, so they don’t fuse while printing. The sides of the rollers and grooves slope no more than 31°, so the spinner prints without supports and there’s nothing to remove afterwards.

How long it spins

A plastic bearing spins for less time than a metal one: this is a spinner you hold and keep nudging with a finger, not a spin-time record holder. On the other hand, there’s nothing to rust or oil. The first few turns may feel tight while the rollers bed in.

The Planetary spinner works differently: instead of a bearing it has a planetary gear set with herringbone teeth. It’s fun to turn slowly and watch the planets roll.

Who to give it to

• Anyone who fidgets with a pen in meetings or class — a spinner for the pocket.
• School kids — a set of three spinners in different colours.
• Colleagues — as a small holiday gift.

Colour and safety

We print in PLA of any colour — if we don’t have yours in stock, we’ll buy it for your order. The spinners are not certified as children’s toys: for children aged 3 and up, under adult supervision.

Another spinner from your model

Found a spinner on Printables, Thingiverse or MakerWorld? We’ll print it from your file, priced by weight: PLA from 5 UAH/g. More stress-relief toys are on the fidget toys page.