Fully 3D-Printed Mechanical Spinning Top

This fully 3D-printed mechanical spinning top is not only a fun toy, but quite educational too, and in more ways than one. Just like any spinning top, it demonstrates a fascinating physics phenomenon known as the gyroscopic effect, which prevents the toy from falling over while spinning. Also, nestled inside is a neat little mechanism which enables the transformation of the reciprocal motion of the spiral rod to the one-way rotational motion of the spinning top's body. It is called the overrunning clutch, and we have managed to make it fully 3D-printed, even the torsion springs! This fairly massive toy measures 20cm in its widest section, and not exactly a small project. However, the parts are designed in such a way that they are very easy to print and, with one exception, require almost no support. Assembly only takes minutes! To download the .stl, and for detailed assembly instructions, please visit http://www.otvinta.com/download15.html.