Filament Spool Windmill

Overview

The Prusament Windmill.
The Prusament Windmill. Source: Pinterest

This fall, Prusa Research delighted the 3D printing community with its release of Prusament, available in a wonderful range of PLA colors. PETG and ASA filaments are to be released in the near future.

Prusament is of extremely high quality and is wound around potentially useful spools. While many empty spools are thrown into piles or trashcans, Prusa has released fun, interesting ways to recycle empty spools to create amazing projects.

Dominik Císař, Art Director and Creatic Content Specialist at Prusa Research, has shared some such projects. This November, he shared an ingenious windmill idea. For this project, the spool frontages form the base and wheel.

This project is very straightforward and easy to complete, so let’s jump into its construction!

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Filament Spool Windmill

What You Need

Putting the rods together.
Putting the rods together. Source: Impression3D

In his Thingiverse post, Císař has included all the necessary STL files for the 3D printable windmill. Besides the blade clips and nose, the parts are printable without supports. If you plan to use the windmill outside, it’s recommended to print these parts in PETG or ABS rather than PLA. These materials offer higher heat resistance.

In addition to the printed components, here is what you’ll need to complete your own 3D printable windmill:

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Filament Spool Windmill

How to Build It

Securing the tail.
Securing the tail. Source: Prusa

Once the models are printed and your Prusament spool is empty, it’s assembly time! First, take one spool frontage, push it onto the printed base, and insert one smooth rod into the base. Position the printed joint on the opposite end of the rod and slide the other rod through the second joint slot perpendicular to the other rod. Secure the rods with the appropriate screws and nuts.

Next, take the tail and, after sliding it into the tail grip, position this construction on the longer end of the horizontal rod, securing it with nuts and screws.

Take the clips and click them onto the second spool frontage as shown in the image above. Then insert the twelve blades into the clips, securing them with super glue, if needed.

The last step is to assemble the shaft as per the above picture. Be sure to put the printed rings between the gears to make sure the wheel doesn’t fall off.

After completing this project, you can even power the windmill with a motor and belt for a refreshing fanning on a hot day.

Happy building!

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License: The text of " Filament Spool Windmill" by All3DP is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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