Garden Windmill | Wind turbine

💥 UPDATES 

Thank you for all the feedback! I am constantly working on improving this design based on your comments. I've just uploaded a new print profile with an updated model.

Version 1.2 (Latest)

• Stronger bearing pins: I improved the strength of the bearing pin connectors. They are now printed separately and laid flat on the build plate, which makes them significantly stronger.
• Improved bearing mount: I slightly tweaked the bearing connector that screws into the Main Body so it holds bearing more securely.

Version 1.1

• Split the longest part: The tallest piece, which was prone to detaching from the build plate, is now split into two pieces that screw together.
• Tail nut added: I added a nut to the screw-on tail to make vertical alignment easier and more reliable.
• Improved threads: I fixed the tolerances on all the threads for a better fit.
• Note: I also printed this version in a different color scheme!
   

Project overview 

Another project for my windmill collection! This time I put in a lot more effort and designed something bigger, but still fitting on my A1 mini. If I eventually buy something bigger, I'll design an even bigger one! 🤣

I decided to go with white accents, so to minimize unnecessary filament swaps, it's best to print the parts on 4 separate plates. However, if you want to print it in a single color, everything will fit on one plate, even on an A1 mini.

To make this windmill, you will need:

• 2 x 608zz ball bearings
• Glue (I used special glue for plastic)

In my projects, I try to avoid things like glue, but sometimes they are necessary, like here where we have to print the turbine in several parts. You will find assembly instructions down below.

Important notes: This is a very demanding print, so before printing, I recommend cleaning the build plate so you don't have adhesion problems later on. If you don't fully trust your printer to handle it, I recommend splitting the print profile where I arranged everything on a single build plate into multiple plates. Otherwise, if you experience bed adhesion issues, one loose part could fail and ruin the entire batch.

❗️If the plastic threads are tight, don't force them right away or they might snap off. Instead, screw them in and out a few times; this should wear them down slightly so they can be tightened all the way.

Assembly information

1. Glue these small squares to the main part of the rotor. Repeat this for all 3 connectors.

2. Glue the blade onto it (pay attention to the position of the arrow, it should be on top). Repeat this for all 3 blades.

3.Press the bearing in here until it is flush with the edges.

4. Screw on the tail fin so that it is positioned vertically. It doesn't need to be fully tightened.

Go see my latest windmill →