Kinetic wind sculpture

Kinetic wind sculpture designed to be easy printable with no s.

The construction consists of a total of 25 parts with a fixed hexagonal frame and six pairs of rotatable wings. Each wing pair consists of two mirrored wing halves equipped with gears that synchronize each pair to the whole mechanism allowing the three 120 degree arms of the six pairs to each other in a regular flow without colliding which creates a hypnotic repeating pattern.

The six pairs of wings rotate in the wind for two reasons: Primarily because the total area of the wings' spoons is greater at the outer turn than at the center of the inner turn of the hexagon where the spoons shield each other from the wind. Secondary because of the cup-shaped spoons of the pair of wings creating a somewhat greater force from one direction.

Essential information:
Optimal placement in windy places by the sea. Information on wind speeds necessary for the structure to rotate is not available, primarily depends on the quality of the print. PTFE spray can after the assembly and gluing be used if necessary to minimize friction at the cogs/teeth and at the surfaces between the pairs of wings and the shafts. The parts must be super glued together according to following instructions.

Printing:
All parts must be oriented as shown in pictures. NO S. Brim must be used to avoid heat shrink warping when cooling down.
0.2 mm layer height gives a sufficiently fine surface.
The wings have a sufficient tolerance relative to the pins when printing from 100% (1,5 mm greater diameter) down to around 75% original size. When downsizing parts, the tolerances also get smaller. Consequently, if smaller sizes than 75% will be printed adjust the pins diameter (X- and Y-axis) more than the length/height (Z-axis) that should be in the same percent ratio as the rest of the parts.

Instructions for assembly:

A careful assembly must be done to obtain a perfect geometry and frictionless movement. Follow these steps for a simple and precise installation:

1. Before assembling the stand itself, all 12 three-winged arms must be assembled. Remove the brims carefully with a knife for a smooth surface transition. Sort up the wings A and the mirrored wings B in pairs. Put on a pair of disposable gloves. Apply a thin and even layer of super glue over the bottom surface of one wing and orient the other mirrored wing correctly and press them together gently, making sure they line up perfectly. Do this for all six pairs.

2. Mount the base corner in the base and secure with a standard wood or sheet metal screw of suitable diameter and length.

3. Take two of the six pins and apply an even layer of super glue to one end of their surfaces. Push them straight into the base corner until it bottoms out and is exactly straight against the surfaces inside the hole. Apply a straight pushing force in line with the axis of the pin and the pin will naturally orient itself to the correct position. Do not apply torque or bend the sticks while the superglue hardens.

4.
Now it's time to attach two wing pairs on the pins. Make sure the spoons of the pair of wings are facing the same direction. The cogs of both pairs of wings must now be set in exactly the right cog for the whole assembly to work. Wing side A cogs must go into wing side B of the other pair of wings. Set the cogs so that the spoon of one pair of wings comes exactly one cog from the spoon of the other pair of wings.

5.
When the pair of wings are now correctly positioned, they must be locked in this position by fitting two of the five corners. Observe after this step you can not change the orientation of the two wing pairs cogs, they have to be correctly attached before this is done. Apply an even and thin layer of super glue to the end surfaces of the protruding stick. Make sure no superglue is applied on the outer diameter surface of the pin which will make the wing pairs unable to rotate. Press the two corners on the pins ends and use a straight force without torque or bending so that the two surfaces lie exactly against each other until the superglue hardens.

6.
Repeat step three (3) with two pins on the previously attached corners.

7.
Attach two wing pairs on the pins. Make sure the spoons of the pair of wings are facing the same direction. The cogs of both pairs of wings must now be set in exactly the right cog for the whole assembly to work. Set the cogs so that the spoon of one pair of wings comes exactly one cog from the spoon of the previously attached pair of wings.
Since in this moment the third and fourth pair of wings are concerned, consideration must be given to how the first and second pair of wings are oriented. The spoons must be assembled in a single seamless continuity.

1. Set aside the construction you've assembled so far. Take one corner and super glue the last two pins to it. Use the same careful assembly so that the flat end surfaces of the pins are aligned with the surfaces inside the cone by applying a straight pressing force without bending.

9.
Attach the last two pair of wings to these pins and make sure the spoons of the pair of wings are facing the same direction as the whole construction and with the cogs in correct position - exactly one cog from each other.

1. When the pair of wings are now correctly positioned, they must be locked in this position by fitting the two last corners. Observe after this step you can not change the orientation of the two wing pairs cogs, they have to be correctly attached before this is done. Apply an even and thin layer of super glue to the end surfaces of the protruding stick. Make sure no superglue is applied on the outer diameter surface of the pin which will make the wing pairs unable to rotate. Press the two corners on the pins ends and use a straight force without torque or bending so that the two surfaces lie exactly against each other until the superglue hardens.

11.
In the last step, the new composite part shall be mounted on the previously assembled structure. Since in this moment the fifth and sixth pair of wings are concerned, consideration must be given to how the first, second, third and fourth pair of wings are oriented. The spoons must be assembled in a single seamless continuity. Mount the new composite part onto the previously made one and orient the pair of wings on the new one so that they are correctly angled to the other four without gluing it. When the correctness of the angles of the teeth of all pairs of wings is checked, you can remove the new assembled part without changing the angles and apply superglue to the ends of the pins as described in the previous step and then attach them into the corners.
Congratulations! The kinetic wind spinner is now ready to be placed in desired position in a windy area. The base unit has four countersunk holes intended for standard wood or sheet metal screw of suitable diameter and length