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A 3D PRINTED SPINNING WHEEL THAT TURNS WOOL INTO YARN

Build an Irish tension spinning wheel from 3D printed parts, hardware-store lumber and six skateboard bearings.

by Joseph Bjork (Good and Basic)

FULL CAD BOM FIRMWARE DOCS

WorkshopHome

Built with3D printing

difficulty
●●●○○
time
a long weekend
license
CC BY-NC-ND
repo
repo FINISHED0 stars

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

Videos
1
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COMPAREE VERDICT

Joseph Bjork (Good and Basic) designed a castle-style Irish tension spinning wheel you build from 3D printed parts and lumber from a hardware store. The frame uses 1x2, 2x2 and 2x4 wood plus a 3/8-inch dowel, with seven straight cuts in total, joined with 48 screws and a handful of bolts. The moving parts run on six skateboard bearings and the three bobbins are aluminium tubes. You rock the pedals with your feet to turn the wheel, and the flyer twists fibre into yarn while winding it onto the bobbin. The instructions are a clear PDF with the cut list, hardware counts, 36 assembly steps and reference photos of every printed part. The licence is CC BY-NC-ND: you cannot sell wheels you build, and you cannot share modified files. If you have never spun before, try a wheel first; if you do not enjoy the process, a 3D printed machine will not change that.

GOOD TO KNOW

  • —The design files are on Thingiverse (thing:4944151); the printed parts are 15 part types, 30 pieces.
  • —The instructions PDF lists the wood cuts, bolts and screws, kit contents and 36 assembly steps, with reference photos of each printed part.
  • —Licence is CC BY-NC-ND: no selling wheels built from these plans and no sharing modified files.
  • —The creator's video shows the finished wheels; the written instructions are in the PDF.
  • —A complete kit is sold on Etsy by Good and Basic if you want to skip sourcing.
  • —This is a manual treadle wheel, not motorised — you power it with your foot.

Parts to buy

12 items

From our check of the build. Exact quantities and part numbers are in the creator’s BOM.

  • 2x2 lumber (10, 24 and two 12-inch pieces)Find
  • One 12-inch 2x4Find
  • One 11.5-inch 1x2Find
  • 12-inch 3/8-inch dowelFind
  • Six skateboard bearingsFind
  • Three 3/8-inch aluminium tubes (4 3/4 in)Find
  • 1/4-inch steel rod (6 1/2 in)Find
  • 5/16 lag and hex bolts with lock nutsFind
  • 1/4-inch carriage bolt and wing nutFind
  • Eye screwFind
  • Twelve 1/2-inch screw hooksFind
  • 48 deck screwsFind

Can I build this?

Print30 pieces across 15 part types; full list in the instructions PDF. No print settings are given.
Buy2x2 lumber (10, 24 and two 12-inch pieces), one 12-inch 2x4, one 11.5-inch 1x2, a 12-inch 3/8-inch dowel, six skateboard bearings, three 3/8-inch aluminium tubes (4 3/4 in), a 1/4-inch steel rod (6 1/2 in), 5/16 lag and hex bolts with lock nuts, a 1/4-inch carriage bolt and wing nut, an eye screw, twelve 1/2-inch screw hooks, 48 deck screws, cord for the drive band and a 1/4 by 4-inch leather strap.
Tools3D printer, saw for straight cuts, drill with a 3/16-inch bit, screwdriver, hammer and a scrap of wood for seating bearings, superglue.
Skillsbasic woodworking (measuring, cutting straight, drilling pilot holes), 3D printing experience (this is a long multi-part print), some spinning knowledge helps but is not required
TimePrint time depends on your printer (30 pieces); add a weekend for cutting, assembly and learning to treadle.
Cost$$ — lumber, bolts and bearings from a hardware store plus filament; the plans give no price.
SafetyNo special hazards beyond normal workshop care; sharp saw blades and drill bits, standard 3D printer hot-end precautions.

Build at your own risk. Projects involve tools, electronics and sometimes mains voltage — follow the creator’s safety notes.

Videos

3D-Printed Spinning Wheel! (Free Plans)2:25

The creator's video presenting the wheel and the free plans, published September 2021.

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Gallery

Start here

Navigation into the creator’s own docs — we don’t rewrite the guide, we route you to the source.

  1. 1.Download the instructions PDF and the design files. (Read the entire PDF before buying anything: it has the wood cut list, bolts, screws and the assembly order. The design files are on Thingiverse (thing:4944151).)
  2. 2.Print all 30 pieces: 15 part types, including six pegs, five spokes, three bobbin caps and three bobbin pulleys.(The plans give no print settings or time; start the prints first, they take the longest.)
  3. 3.Cut the seven wood pieces to the list and predrill the two 3/16-inch holes in the frame post and the pedal arm.(Straight cuts only. The axle hole in the frame post must be perpendicular or the wheel will not spin evenly.)
  4. 4.Assemble the frame and pedals, tap the bearings into their printed parts, build the wheel and the tie rod, then the flyer and bobbins, following the PDF.(Dry-fit everything before final assembly; adjustments are easier before screws are tight.)
  5. 5.Wrap the drive cord around the wheel and the bobbin pulley, fit the leather strap tensioner, and adjust it with the wing nut.(The instructions say it may take some practice on the pedals to get the wheel running smoothly.)

Resources

Documentation, files and community threads for this build — we link straight to the original sources and never rehost the creator’s files.

KNOWN ISSUES

  • The licence is CC BY-NC-ND: no selling wheels built from the plans and no sharing modified files. If you want to make wheels commercially, this is the wrong project.
  • There are 30 printed pieces across 15 part types. Several are tight press fits (bearings, pegs, bobbin parts are tapped in with a hammer), so a printer that warps or prints oversize will cost you reprints.
  • The 3/16-inch pilot hole for the wheel axle must be drilled perfectly perpendicular in the frame post; the instructions warn that otherwise the wheel will not spin evenly.
  • This is a manual treadle wheel: your feet power it through the pedals and tie rod. If you were expecting a motorised wheel, look elsewhere.
  • If you have never spun before, try it on a borrowed or rented wheel first. A beautiful machine will not make the skill easier to learn, and spinning is not for everyone.
  • The bobbins need three 3/8-inch aluminium tubes cut to 4 3/4 inches and the flyer a 1/4-inch steel rod 6 1/2 inches long. The kit includes them; if you source them yourself, find them before you start printing.

Can I sell wheels I build from these plans?

Not without the creator's permission. The design is licensed CC BY-NC-ND, which does not allow commercial use, so build one for yourself or as a gift, but do not sell wheels made from these plans. The creator sells a complete kit himself.

How long does it take to print all the parts?

The plans give no total print time. There are 15 different printed parts and 30 pieces in all (including six pegs, five spokes, three bobbin caps and three bobbin pulleys), so it depends heavily on your printer and settings.

Do I need spinning experience to build this?

No, but it helps when you are tuning the tension and testing the wheel. If you have never spun before, watch a few tutorials so you know what smooth operation looks and feels like.

How does this compare to a commercial spinning wheel?

It uses the same Irish tension castle layout as commercial wheels, with 3D printed parts, hardware-store lumber and skateboard bearings in place of turned wood. You are trading money for build time.

What if I do not have a 3D printer?

Good and Basic sells a complete kit on Etsy. The instructions list the printed parts plus the bobbin tubes, steel rod, bearings, drive cord and leather strap as kit contents; check the listing for whether lumber and screws are included.

Can I modify the design?

The ND (No Derivatives) part of the licence means you cannot share modified versions of the files. You can change them for your own use, but you cannot redistribute your changes.

Community builds

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Discussion1

FROM THE COMPAREE TEAM

The plans need six skateboard bearings and seven straight cuts: no lathe, no joinery, just a saw and a drill. What part of the build would you change first to make it yours?

CompareeTEAM3d ago

Practical notes from our verification: the instructions PDF is thorough, with the wood cut list, bolt and screw counts, 36 numbered steps and a reference photo of each printed part. The plans give no print settings or print time, so budget plenty of printer time for 30 pieces. Bearings and pegs are hammer-fit, so accurate prints matter. The non-commercial, no-derivatives licence is the main constraint: personal use or gifts only. The creator's YouTube video (pTtqDWaXhrs) shows the finished wheels, and a complete kit is on his Etsy shop. The biggest time sink is not the woodworking, it is waiting for the prints and then learning to treadle smoothly.

Joseph Bjork (Good and Basic)

Joseph Bjork runs Good and Basic (Good and Basic Manufacturing), a YouTube channel and Etsy shop. He released the spinning wheel plans for free on Thingiverse in 2021 and also sells the wheel as a complete kit.

Star the project on GitHub

DISCLAIMER

  • Comparee is not the author of the projects featured here. All rights to each project belong to its creator — every page links to the original source, and we never host creators’ files.
  • Information is provided without warranty and may become outdated as projects evolve. Prices are indicative bands only — always check the creator’s parts list for current costs.
  • Building and operating any project is at your own responsibility. Protective equipment, safe workshop practice and compliance with local regulations are the builder’s responsibility.
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