Fidget Chain

thingiverse

This is a fun little fidget toy that I built using a two-dimensional chain link design inspired by a toy my kids had years ago. The two-dimensional aspect of this chain means it can bend in two directions, not just one. The ring-shaped chain can flex and twist in many unexpected ways, and can even be rotated around its center to create an "inside-out" effect. Printing this design is relatively easy, as it doesn't require any supports. However, if you scale up the model, you may notice that some of the links start to droop between them. You can also extend the chain's length by connecting multiple links together. To do this, simply rotate one link 90 degrees around its long axis and align the cones and pits on another link (about 1.5 cm apart). This allows you to create chains as long as you need. Depending on your printer's capabilities, you may need to gently separate the overlapping tangs on the corner pieces. In my case, this was a minor issue, and the links snapped apart cleanly, leaving no cleanup necessary. The result is a fully functional, bendable, and rotatable chain that's ready for use straight from the printer.