Invincible Lawn Star

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Make your lawn invincible with the Invincible Lawn Star! A whirligig that spins effortlessly in even the gentlest of breezes, it sits atop a pole made from 1/2-inch PVC or hangs elegantly from a tree using the convenient hole at the top (simply attach a fishing swivel). No bearings are required! To bring this marvel to life, you'll need to print one large Star, four smaller Star Wind Cups, and four Star Arms. Don't forget your trusty black Sharpie. How to Print the Star and Star Wind Cup: One perimeter is sufficient; two or three will only add a slight weight and require more wind to spin. A 1-5% infill works great, but be sure to use an optimal pattern: stars are ideal, while triangles might even be better due to their symmetrical design. Avoid honeycomb patterns as they can throw off the balance. Set your Infill "Fill Angle" to 0° for a perfectly symmetrical and evenly-weighted print. A ~4mm brim will ensure it doesn't topple over during printing, given its limited surface area. For the large Star: use supports! While not necessary for printing, they'll prevent toppling. Highly recommend a 40° overhang angle, 0.2mm contact distance, honeycomb pattern, and support on the build-plate only. How to Print the Nose Cone: At least two perimeters are required; I used 20% triangle infill but 5% will suffice. This part doesn't need any fancy settings. How to Print the Star Arm: Two perimeters, two top and bottom layers should do the trick. While not critical, one perimeter might be sufficient – I just didn't test that. A 10% infill with an evenly-distributed pattern (like Rectlinear) will work great; more infill is okay if you live in a gusty area. Finishing Up: Color the eyes with your trusty black Sharpie, being cautious near the edges as Sharpies tend to bleed on layer lines. Connect the arms to the Star Wind Cups and then attach them to the large Star – it might take some trial-and-error to achieve perfect alignment. Mount the Nose Cone onto a 1/2-inch PVC pipe stuck into the ground and place the Invincible Lawn Star on top. I designed the nose cone to fit snugly inside SCH-40 PVC, but thin-walled pipes will work too – just loosely. If your stars are twisting or loose, simply set the Invincible Lawn Star on a flat surface (like in the picture), adjust the Star Wind Cups to stand upright, and apply a drop of CA glue to each arm where it connects. This will keep everything in place! Enjoy your Invincible Lawn Star!