Pointlessly complex gear device

thingiverse

I was determined to find something truly impressive for my brother-in-law this Christmas. He's always been particularly enthusiastic about the gear systems I've given him in the past, so I knew I had to come up with something even more elaborate. The asymmetric planetary gears by faggahz caught my eye, as did the eccentrically cycloidal drive model by otvinta3d. However, neither of these options seemed quite perfect on its own. The logical solution was to combine them into a single system. I used the customizable involute spur gear by artanian and designed both the transmission and support structure from scratch. While I thought they turned out well, it's worth noting that this wasn't entirely my doing - the design process involved some trial and error. I created this system specifically with my printer in mind, which excels at measuring outside dimensions but can sometimes fall short on inside measurements. This means you may need to adjust a few components to get everything to fit just right. Ring 2a, Hold 5, and all the axles are good candidates for this tweak. Assembly tips: * To assemble the system correctly, start by printing one of most parts but two of "Support5," "Clip4," and "2_peg" (for a total of four pegs). * Begin with the planetary gears; they fit together best and will tell you if any adjustments are needed. * The square support (Hold5) should be able to rotate without interfering with the gear system. * Insert the pegs into the support except for "Planet 7" (the small one), which doesn't need a peg. To complete the transmission, follow these steps: 1. Insert "Small_axle_ext" through the 10 tooth gear; you may need pliers to do this. 2. Place the washer on one end and push it through "Hold5" into "Planet7." 3. Insert the plain end of "Bottom axle 1" into the 27 tooth gear (gluing it in place is optional). 4. Engage the 27 and 10 tooth gears, then drop "Brace 2a" over both axles. 5. Place "Spacer1" on the larger axle. Next, assemble the main components: 1. Place "Wheel2" between the two "Support5's" (with the washer-like bearings on the inside). 2. Attach this assembly to "Bottom_axle1" using "Clip4." 3. Secure the full assembly to the base with 6 nuts and bolts. 4. Insert the plain end of "Top axle 1" into "Spinner 3" (gluing it in place is optional). 5. Engage "Pinion2" to "Wheel2" and pass the axle through it. 6. Secure the axle with the other clip. 7. Place "Bridge3" over the protruding struts of the supports and ring gear (this should fit snugly). You should now have a fully assembled system.