Water Wheel

myminifactory

Made for my son who loves playing with water outside, I designed a wheel that spins around a stationary axle or rod. The flange parts must rotate freely around the rod for smooth operation. The axle or rod can be held up by a bucket, twigs as shown in the pictures, or simply placed on stones if you play near a small creek. To secure the water wheel in place, I glued matching washers onto the axle to keep it fixed in the axial direction. This lightweight and low-material design still provides stiffness for fun play purposes. The main body consists of two parts that need to be glued together. I prepared axle or rod flanges for 8mm, 10mm, 12mm, and 1/2" and 3/8" diameters. The outer diameter is roughly 185mm, fitting easily on most build plates. Have fun playing with this water wheel! Model units are in millimeters.