Gyroscope For Christmas

[BladesIIB]

My son is a physics major and wanted a Gyroscope for Christmas. I merged a couple of designs from Clickspring to create a bench top style Gyroscope that he could easily power up to speed with a cordless rotary tool. This required a shaft that extended beyond the outer ring to apply power and meant using ceramic roller ball bearings instead of the cone style bearings traditionally used in toy gyroscopes.

I know this video is extra long. My son is ready to learn to do some machining and wants to try making one of these himself. I wanted to give him a complete set of dimensioned drawings, posted below, as well as a step by step video to complete the project. At the same time, I wanted to ensure everyone could see some machining take place and watch this full build come together. I hope this will help anyone who wants to make a gyroscope and provide enough detail that you can tackle the project.

It took me a couple of tries to find roller bearings that could handle the speed for this build. I finally found them at Boca bearing, link in the video description.

 

[BladesIIB]

Full Dimensions/Drawings for gyroscope build:

 

[solo]

Great video. Nice finishes. Probably not for the kiddies to play with.

 

[BladesIIB]

Great video. Nice finishes. Probably not for the kiddies to play with.

Thanks, definitely happy with how it turned out. Small kids likely not, teenagers I think could handle it. Here is a little better demo video of getting it started and using it.

 

[rwm]

That's beautiful. I am wondering if ball bearings are the way to go as opposed to small pins running in bushings?

 

[Firstram]

That's beautiful. I am wondering if ball bearings are the way to go as opposed to small pins running in bushings?

I think a traditional pin point on the bottom and a bearing in the top would be the ticket. Ideally, zero axial load on the bearing to reduce friction.

 

[BladesIIB]

That's beautiful. I am wondering if ball bearings are the way to go as opposed to small pins running in bushings?

Thank you. For this build since I needed the shaft to come through to use the starter I had to use the ball bearings. Had to find the right ones to make it work but they him just fine now.

 

[BladesIIB]

I think a traditional pin point on the bottom and a bearing in the top would be the ticket. Ideally, zero axial load on the bearing to reduce friction.

That may be worth a try. Can easily make a new shaft and bottom insert to see. May do that when my son brings it home this summer.

 

[Firstram]

That may be worth a try. Can easily make a new shaft and bottom insert to see. May do that when my son brings it home this summer.

Why wait, I saw the extra material, make V2.0 and send it to me for testing!

 

[BladesIIB]

Why wait, I saw the extra material, make V2.0 and send it to me for testing!

Ha! Good point. However the project fairy came and already dropped some other to do’s in my shop. One day…..