How to 3D Model a Spiral Spring Toy in SelfCAD
In this guide, you’ll learn how to create a spiral spring toy in SelfCAD using only the spring tool. The process is straightforward and perfect for beginners, while also showing how a single tool can be used to build something interactive. By the end, you’ll have your own spring toy design ready for 3D printing, along with a better understanding of how to work with shapes that involve motion and flexibility.
Steps of Creating Spiral Spring Toy in SelfCAD
Check out the interactive tutorial to learn how to design. In summary, start by launching SelfCAD and open the workspace:
Select the Spiral from the Generators:
Set the parameters of the spiral as follows:
Select the Scale tool on the toolbar and use the gizmos to set Y to 5:
Select Copy Offsets tool on the Tools category:
Set the position Y to 5 and set the Number of copies to 50 and click Copy:
The copies made will be as follows:
Click X to close the panel. Select all the objects and Merge them all. Select the Bend tool from the Modify category. Open the Advanced Settings and set the Origin to Center Middle. Set X to 180:
The results will be as shown:
Select the Rotate tool and set Z to 270. Then activate Move tool and click on the Center Object option to position the object at the center:
The next step is to draw a profile. Use the 3D Sketch from the Drawing category and use the Circle tool to draw a profile with a radius of 1:
Select the profile drawn and then the spiral. On the toolbar, select the Follow Path from the Tools category. Set the operation to Extrude and the direction to Bottom/Top:
Tick the check mark to finalize the follow path:
The object is finally ready.
Creating a spiral spring toy in SelfCAD shows how a single tool can be used to build something interactive. You’ve turned a simple idea into a design that has movement and real-life use, by using only spring. Along the way, you’ve also learned how to control shape, size, and spacing to get the result you want. These are skills you can carry into other projects as you continue exploring 3D design.
Enjoy powerful modeling, rendering, and 3D printing tools without the steep learning curve.
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