You remember 2017. It was everywhere. That specific, whirring sound of a high-speed bearing echoed through every middle school hallway and office breakroom in the country. While the massive fad died off faster than most, the core appeal of a tactile, kinetic toy never really went away. People still love to fidget. Honestly, buying a plastic one from a gas station is boring. The real fun, and the reason many hobbyists are still obsessed, is figuring out how to make fidget spinners that actually feel premium and spin for more than thirty seconds. It isn't just about the shape; it's about the physics of centrifugal force and the quality of your center point.
Most people think you need a 3D printer. You don't. While Catherine Hettinger is often credited with the original concept back in the 90s, the modern version is basically just a housing for a 608 skateboard bearing. That's the secret sauce. If you have a bearing, you have a spinner. Everything else is just weight and aesthetics.
The bearing is the heart of the machine
If you want to know how to make fidget spinners that don't feel like junk, you have to start with the 608 bearing. These are standard in skateboards. But here is where most people mess up: they buy "shielded" bearings and wonder why they stop spinning after ten seconds. The grease inside those bearings is designed to withstand the heat of a 180-pound human rolling down a hill, not the light flick of a finger.
To get that long, silent spin, you've gotta strip it down. Pop the metal or rubber shields off with a safety pin. Soak the bearing in isopropyl alcohol or acetone. Shake it. Watch the gunk fall out. Once it's bone dry, it'll scream. It’ll be loud, sure, but it will spin forever. Some purists even switch to ceramic bearings—specifically Silicon Nitride ($Si_{3}N_{4}$)—because they don't rust and have lower friction than steel. They’re expensive, though. For a DIY project, a cleaned-out Bones Reds bearing is basically the gold standard.
Weight distribution: physics doesn't lie
A spinner works because of the moment of inertia. You want the weight as far from the center as possible. If the center is heavy and the "arms" are light, it'll wobble and die. This is why the classic "tri-spinner" design uses three additional bearings on the outside. They aren't there to spin; they’re just heavy, cheap counterweights.
How to make fidget spinners without a 3D printer
You can use wood. Oak or maple works best because they're dense. Get a scrap piece about 1/2 inch thick. You’ll need a 22mm Forstner bit—that is the exact diameter of a 608 bearing. If you use a regular drill bit, the hole will be messy and the bearing will just fall out. Drill your center hole, then measure out three points exactly 120 degrees apart.
Wait.
Don't just wing the angles. Use a protractor. If your weights are even a millimeter off-center, the whole thing will vibrate like a phone on a table. It feels terrible in the hand. After you've drilled your holes, sand the wood until it’s smooth as glass. Press the bearings in. If they're loose, a tiny drop of Loctite or even super glue will hold them, but be careful—if glue gets inside the bearing, the project is over.
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The cardboard and bottle cap method (The "I'm bored at home" special)
Kinda sounds cheap, right? It can be. But if you're doing this with kids or just want a proof of concept, it's actually a great lesson in balance.
- Trace a spinner shape onto heavy corrugated cardboard.
- Cut out two identical shapes and glue them together for thickness.
- Use a toothpick or a straightened paperclip as the axle.
- For weights, glue pennies to the ends of the arms.
Pennies are surprisingly consistent in weight. In the US, pennies minted after 1982 weigh exactly 2.5 grams. This makes them perfect for DIY balancing because you know exactly how much mass you're adding to each side.
What most people get wrong about balance
You might notice your DIY spinner "flutters" when you tilt it while it’s spinning. That’s the gyroscopic effect. If the arms aren't perfectly symmetrical, that flutter becomes a violent shake.
Professional makers use a digital scale. They weigh every nut, bolt, or bearing going into the outer arms. If one side is 0.1 grams heavier, you'll feel it. When you’re learning how to make fidget spinners, the biggest "aha" moment usually comes when you realize that symmetry is more important than the actual material you use. You could make a spinner out of popsicle sticks, and as long as the weights are perfectly balanced, it'll spin like a dream.
Advanced materials and the "Executive" DIY
If you've moved past wood and cardboard, you're looking at metal or resins.
Pouring epoxy resin into silicone molds is a huge subculture in the maker world. You can embed things—watch parts, glitter, even tiny LED lights. The trick here is the "button." The button is the part you actually hold. You can buy threaded brass buttons online, or you can make them out of thumb tacks and bits of plastic tubing.
A lot of guys in the "Everyday Carry" (EDC) community focus on brass and copper because of the "patina." Over time, the oils from your hands react with the metal, turning it a dark, weathered bronze color. It makes the spinner look like an antique tool rather than a toy.
Why the shape matters more than you think
The "bar" spinner (two arms) is easier to pocket. It's sleek. But it’s also prone to the "judder" when you spin it and move your hand. The "tri-spinner" (three arms) is much more stable. Then there's the "cog" or "wheel" design. These have the highest moment of inertia because the weight is a continuous ring around the outside.
If you want the longest spin times—we're talking 5 to 10 minutes—you go with a heavy stainless steel wheel design and a high-end R188 bearing. The R188 is smaller than the 608, which means the balls inside move slower at the same RPM, creating less friction.
Maintenance: keeping the spin alive
Eventually, your spinner will slow down. You'll drop it in the dirt, or pocket lint will find its way into the races. Don't use WD-40. It's a common mistake. WD-40 is a solvent and a light lubricant, but it leaves a film that actually attracts more dust.
Instead, use high-percentage isopropyl alcohol. Give it a bath, spin it dry with compressed air (the sound it makes when you hit it with canned air is incredibly satisfying), and leave it be. If you absolutely must lubricate it for silence, use a single drop of "thin" racing oil designed for yo-yos or RC cars. Just one drop. Any more and you'll cut your spin time in half.
Taking the next steps with your build
Building your first spinner usually leads down a rabbit hole of tool collecting. If you've mastered the wooden version, the natural progression is to try a hybrid build.
Step 1: Source a high-quality R188 bearing and a 608-to-R188 adapter. This allows you to use the smaller, more efficient bearing in a frame designed for the larger skateboard size.
Step 2: Experiment with "asymmetric balance." Try making a spinner that looks lopsided but is actually balanced by using different density materials on each side—like lead on a short arm and aluminum on a long arm.
Step 3: Focus on the "fidget feel." Some people hate long spin times. They want "tactile feedback," which is that slight vibration or "thrum" you feel in your bones. You achieve this by actually using less refined bearings or adding slightly textured surfaces to the buttons.
The hobby has evolved far beyond the $5 plastic triangles of 2017. It's now about machining, material science, and the personal satisfaction of making something that obeys the laws of physics perfectly in the palm of your hand.