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06 · Indexed rotational fidget · printed and fit-tuned

RhythmDial

A dial with twelve index marks and a detent pawl that makes every turn count.

After five designs about movement, I wanted one about rhythm. The twelve marks and the pawl give a turn a tempo, something to count, which is the trick behind a lot of grounding exercises: a thing to notice, in order.

Download my files How it works

01The mechanism

How it works.

What this one taught me: Indexing: how a pawl and a notch turn a continuous motion into twelve decisions.

A circular dial is mounted on a fixed base and rotates around its central axis. Twelve evenly spaced index markers sit around its circumference, with a raised central cap.

A separate detent pawl sits beside the outer edge of the dial and represents a possible indexing mechanism: a click at every mark.

The design explores the relationship between repetitive movement and visual feedback. The circle of markers gives a consistent reference while turning, which makes the interaction more deliberate than free spinning.

02Parts

Every part, named.

Dimensions are from my STL files. Parts without a file are printed as part of a neighbour or are plain primitives in the model.

  • Dial base48 mm square base with the postSTL
  • Rotary dial36 mm dial, twelve index marks on topSTL
  • Detent pawl14 by 4 by 1 mm prototype pawlSTL
  • Centre capPrinted as part of the dial in the latest versionNo file

03Files

Print it yourself.

Shared under CC BY 4.0. My Python script rebuilds the assembly in Blender 3.6 or later from primitives and animates it; the STL parts are the printable components and may need fit tuning for your printer.

Talk to us

Printed one? Tell me.

If you print one of my designs, or change one, send me a photo. Remixes are the point.

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