Christoph Laimer’s windable 3D-printed tourbillon clock is a compact mechanical build: assembled, it measures 102 mm (about 4 inches) in diameter and uses 51 printed parts, plus metal pins, washers and screws. It is designed to run as a working clock, but its tourbillon is a mechanical feature—not a proven accuracy upgrade. The build calls for careful printing, drilling and fit checks, especially around the balance wheel.
What this project is—and what it is not
Laimer’s design combines a rotating tourbillon with a mainspring-driven going barrel and clock gearing. Make: rates it “Moderate,” estimates more than 16 hours of work, and lists a $0–$50 project cost. Those are Make:’s estimates, published in 2016 and on a page updated in 2023; actual time and expense depend on the builder, printer and locally available materials. See the Make: project instructions and its linked files on Thingiverse, item 1249221.
A tourbillon is a rotating cage that carries the escapement and balance wheel. Laimer explains that the mechanism was intended to average positional effects of gravity in a timepiece, while noting that modern watchmaking does not need a tourbillon for accuracy. In this clock, it is also a visible demonstration of mechanical design and printing.
How the clock’s tourbillon works
The design uses a planetary-like gear arrangement: an annular gear stays stationary while the tourbillon cage serves as the carrier. The cage turns once per minute, and the seconds hand is mounted directly to it. The minute and hour gearing is positioned behind the tourbillon.
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#1 Best Overall
- 3D PRINTING & MANUAL ASSEMBLY---- Not a commercial mass-produced item. Each product is individually 3D printed and hand-assembled, ensuring a unique tactile feel. The visible print textures are a natural result of the process, giving every piece its own distinct personality and artisan charm.
- EXQUISITELY CRAFTED---- This product is printed with a 0.1mm layer height (ordinary 3D layer height of 0.2-0.4mm), with a smoother surface, shallow print lines, and high production precision. We use eco-friendly, non-toxic materials with integrated full-color printing—meaning zero paint is ever used, it creates a safe play environment.
- EASY TO OPERATE---- Winding wrench clockwise,Push the gear gently,It will turn like a dream
- DECORATE YOUR HOME AND OFFICE--- The mechanical clock imitation toy is designed beautifully. Your guests will find it interesting and appealing with the entire setting and visible gear mechanism. Start the clockwork,you will send yourself back to the industrial age. Perfect for any desk, bookshelf or other surface. Great in any interior.
- MULTIPLE PURPOSES---- It’s a very cool desk accessory .It will be a good icebreaker when you lay it in your office desk or your home desk. Use it to waste time, relieve stress, tune out boring coworkers, or schooling youngsters in physics. It will be nice desk toy. Well demonstrated the gear structure and rotation of the clock.
The build has two main mechanism modules—the tourbillon and the mainspring “going barrel”—followed by the clock gearing. The cage’s rotation makes the seconds display easy to understand, but it does not establish how accurately or reliably an individual printed clock will keep time.
Parts, tools and printer settings
The project uses an FDM-style printing workflow and small hardware. Laimer’s published parts list calls for:
Rank #2
- Model Display: This 3D simulated tourbillon model makes a splendid gift, home decor & office ornament for science and machinery enthusiasts. What we can provide is an electronic version of the instruction manual
- Authentic Details: Designed with a metal spring running for five minutes as well as accurate & realistic details, the lifelike model needs to be assembled, which helps teach and inspire you for better family relations
- Dynamic Simulation: The product is pre-painted. It is able to simulate the operation according to the principle of mechanical transmission
- Note: Hand-on ability is required for the model made of premium PLA plastic. Layer lines that make the materials overlap each other or cause the wiredrawing of the plastic may be found as the model is 3D printed, please clean them off when necessary
- Other Usages: The assembled model makes a birthday gift for lovers and friends, or a decor for Halloween, Christmas and other festivals. For Ages: 16+
- PLA filament for gears and specified tourbillon parts, and PETG for the case and mainspring.
- Steel or brass pins in 1.5 mm, 2 mm and 3 mm diameters.
- Washers in 1.5 mm, 2 mm and 3 mm sizes, plus small screws in 1.5 mm and 1.8 mm diameters.
- A 3D printer, drill and screwdriver.
Check dimensions against the current project files before buying hardware; these components are small, and substitutions may require drilling or fit adjustments.
Laimer’s settings are a record of his build, not a guarantee for another printer. He used an Ultimaker 2 with a 0.4 mm nozzle. The tourbillon-cage components—including the hairspring, balance wheel, anchor, escapement wheel and planet gear—were specified in PLA at 0.06 mm layer height and 0.8 mm shell. Other pieces used 0.1 mm layers and the same 0.8 mm shell. The anchor was listed at 80% infill; other parts at 30%.
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- HANDCRAFTED 3D PRINT & MANUAL ASSEMBLY---- Far from a mass-produced assembly line commodity, each piece is meticulously 3D printed and hand-assembled with care. This artisan process gives every item its own unique character and warmth. Please note: The subtle layered textures you see are not flaws, but the authentic signature of 3D printing, making your piece truly one-of-a-kind.
- HIGH-PRECISION & SMOOTH FINISH---- Expertly crafted at 4.72"H x 4.41"diameter, this product features a highly refined surface with exceptionally shallow print lines. We use eco-friendly, non-toxic materials with integrated full-color printing—meaning zero paint is ever used. The result is a vibrant, safe, and exquisitely detailed piece perfect for safe play.
- EASY TO OPERATE---- Winding wrench clockwise,Push the gear gently,It will turn like a dream
- STUNNING HOME & OFFICE DECOR---- Designed with a visible gear mechanism and authentic clockwork, this mechanical clock imitation is a true eye-catcher. Your guests will be fascinated by its intricate details and nostalgic appeal. Versatile and stylish, it seamlessly complements any interior and serves as the perfect centerpiece for your desk or bookshelf.
- VERSATILE DESK COMPANION & STRESS RELIEF---- More than just a cool desk accessory, this mechanical masterpiece is the ultimate icebreaker for your home or office. Watch the mesmerizing rotation of the gears to unwind, relieve stress, or simply enjoy a mindful moment of zen. It also serves as an engaging, hands-on tool to demonstrate physics and gear structures to curious minds.
Why material choice matters
Material is part of the mechanism’s behavior, not just a cosmetic choice. The gears are printed in PLA, the case in PETG, and the mainspring in PETG. Laimer reports that PLA deformed relatively quickly in his mainspring experiments and lost driving force with wear. PETG worked better for that spring, but he still considered it less than ideal.
The hairspring is specified in PLA. Laimer cautions that using another material can make the clock run too fast or too slowly; changing material requires redesigning the spring rather than making an untested swap. Match the published specification unless you are prepared to test and recalculate the spring.
Rank #4
- Model Display: This 3D simulated tourbillon model makes a splendid gift, home decor & office ornament for science and machinery enthusiasts.
- Authentic Details: Designed with accurate & realistic details, the lifelike model needs to be assembled, which helps teach and inspire you for better family relations.
- Dynamic Simulation: This detachable model is powered by a metal clockwork that allows the model to keep turning for 6 minutes. In addition, it is printed in full color without spray paint. The assembled model is able to simulate the real operation based on the mechanical transmission principle making the whole mechanical structure completely visible. (Self-prepared glue is required for the assembly).
- Note: Hand-on ability is required for the model made of premium PLA plastic. Layer lines that make the materials overlap each other or cause the wiredrawing of the plastic may be found as the model is 3D printed, please clean them off when necessary.
- Other Usages: The assembled model makes a birthday gift for lovers and friends, or a decor for Halloween, Christmas and other festivals. For Ages: 16+.
Print cleanup and assembly challenges
Small printed holes may not come out to their intended dimensions. Laimer advises drilling them smooth, because low friction and minimal play are particularly important at the balance wheel. He also notes that a slightly larger fastener can sometimes be accommodated by drilling holes out, but confirm the fit and location in the project files before modifying a part.
For bed adhesion, Laimer recommends a heated glass bed cleaned with alcohol and water. The long spiral mainspring also presents a printing challenge: his Cura combing-setting issue caused nozzle travel moves to ooze filament, followed by under-extrusion when printing resumed. If the spring print shows gaps after travel moves, inspect travel and extrusion behavior rather than assuming the spring geometry is at fault.
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Best Value
- Intricate Working Mechanism: A tourbillon model among 3D wooden puzzles for adults — the rotating escapement is on full view, showing the precise engineering that keeps the clock running
- Tool-Free Assembly: No glue or special tools — pieces fit together cleanly, and the included wax keeps every gear moving smoothly in this mechanical puzzle for adults who like a real build
- Decorative and Functional: A fully operational table clock kit that becomes a piece of decor — a wooden clock kit that adds elegance to a desk, shelf or study once it is ticking
- A Gift for Fathers and Engineers: A working tourbillon clock kit as a Christmas, Father's Day or birthday gift — for dads, grandfathers and anyone who loves mechanical models and puzzles
- A Timepiece the Family Builds: Ugears mechanical models are made to move once assembled — an evening of building together, and the tourbillon is turning on your table, keeping time
As Laimer puts it, “Building this project requires patience and quality control.” That advice is especially relevant to the fine moving parts and drilled interfaces, where small fit errors can add friction or looseness.
How this differs from three-axis tourbillon builds
Laimer’s clock should not be confused with Mechanistic’s separate triple-axis tourbillon. That is a substantially more elaborate project with its own assembly PDF and video, and its instructions name different materials, including Prusament Viva La Bronze, Prusa Pearl Blue PLA and Amazon Basics White PLA. Use that project’s own files and guidance rather than applying them to Laimer’s design.
PADT’s 2022 account describes its reproduction of Mechanistic’s three-axis design: it took hundreds of hours across printing and assembly, used more than 100 printed components and employed several industrial additive-manufacturing processes and materials. PADT also describes a 125-page guide with fitting jigs for bearing tolerances. Those details describe PADT’s reproduction of the separate design; they are not requirements for Laimer’s smaller FDM clock. See PADT’s account of its reproduction and Mechanistic’s video description and project guidance.
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