Since fidget spinners became so popular I've been thinking about making my own version. I came up with a relatively simple design which can be made without any special tools.

Step 1: Things You Need

For the simple fidget spinner you will need:

Materials

4 (22 mm) ball - bearings
2 component epoxy and something for mixing it
the template. (when printing set the scale to 100%)
some baking paper
acetone

Tools

tweezers
a pick
an acetone resistant container
some sort of heat source; I used a halogen lamp
files
sanding block or disc sander

fidget spinner template.pdf
Download

Step 2: Prepare the "main" Bearing for Degreasing

One of our 4 bearings will be used as the "main" bearing in the middle of the fidget spinner. If you use a normal bearing you will quickly realize that it doesn't spin very long. To solve that problem, we have to degrease it.

1. Find out how the protective plate is held on the bearing by giving it a close look.

2. Get that plate out by using your pick and/or tweezers. In my case the plate was held in place by a metal ring which I easily removed by bending it outwards.

3. After removing the metal ring I just had to hit the bearing slightly and the plate fell out. Sometimes there is not even a ring to hold it in place and you can simply pry the plate out.

4. Repeat this step for the other side of the bearing.

Step 3: Degreasing the Main Bearing

As mentioned before we have to degrease the "main" bearing in order to increase the speed. This is achieved by rinsing it with acetone until all the grease has dissolved.

1. Fill an acetone resistant container with acetone.

2. Put the opened bearing into that container and shake it until all the grease has dissolved.

3. Take the bearing out of the acetone and check the result. You may have to use some fresh acetone to remove any residue.

Step 4: Prepare for Glueing

In order to get a lasting connection, you have to prepare the bearings carefully.

1. Check whether the bearings fit on the template. If not make sure you set the scale to 100%. If your bearings still don't fit double-check the size of your bearings

2. Now you can take a sanding block or a fine disc sander (I used 120 grid sandpaper on it) to roughen up the spot on the bearing where the glue will go

3. Repeat step 2 on the main bearing. Here, you will have to sand 3 spots.

4. Use a paper towel soaked in acetone to remove any grease from the surface. you could put on gloves to protect the surface from the grease on your fingers.

Step 5: Glueing

Now for the most critical step in this instructable. Make sure that you use a level workbench and that you align the bearings carefully with the circles on the template, otherwise your fidget spinner won't run smoothly.

1. Add a good amount of epoxy to your mixing dish. (According to the description delivered with it).

2. Use a small spatula to mix the epoxy thoroughly.

3. Lay your template onto a flat surface and put a sheet of baking paper on top of it. this will prevent the epoxy from sticking to your template.

3. Put the "main" bearing in the middle of the template (as shown in the pictures).

4. Apply a good amount of epoxy to one of the outer bearings and align it with one of the outer rings on the template so that the epoxy makes good contact with the "main" bearing.

5. Repeat this process with all 3 bearings.

Step 6: The Curing Process

You could just leave the bearings alone and wait one day for them to cure but I prefer to heat them. This speeds up the curing process dramatically and increases the final strength of the connection. For this purpose, for that, I use an old halogen lamp in a tuner can. You can also use your oven. On the packaging of your epoxy, you usually find a chart with temperature, curing time and final strength.

1. Carefully remove the template from underneath the baking paper. Make sure not to move the bearings!

2. Place your heater over the bearings and let them cure. At 180°C my epoxy takes 5 minutes to cure. When you are using your oven you have to align the bearings on the oven tray because you won't be able to move them from your workbench to the oven without misaligning them.

3. After the fidget spinner finished curing turn it around and make sure that there is no epoxy inside any of the bearings because this will prevent them from spinning.

Step 7: Finishing

You could just stop there but I decided to bring my fidget spinner one step further.

1. You can use a file to remove any excess epoxy but be careful because if you remove too much epoxy the bonds get weaker and your fidget spinner won't last very long.

(2.) You may also decorate your spinner. I would love to see your ideas in the comments!