Make a Simple Fidget Spinner with Zip Ties

At this point, I should not have to explain what a fidget spinner is to you. You have already seen them. You are probably already sick of them. What I will do, however, is tell you why I support this fad, even if it gets a bit annoying at times.

I support this latest fad because the community values the DIY aspect of it. If you have got a custom spinner, or one you made yourself, it is considered cool regardless of its quality, size, or shape. That spirit of appreciation and love of creation is something worth supporting.

Sure, fidget spinners are everywhere now and people sometimes obsess over them to a degree that can be obnoxious. Sure, some schools are already banning them as distractions. However, if you consider this to be nothing more than a fun DIY project for people to explore and have fun with, you can enjoy it like I do.

A fun way to explore the fidget spinner craze, without too much investment of time or money, is to make the “no tools” fidget spinner. This simple fidget spinner is comprised of a central bearing, some heavy nuts of various sizes, and zip ties. That’s it.

Start with a Clean Bearing

The core of any fidget spinner is a bearing. You can use pretty much whatever bearings you get your hands on, but you will need to clean them out to get that fancy smooth spin you normally see in the fidget spinners in kids’ hands. I cleaned mine by prying off the protective cover and swishing them around in acetone for a bit. Rubbing alcohol or even just really hot water will do the trick though.

The goal is to remove the grease that these are normally packed with. This grease is essential when the bearings are holding weight, but, for a fidget spinner, they should not have much weight to hold. A quick spray of WD-40 or machine oil will keep them going smoothly after you are done cleaning.

Strap Some Junk on it

Making this style of fidget spinner is so easy. I used various sized nuts, and zip ties. The only “tool” you will need is a pair of scissors or, in my case, fingernail clippers. You do not even have to use nuts, you can use whatever you find lying around. You could even make one by zip-tying rocks to a ball bearing!