Toroidal Launcher V2 - High RPM Propeller Launcher

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Toroidal Launcher V2 - High RPM Propeller Launcher

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Print Profile(19)

All
X1 Carbon
P1S
P1P
X1
X1E
A1
A1 mini

Toroidal Rings (0.16mm High Quality)
Toroidal Rings (0.16mm High Quality)
Designer
3.2 h
5 plates
4.8(291)

Toroidal Launcher Components (0.16mm High Quality)
Toroidal Launcher Components (0.16mm High Quality)
Designer
11 h
4 plates
4.8(232)

Toroidal Launcher AMS (0.20mm Custom)
Toroidal Launcher AMS (0.20mm Custom)
Designer
5.8 h
1 plate
4.7(89)

Toroidal Launcher (0.20mm Custom)
Toroidal Launcher (0.20mm Custom)
Designer
5.8 h
1 plate
4.7(146)
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Released

Description

Toroidal Launcher V2

The long awaited update to my Toroidal Launcher is now here! Completely redesigned from the ground up to print faster, assemble easier and fly higher! The redesigned planetary gearbox now features progressive gearing to achieve the same 48x ratio as the original design all while simplifying the assembly!

Once you've printed and assembled your launcher be sure to also checkout the Toroidal Propeller Lab and start designing your own custom propellers!

Printing Tips

  • To avoid layer adhesion issues always clean build plate using water and a light soap (wiki guide)
  • Recommended to use Basic PLA, PETG or ABS/ASA for gears and functional components
    • Cosmetic and fiber reinforced filaments can be used for a more aesthetic housing if desired
  • For best results run flow rate calibration on all filaments to ensure dimensional accuracy
  • Toroidal Rings can be printed using the High Quality 0.16mm preset from Bambu Labs
    • Using ABS, ASA or PA gives a 12-15% weight advantage over PLA and PETG
  • Launcher parts print the best using the High Quality 0.16mm preset from Bambu Labs
  • Launcher parts print the quickest using the Standard 0.20mm preset with the following changes:
    • Arachne wall generator, 3° wall transitioning angle
    • 60 outer wall speed, 150 inner wall speed
    • 20% adaptive cubic infill
    • Avoid crossing walls

Assembly Walkthrough

Assemble each planet carrier with three planet gears as shown above (all planet gears are identical)
Match the planet carriers with the correct sized sun gear and carefully press the sun gear into place for each carrier
Instal the third stage gear assembly making sure the gears are able to spin freely before continuing
Install the second stage planet gear assembly making sure the gears are able to spin freely and firmly seating the sun gear to previous stage
Repeat the previous step to install the final planet gear assembly
Secure the gears by turning the housing knob in the direction indicated by the arrows until the drive is seated and the halves snap together
Completed launcher assembly with included toroidal ring adapter

Frequently asked questions

Can the gears be lubricated?

Yes! Using a lubricant that is safe for plastics (e.g. Super Lube 51004) is highly recommended to reduce friction of plastic parts. During assembly apply a drop to the inner and outer surface of each planet gear to reduce friction between all plastic parts for the best possible performance.

 

I'm having trouble getting the gears to spin, what can I do?

The first step is to always try reassembling the gears and launcher housing, taking care to turn the knob and mesh the gears before snapping the two halves together. If you're certain the gears are meshed correctly and there is too much friction it's recommended to run flow rate calibration on all filaments used for gear components to ensure dimensional accuracy.

 

Is there any way to fine-tune the gears even more?

You can try adjusting the X-Y contour compensation in Bambu Studio (under Quality → Precision) and print a single stage of the launcher gears to check the fit. Once you are satisfied with the fit of a single stage the same compensation setting can be used to print the remaining stages to achieve a similar fit.

 

Can I showcase the design on my YouTube/Instagram/TikTok or other social medial platform?

Of course! You're more than welcome to showcase or feature the 3D printed model in any blog, short/long form video or other content as long as you provide credit to the designer and a link to the exclusive design here on MakerWorld. Be sure to leave a comment with a link to your content and I will showcase the best videos here directly on the model page!

 

Can I sell the printed design or files?

The design will always be free for anyone with a 3D printer to print but I currently do not offer a commercial license for any of my designs. I'm waiting to see what is integrated into MakerWorld as indicated in this post.

Modifications and Add-on Designs

Community Support

Thank you to everyone who downloads and prints the Toroidal Launcher! If you would like to support my design work and the development of more fun and functional 3D printed models the easiest way is to simply click the button below and Boost the model for free.

Boost Me (for free)

Click the button to boost 🚀

If you would like to support even more you can purchase filament through the official Bambu Labs store using the links in the Bill of Materials.

New to 3D printing or looking for your next print?

Be sure to follow my MakerWorld profile  to be notified of new model releases and check out some of my other designs which showcase some of the many possibilities of 3D printing!

Change Log

  • Jan. 25, 2025 - Added Toroidal Propeller Lab to create custom toroidal propellers with MakerLab
  • Jan. 17, 2025 - Improved design of planet gears and carriers, added adapter to match the Pro version
  • Jan. 5, 2025 - Removed drive and alignment marks from housing knob to further simplify assembly
  • Dec. 31, 2024 - Added print profile for extended components (no longer a separate model)
  • Dec. 29, 2024 - Improved model geometry to address several issues reported by users
    • Improved post design of all three planet carriers, more robust center post and snap mechanism
    • Improved meshing of ring gears, updated housing textures to match extended knob 
    • Improved meshing of output sun gear, minor smoothing to adapter geometry
  • Dec. 23, 2024 - Updated 0.20mm Custom profiles to use a 3° degree wall transitioning threshold angle
    • Many thanks to @AlchemicMatter and @kortuem8604 for helping to identify the issue!
  • Dec. 21, 2024 - Added markings to help align planet carrier, changes to gear profile to improve meshing
  • Dec. 19, 2024 - Improved snap-fit of housing and added additional reinforcement for first stage carrier

Bill of Materials

Bambu Filaments
A00-K0-1.75-1000-SPLFREE
× 1
A00-R0-1.75-1000-SPLFREE
× 1
A00-B9-1.75-1000-SPLFREE
× 1
A00-Y0-1.75-1000-SPLFREE
× 1
G02-D1-1.75-1000-SPLFREE
× 1
G02-A0-1.75-1000-SPLFREE
× 1
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Comment & Rating (1115)

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I printed everything on my Ender 3 Pro and it all went together easily and it works great! I was wondering about one thing that I think might help - if the stage3 sun gear (the part that grips the propeller) was two to three times as long then the propeller would stay on the shaft for longer and pick up more speed. When I twist the two parts, the propeller has already taken off before my twisting has reached full speed. Could you include a longer shaft (with the ribbing that grips the propeller) in your next update? Thanks very much.
The designer has replied
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Thank you! That's a really good idea, I'm revisiting the ring design next so I can try that out and see what works the best. I've already been considering a way to make the output gear modular so it can work with a wider range of adapters, your idea might fit in perfectly with that so I'll keep it in mind. edit: I've uploaded a new design with both longer adapters and customizable toroidal rings, check it out and let me know if you have feedback! https://makerworld.com/en/models/1033053
(Edited)
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mine was really bad until I lubed it now it works fine great model
0
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Replying to @MoNeYmAkErS :
Mine was also a bit stiff until I lubricated with a treadmill silicone lubricant spray - it made a huge difference, now it spins easily.
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The “gear” in the bottom “housing” broke off after a short while. Maybe it would help to if it was solid (no hole in the middle)? I really do like the design though! Compact, easy to assemble, etc. :)
The designer has replied
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*edit: design has been updated with many improvements to address these issues and more since the original comment thread. Many thanks to users who provided early feedback and helped test some of the early versions! @kortuem8604 I've updated the knob to include additional support for the planet carrier as well as better clips to secure everything. Both HousingKnobTextured.stl and HousingTextured.stl will need to be reprinted to work together, if you're able to use the same filament I'd love to know if this solves the issue for you. Thanks!
(Edited)
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This happened to me as well!
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Just started to print the 2 new parts now, I’ll let you know how it goes. For what it’s worth, 98% of the printing I do is with Black Elegoo PLA+
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Print Profile
Toroidal Rings (0.16mm High Quality)
Looks neat, well designed. Smooth turning. Underwhelming flight though. Tried with a smaller ring too... doesn't fly at all, goes up a few inches at best despite spinning very fast.
The designer has replied
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I'm still working on the step-by-step assembly but it can help to use a bit of silicone lubricant (e.g. Super Lube) on the gears before putting everything together. I'm sorry to hear the design isn't launching right for you though, I definitely took some paint off an 18' ceiling so I'm confident it outperforms the original version with the right print settings and assembly. Still fine tuning everything to work for the majority of users and filament so please let me know if you have any other feedback.
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Replying to @BrentPeterson :
For me it flies very well when held horizontally. But vertically it struggles to go higher than half a meter. I printed it on my X1C with Sunlu PLA+. I will fine tune the settings with better quality in mind and use a esun PETG. PETG has lower friction rates. So maybe it works a little smoother.
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I'm having the same issue with my all PLA print. Edit: Added some silicon lubricant across all moving parts and it's working great now!
(Edited)
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I'm very excited 👍 Review is coming
The designer has replied
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I look forward to your review and feedback on the new design! Bonus points if you can print and assemble it before I complete the listing 😅
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Replying to @BrentPeterson :
haha i will do my best😂👍
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Really super easy to assemble. Perfect model! Thank you! The clamping section could just be a bit tighter for my liking, it's very easy to pull off.
1
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The gear profile seems to have resolution issues with the default line width and slices inconsistently. I switched from the default 0,42 to 0,32 for the exterior wall line with and it looks much better.
The designer has replied
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Woah you're right I didn't notice that! Interesting enough even 0.40mm line width seems to be fine, I'm going to have to experiment with the settings but this might help a lot, it seemed like something was off but I couldn't pinpoint it.
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Replying to @BrentPeterson :
That's the first time i notice something like that. It may have something to do with arachne, since disabling that also seems to solve the issue.
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Replying to @BrentPeterson :
@AlchemicMatter is definitely onto something. From what I can tell, the only two gears that seem to have the issue is the "SunGearStage3" & the "PlanetGear". If you open the model in Bambu Studio, slice the model & change the view to "Flow" it makes it much easier to see. See screenshot 1. As @AlchemicMatter already stated, if you change the line width from .42 to .32 it seems to take care of the issue. See screenshot 2.
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Works great, I gave you 2 boosts. I also made this whistling spinning top for it.
(Edited)
The designer has replied
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Thank you do much for the double boost, I really appreciate it! That looks neat, I'll have to check it out when I have some spare print time 😅
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Print Profile
Toroidal Launcher (0.20mm Custom)
Great toy, easy to put together. The gears sometimes slip if I spin too hard while loaded with the prop, but it still works well and I printed them out if matte PLA because I didn't have any colorful regular PLA. I'm printing them in regular PLA for the next one and I'll see if it makes any difference.
The designer has replied
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Thank you for the picture of your print and for the boost! After my own testing and feedback from users I think I was a bit too cautious with the gear tolerances so I'm testing some small tweaks to the gear geometry to see if I can get everything to mesh better. I will add a change log to the model page so you can know when parts have been updated. Thanks again!
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Replying to @BrentPeterson :
You may want to keep this version as well in case some people have a hard time printing tighter tolerances.
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Replying to @pianobadger :
I've updated the design with a slight change to the gears so they should mesh better; essentially changing the tip radius to what I used for the original design. The changes are all compatible whith earlier versions so you only need to reprint parts you have an issue with, in your case I would try printing the new gear assemblies and see how that works with the housing you already printed. Let me know if you try the changes and notice any difference..
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I don't think I got the base fully set. V1 seemed sturdier. And, the base spins in the opposite (unnatural to righty like me) direction compared to V1. Edit 12/23/24: My first attempt was with a no-name brand ABS+ using the original posted design. The author strengthened the posts, and I reprinted the three planet gear supports using Bambu brand ABS. Much better. Works as well as the V1 launcher, now.
(Edited)
The designer has replied
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I reprinted two more of the 3-armed carriers. One of the three sections of one post snapped off as I removed the carrier from the printer plate. This is ABS+ on an X1C. The launcher is working, but with the 150mm diameter prop, I can hear cracking sounds as I spin it up. I'm guessing a few more of the planet gear supports are cracked. V1 was definitely sturdier.
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Replying to @guy38 :
Sorry you're having issues with the design, I've been testing a variety of materials pretty rigorously and haven't had the same happen to any of the posts when using the launcher. I made the posts thicker in the latest design if you would like to try the new version, also check the flow rate of your filament to make sure it's not over-extruding. I prefer to not use print-in-place parts like I used in the original design if possible because a lot of people had issue with the tolerances and printing them. If more people have the same issue as the OP please follow up in this comment thread with a picture of the print and filament used and I can look into possible solutions.
(Edited)
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Boosted
Is that printed with matte filament? Maybe it's just the lighting, but it looks like it. Matte filament would never withstand the torque this design generates.
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Double boosted, can you PLEASE make a drill attachment? The ones I keep designing are breaking after a bit, but I can launch this thing so high.
The designer has replied
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Thank you!! What kind of drill bit are you using and are you driving all three gear stages? I can't promise to make exactly what you want but I might be able to provide something that you can easily modify 😉
(Edited)
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Replying to @BrentPeterson :
I wasn’t even using a drill bit actually, I just took the bottom peice that you would usually spin with your hand; and added a hexagon to it. Then I attached directly to drill, worked amazing until it snaps. Even with petg it doesn’t last too long.
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Replying to @user_2035923378 :
Yeah it doesn't sound like that would be strong enough for the forces this can generate, your best bet is going to be creating a cutout through the knob and then driving it with a metal bit attached to your drill. The current knob design might be sufficient to do that but I can also look at making a thicker and more reinforced version.
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Boosted
Print Profile
Toroidal Launcher Components (0.16mm High Quality)
I am rough on this unit, I ask a lot of it as I use it to fly disks for my cats. I have broken a few planetary holders, the base, the upper cover, but with 100% fill and the new design with the larger handle, it runs soooo smooth. It no longer breaks, even on the big flying disks (I don't fly them often, cats prefer the little ones) and tops...it spins tops, brilliant! Very much recommend.
The designer has replied
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Thank you for the Boost and very honest feedback! I understand sometimes users print models and don't keep up with model updates so I really appreciate you sharing feedback and insight into how you use (and abuse) the prints!
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License

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