Orville Kitty & Nutsy on a Bike – PinWheels

Meet Orville Kitty and his furry friend Nutsy the Squirrel! These charming 3D printed critters are ready to pedal their way into your garden, porch, or yard. Instead of ordinary wheels, this model uses actual wind spinners from Dollar Store so the "wheels" spin beautifully in the breeze. It's a clever, low-cost build that's part print, part hardware store craft – with a unique design where the rear spinner handle doubles as the support for your chosen rider!

⚙️ How It Works
Two Dollar Store wind spinners act as the bike's wheels. The rear wind spinner remains intact – its handle slides entirely through the bike frame, and the exposed end (about 160mm) becomes the mounting post for Orville Kitty or Nutsy. The front wind spinner is trimmed and inserted through the front of the frame, with the exposed top section holding the handlebars. The figures come in left/right mirrored halves that snap together around the rear handle post.

🌬️ Weather Vane Feature
The entire bike and figure assembly mounts to a CPVC post with a reflective rod acting as the pivot. This allows the bike to rotate freely and always point into the wind – maximizing wheel spin and keeping Orville Kitty or Nutsy facing the breeze!

🛠️ Materials Needed (per model):

From Dollar Store:

• 2× wind spinners (small pinwheel-style spinners)

From Home Hardware Store:

• 1× ½" CPVC end cap #4717 (for bottom of mounting tube)
• 2× ½" tube strap #4724
• 1× ½" CPVC tubing #4120 (about 1 foot long)
• 1× 36" long reflective rod #428327
• 1× pine board – 1" x 4" x 18" (or mount directly to a wall/post)
• 4× ⅝" screws (for tube straps)

🖨️ 3D Printed Parts:

🔧 Assembly Instructions:

Step 1 – Wall Mount / Post Mount Assembly

• Cut the ½" CPVC tubing to a length of 12"
• Add the ½" CPVC cap to the bottom of the tube
• Mount this tube to your pine board (or directly to a wall/post) using the 2× ½" tube straps and 4× ⅝" screws

Step 2 – Front Wheel Prep

• Take one wind spinner and trim off 75mm from its handle
• Insert the trimmed handle through the front of the bike frame
• Leave about 25mm exposed at the top – this will connect to the handlebars

Step 3 – Handlebar Assembly

• Use the 2× 5mm x 75mm rods (printed or cut from CPVC)
• Place the end caps onto each end of the handlebar piece
• Attach the handlebar assembly to the exposed 25mm rod at the top of the front wheel handle

Step 4 – Rear Wheel Assembly

• Take the second wind spinner and keep it fully intact
• Insert 1" wheel spacer onto rod al the way to base of wheel axle
• Insert the rear wind spinner's handle completely through the bike frame
• Add the second spacer tight to the seat area
• The remaining exposed handle (~160mm) will hold your rider figure

Step 5 – Figure Assembly (Orville Kitty or Nutsy)

• Each figure comes in two mirrored halves (left and right)
• Both halves have 6mm holes for snap assembly
• Printed in dual-color PLA for a vibrant, eye-catching look
• Most snaps can be pre-assembled off the frame:
  • Insert one snap half through both figure halves
  • Attach the second snap half to lock them together
• The lower leg snap is different: install this AFTER positioning the figure on the bike. This snap keeps the figure on the bike, with one leg on each side of the frame.

Step 6 – Reflective Rod Installation

• Insert the 36" reflective rod into the bottom center of the bike frame
• Then insert the other end of the reflective rod into the CPVC mount tube
• This creates a pivot – the entire bike and figure will now rotate like a weather vane
• Ensure the reflective rod pivots freely in the CPVC mount
• The bike should rotate smoothly to face the wind

🐱🐿️ Character Options:
Print the delightful Orville Kitty for a charming cat on a bike, or switch to Nutsy the Squirrel for a bushy-tailed alternative. Both use the same hardware and share the same snap-based assembly system.

💡 Tips:

• Frame & structural parts = PETG for outdoor durability
• Figures & snaps = PLA (matching color of figure)
• When trimming the front spinner handle, measure carefully – 75mm removed, leaving ~25mm exposed at the top
• Mount to a fence post, garden stake, or wall for best results

📏 Dimensions (assembled):

• Height: ~21"
• Width: ~24"
• Pivot height: 12" CPVC mount + reflective rod (2 feet exposed)
• Rod can be trimmed as needed.

📦 Complete Hardware List: