Compact Modular Salad Spinner v1

Hi everyone! 👋

My girlfriend recently asked if I could 3D print her a salad spinner. After searching around online, I found very few ready-made options that actually made sense for home printing. Most existing models either use massive amounts of filament for a full outer bowl/container (often 400–800g+), or they rely on super-precise printers with tight tolerances, brass bushings, bearings, screws, or other hardware that's a pain to source and assemble.

So I decided to design my own version from scratch, keeping these key goals in mind:

• Modular design — since I'm relatively new to functional 3D-printed mechanisms, I wanted parts that could be easily iterated and reprinted individually without redoing the whole thing.

• Minimal filament usage — no giant outer bowl! This spinner is designed to be used directly over the kitchen sink — water just drains away, no need to collect it. Compact size keeps print times and material low (fits easily on a 200×200 mm bed with room to spare).

• Tool-free assembly — no screwdriver, no soldering brass inserts, no bearings. Snap-together where possible, and at most a drop of superglue or similar for permanent fixes.

This is version 1.0 — my first fully working prototype. It already spins salad nicely and removes water effectively, but like any first iteration, it has room for improvement.

Known issues / areas for improvement:

• The central shaft/axis is a bit too short. With flex in the handle during vigorous spinning, it can wobble slightly. Next version will extend it and add more clearance.

• The gearbox (gear housing) connection between the top and bottom halves is the weakest point. I ended up holding them together with a rubber band for testing 😅. If you have ideas for a better snap-fit, clip, bayonet lock, interlocking tabs, or other screw-free / tool-free way to secure it reliably — please share! I'd love to implement and credit good suggestions.

Who this might be useful for:

• People with budget-friendly printers (I printed it on a Neptune 4 Pro) and limited 3D printing experience

• Anyone tired of filament-heavy designs

• Fans of minimalist, repairable, and easily modifiable prints

I'd really appreciate any comments, photos of your prints, remixes, or suggestions — especially on improving the gearbox connection! Feel free to remix, tweak, or build upon it.

Print it, spin some greens, and let me know how it goes! 🥗🌀

Happy printing!