Fidget toys have been popular for a long time, but making a musical 3D-printed one is an especially cool thing to do, even more so if it’s using the classic Super Mario ditty.
As it happens, this musical fidget toy has a tab (or striker) across the top, which the user can drag using their finger to ‘twang’ vertical tines one by one all of which emit a particular note, thus playing a short preprogrammed tune as a result, and its creator, ‘kida,’ has recently shown how to make one.
Making of a Super Mario tune fidget toy
Indeed, ‘kida’ is no stranger to all kinds of musical fidget toys, and has already created those that produce the melodies of PAC-MAN, Mortal Kombat, Tetris, The Legend of Zelda, Minecraft, Sonic the Hedgehog, Doom, and Kingdom Hearts – just to name a few.
The major part of the process revolves around 3D printing (there are files available for all the created tune fidget toys), and the creator has pointed out that all the profiles have a brim (only on the inside), as well as that the sound depends on the filament, and that the best for this purpose is Prusament PLA. Furthermore, increasing the nozzle temperature during assembly might help with better layer adhesion.
Following the printing and before the assembly, you’ll need to remove the brim or support for the slider as any remains will affect the pitch of the note.
After removing the brim, the two large parts are simply snapped together while keeping the small slider in place. If the ‘clips’ break during the assembly, you can just glue the fidget together instead.
The last part involves attaching a keychain to fix the fidget to your backpack or keys.
Conclusion
And there you have it – your very own Super Mario tune fidget toy is completed and ready for use. And the best part? It uses next to no filament (under 10g) with minimal post-processing. What’s more, you can make your own melody with some guidance from the creator.
If you’re up for something more challenging, why not make a music box controlled by NFC tags, make your own portable Mac Mini, turn an old PlayStation One into a ‘Playstacean,’ or transform a boring pedal go-kart into an electric supercar for kids?
