Turbo Desk Fan printed in black with an orange impeller, on its base with a speed knob
Free 3D model

Turbo Desk Fan

A real, working desk fan that looks like the turbo from a car engine. The impeller pulls air in through the front and the snail-shaped housing blows it out of the outlet. A knob in the base sets the speed.

  • 4printed parts
  • 25 × 12 × 31 cmassembled (L × W × H)
  • ≈ 0.9 kgfilament in total
  • 256 mmbuild height needed (the housing is 250 mm tall)
Download all files ZIP · 0.8 MB

Free for personal use under CC BY-NC 4.0: print it, remix it and share it with credit to Shapekit. Please don't sell the files or the prints.

Take it apart in 3D · Parts · How to build it

In 3D

Turn it, take it apart

Every part as you print it. Pick colours to see what your filament will look like.

The 3D model (2.0 MB) loads when you get here.

Preview colours

Housing and base
Impeller

Drag to rotate · scroll or pinch to zoom

In the download

4 parts, ready to print

Every STL is already placed the right way up. Download them all at once, or one by one.

Housing

The turbo 'snail' with the air inlet at the front and the outlet on top.

Size
250 × 239 × 96 mm
Print
Standing on its mounting flange, with tree supports.
Filament
≈ 455 g
STL 0.9 MB

Impeller

The compressor wheel that spins inside the housing. A 5 mm flange coupling screws onto its back with 4 × M3 × 10.

Size
130 × 130 × 73 mm
Print
Back plate on the bed, no supports. Looks best in a bright colour.
Filament
≈ 185 g
STL 0.7 MB

Motor holder

Closes the back of the housing. The motor's front face rests on a web inside the sleeve and is screwed to it with 2 × M4 × 8; slots let the motor breathe and give access to the coupling's set screw.

Size
180 × 180 × 40 mm
Print
Flat side down, no supports: the web inside the sleeve prints as a bridge. Then cut the thin skin out of its three holes with a knife. PETG if you have it: the motor gets warm.
Filament
≈ 99 g
STL 0.2 MB

Base

The foot, open underneath. The speed controller hangs inside on its knob (Ø7.5 mm hole in the front); the back has a Ø8 mm hole for the DC power jack and a Ø7 mm hole for the motor wires.

Size
250 × 96 × 65 mm
Print
Upside down (top face on the bed), with supports.
Filament
≈ 162 g
STL 0.2 MB
Also needed

Parts you buy

  • A 775 DC motor, 12 V: body Ø42 × 66.7 mm, Ø5 mm shaft at least 15 mm long (17 mm is usual), two M4 holes 29 mm apart in the front face. A ball-bearing one is quieter.
  • A rigid flange coupling for a 5 mm shaft: flange Ø22 mm with 4 × Ø3 mm holes on a Ø16 mm circle, Ø10 mm boss, 12 mm long, M3 set screw. Plus 4 × M3 × 10 pan-head screws.
  • 2 × M4 × 8 pan-head screws to fix the motor in the holder.
  • A 12–24 V PWM DC motor speed controller with a knob, rated 5 A or more (10 A is safer for a 775). Its potentiometer needs an M7 bushing with a nut (6 mm shaft); the board can be up to about 80 × 60 × 35 mm.
  • A 12 V power adapter of at least 5 A with a 5.5 × 2.1 mm plug, and a DC-022B panel jack (5.5 × 2.1 mm, for an 8 mm hole).
  • 8 × M6 × 20 bolts, 16 M6 washers and 8 M6 nuts for the Ø8 mm holes: 4 for the housing on the base, 4 for the motor holder.
  • About 50 cm of two-core wire, 0.5 mm² (20 AWG), and a 1.5 mm hex key or hex screwdriver.
Print settings

Slicer settings

0.20 mmlayer height
3walls
15%gyroid infill
PLA or PETGmaterial

For a 0.4 mm nozzle. Filament amounts are estimates for these settings.

Assembly

How to build it

Print the parts

Print the housing and the base with supports, the impeller and motor holder without. Remove the supports from the inside of the housing carefully, so the impeller can turn freely. Cut the thin skin out of the three holes in the motor holder's web.

Build the base

Put the controller's knob through the Ø7.5 mm hole in the front and tighten its nut; the board hangs inside. Fit the DC jack in the Ø8 mm hole at the back and wire it to the controller's power input.

Mount the motor

Solder the wires to the motor. Slide it into the holder from the back until its front face rests on the web, the bearing boss in the centre hole, and screw it on with 2 × M4 × 8 from the plate side.

Fit the impeller

Screw the flange coupling to the back of the impeller with 4 × M3 × 10, boss pointing away from the impeller. Push it onto the shaft until the impeller is 2 mm from the holder's plate (a 2 mm hex key makes a good spacer), turn the set screw to the slot in the top of the sleeve and tighten it with a 1.5 mm hex key.

Close the housing

Push 4 × M6 × 20 bolts through the back flange of the housing from the inside (a strip of tape holds them), slide the holder with the motor and impeller over them and fix it with washers and nuts. Turn the impeller through the inlet: it should run free, with about 3 mm to spare at the inlet.

Put it together

Bolt the housing onto the base with 4 × M6 × 20, washers and nuts from below. Lead the motor wires into the hole at the back of the base and connect them to the controller's motor output.

Switch it on

Start at the lowest speed and turn it up slowly. If the air comes out of the inlet instead of the outlet, swap the two motor wires.

The fan spins fast. Only run it fully assembled, keep fingers out of the inlet and start at the lowest speed. Use a plug-in power adapter unless you know how to work safely with mains power.

More free models

Print this one next

3D render of the Radial Engine: seven silver finned cylinders around a graphite crankcase, a black three-blade propeller with a red spinner, on a white stand

Radial Engine

A 7-cylinder radial with a master rod, six link rods and a 34 cm propeller. Turn the crank and all seven pistons move.

  • 19 parts
  • ≈ 1.0 kg filament
  • STL
View and download
3D render of the V8 Engine: an orange block with graphite heads, eight silver velocity stacks, timing gears and the hand-turned pulley at the front, on a black stand

V8 Engine

A cross-plane V8 with a gear-driven camshaft and sixteen moving valves. Turn the handle and watch it run.

  • 26 parts
  • ≈ 0.8 kg filament
  • STL
View and download
3D render of the Tourbillon Wall Clock: a white dial with black hands over yellow gears in a graphite frame, the tourbillon cage with its blue balance and hairspring below

Tourbillon Wall Clock

A weight-driven wall clock with a one-minute tourbillon that is also its seconds hand.

  • 34 parts
  • ≈ 0.3 kg filament
  • STL
View and download
3D render of the Walking Strandbeest: eight orange Jansen legs on a graphite body with white cranks

Walking Strandbeest

Eight Theo Jansen legs and an N20 gear motor on two AA batteries. It walks across your desk by itself.

  • 17 parts
  • ≈ 0.2 kg filament
  • STL
View and download
3D render of the Jet Engine Desk Fan: a white engine with a dark fan on a black base

Jet Engine Desk Fan

A turbofan with 20 swept blades. Fits the Turbo Desk Fan's base and prints without supports.

  • 7 parts
  • ≈ 0.8 kg filament
  • STL
View and download
3D render of the Self-Watering Planter: a fluted terracotta pot with a dark inner pot and the fill cap at the back

Self-Watering Planter

A fluted planter for a 12 cm plant, with a hidden 0.6 litre reservoir and a float that shows the water level.

  • 6 parts
  • ≈ 0.6 kg filament
  • STL
View and download
3D render of the Headphone Stand: a white base and upright with a teal cushioned hanger

Headphone Stand

A sturdy headphone stand with a bayonet base, a cushioned hanger, an earbud tray and a cable hook.

  • 3 parts
  • ≈ 0.3 kg filament
  • STL
View and download
3D render of the Mini Drawer Cabinet: a graphite frame with three white drawers and orange handles, one drawer open

Mini Drawer Cabinet

Two small drawers and a wide one, with drawer stops and clip-on handles. Stack or link as many as you like.

  • 5 parts
  • ≈ 0.6 kg filament
  • STL
View and download
3D render of the stand: a white base with an orange back support, holding a phone

Phone & Tablet Stand

Plug the back in at 55, 65 or 75 degrees. Fits phones and tablets in a case, with a slot for the charging cable.

  • 2 parts
  • ≈ 0.1 kg filament
  • STL
View and download
3D render of the Bird Feeder: a sage green roof and tray with a white seed tube and a dark hanging loop

Bird Feeder

A hanging seed feeder with a twist-lock tube, a perch ring and a roof that slides up to refill.

  • 4 parts
  • ≈ 0.3 kg filament
  • STL
View and download
3D render of the Rotating Desk Organizer: a white carousel with pen cups, a scissor slot and a tray on a dark base

Rotating Desk Organizer

Pen cups, a scissor slot and a tray on a base that spins smoothly on 6 mm airsoft BBs.

  • 3 parts
  • ≈ 0.3 kg filament
  • STL
View and download
3D render of the Planetary Gear Desk Toy: a graphite housing on a foot with orange gears, a white carrier, pointer and crank

Planetary Gear Desk Toy

A hand-cranked 5:1 planetary gearbox with herringbone teeth. Clicks together and prints without supports.

  • 7 parts
  • ≈ 0.2 kg filament
  • STL
View and download
3D render of the Laptop Stand: two graphite side stands joined by orange cross bars, holding an open 14-inch laptop

Laptop Stand

Lifts your screen about 12 cm at a 20° tilt. Fits 11 to 16 inch laptops; the cross bars wedge in, no screws.

  • 3 parts
  • ≈ 0.3 kg filament
  • STL
View and download
The empty stand: graphite base with side walls, two orange rollers on white axle pegs and the curved filament guide

Filament Spool Holder

Rolls any spool from 250 g to 3 kg on four 608 skate bearings, with a filament guide. Any hub size.

  • 4 parts
  • ≈ 0.2 kg filament
  • STL
View and download
3D render of the Gridfinity Starter Set: a graphite baseplate filled with white, orange and teal bins

Gridfinity Starter Set

A 4 × 4 baseplate with eight stackable bins that fill it. Gridfinity-compatible, no supports.

  • 7 parts
  • ≈ 0.3 kg filament
  • STL
View and download
3D render of the Dice Tower: a graphite castle tower with a crenellated crown and corner turrets, standing in an orange tray with dice in front of the arched gate

Dice Tower

Two baffles and an exit ramp tumble your dice into a tray with a felt recess. No glue, no supports.

  • 4 parts
  • ≈ 0.3 kg filament
  • STL
View and download
3D render of the Battery Dispenser: a white dispenser with three chutes of batteries, one battery in each tray, and an orange lid

Battery Dispenser

Two AA chutes and one AAA chute. The bottom battery rolls onto a tray, the next drops down.

  • 2 parts
  • ≈ 0.2 kg filament
  • STL
View and download
3D render of the Cube Desk Calendar: two white cubes showing 14 and a teal bar showing OCT in a graphite stand

Cube Desk Calendar

Two number cubes show every date, three bars show the month. With a stand that hides the spare bars.

  • 6 parts
  • ≈ 0.1 kg filament
  • STL
View and download
A lamp shade with a photo in it, glowing

Or design your own

Put your own photo in a phone case, lamp shade or lithophane, right in your browser.

  • Free
  • No account
  • STL
Open the makers