Download a FREE Solution for your puzzles!

Non-Reciprocal Gears
Click Image to Enlarge

Non-Reciprocal Gears

USD value is estimated. Change displayed currency?
ObjectThe speed of each gear turns different based on the direction.
DifficultyLevel 6 - Tricky
BrandOskar Puzzles
Types3D Printed Puzzles, Oskar van Deventer
Dimensions11.5 cm x 6.3 cm x 2.7 cm / 4.5 in x 2.5 in x 1.1 in
PackagingPlastic Bag

Read Reviews Read reviews, and write your own!

Product Info

Non-Reciprocal Gears is a set of gears with ratchets. Its mechanism is related to the Non-Transitive Gears. The toy can be presented as a parlor trick. You challenge a friend to choose a gear and turn it. If their gear turns the fastest, they win. If your gear turns faster, then you win. The trick is that if you turn a gear clockwise, what most people do, then it will turn slower than the other gear. So no matter what gear they choose, they lose. But what if they ask you to turn the gear? No problem, you just turn it counter-clockwise (anti-clockwise). That way, again your gear will turn the fastest.

The mechanism took 6½ hours to 3D print on a Dutchy 3D printer. 49 meter of 1.75-mm PLA filament was used to print it. The mechanism weighs 17 grams.

Oskar van Deventer, 5 January 2022

Oskar van Deventer has created many different puzzles including his brand of Oskar Puzzles which are mechanical puzzles and objects that can only exist thanks to 3D printing technology.  Since 1978, he has been creating hundreds of mechanical puzzles, making him one of the world's most prolific designers. Several of his innovative designs are commercially available.

Customer Reviews

Review Icon Write your own review!

This item has yet to be rated

* We can show you estimates of our prices in your local currency, however please note these are estimates only. We will charge your purchases in Canadian Dollars, and your credit card company or PayPal will automatically convert the Canadian Dollar amount into your local currency using their own rates, which may vary slightly from the rates we show.

Sign In

Please sign in using the email and password you joined with.

Keeps you signed in on this computer - do not use on public computers.
Loading...