Cassette Hand Winder

thingiverse

Hand winders for Compact Audio Cassettes were once cheap and available. Today they are hard to find, expensive and often have to be imported from abroad incurring additional cost. This project makes cassette winders available to anyone with a 3D-printer and some crafting skills. The winder can be used to loosen or lubricate old tape and rewind tape while another is playing. The author uses it regularly for examining the condition of used cassettes, looking at the reflection while winding from one end to the other. This project uses 5, 3x8x3mm miniature ball bearings (available on Ebay) to reduce the friction. Also required are 15, No.4 x 1/2" (3x12mm) self-tapping screws. The turns ratio is just over 1:10. **Warning:** Given the size of the lever and potential winding speed, it is possible to damage the cassette as it reaches a hard stop at the end of the tape. Slow down and wind gently near the ends. The author does not accept any responsibility for damage caused by the use of this device. This 'thing' is superceded by [version 2 of the winder](https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4136188).