About this project
A modular massage roller for myofascial work, plantar fasciitis and trigger points. One rod carries a stack of massage rings that spin freely, and screw-on handles at the ends turn it into either a two-handed or a one-handed tool. Every dimension is parametric, so the roller can be sized to the limb, the hand and the printer it is made for.
Configurations
| Configuration | Parts | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Two-handed roller | Rod, two handles | Calves, quads, hamstrings, upper back |
| One-handed roller | Rod, one handle, end cap | Forearms, shins, neck, feet |
Parts
| Part | Function |
|---|---|
| Rod | Plain bearing shaft with a male thread at each end. The rings run on it. |
| Handle | Internally threaded grip. It screws onto a rod end until it seats on the shoulder. |
| End cap | Knurled knob that closes the free end of the one-handed roller. |
| Massage ring | The contact element, in six surface styles. |
| Spacer disc | Sets the gap between rings and keeps their rims apart. |
The rings turn
Each ring rides on the rod on its own, so the roller rolls over skin instead of dragging across it, and rings on a curved limb can turn at different rates. The handles bottom out on a shoulder at each end of the rod rather than on the stack, so the rings are never clamped: 0.6 mm of end play and 0.8 mm of clearance in the bore by default, both adjustable. A small raised hub on one face of every ring and spacer keeps neighbouring faces from rubbing over their full area.
Ring styles
Listed from gentle to intense. Each style has its own controls.
| Style | Surface | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Smooth | Plain cylinder, eased edges | Pressure spread over the full width |
| Concave | Waisted | Contact on both rims, tracks along the limb |
| Ribbed | Axial ribs | Directional grip, cross-fibre effect |
| Lobed | Rounded lobes with blended valleys | Pressure that rises and falls as it rolls |
| Nubbed | Rounded nubs in one or two staggered rows | Point pressure, trigger-point work |
| Spiked | Pyramid studs | The most concentrated pressure, feet |
Printing
Switch the view to Print layout and every part moves into the orientation it should be printed in.
- The rod lies down on a small flat, so its layers run along its length and it resists bending instead of splitting. Use a brim and a solid wall count; this is the one part worth printing in PETG, PLA-CF or PETG-CF.
- Rings and spacers print flat on a face. Nubs and spikes hold 45-degree flanks and the bore is chamfered at both ends, so no supports are needed.
- Handles and the end cap stand on their threaded ends. The blind bore is capped with a 45-degree cone, so it bridges nothing.
- PLA is enough for the rings, spacers, handles and cap.
What you can change
- Roller — configuration, ring style, ring count, ring diameter and width, spacer width and diameter.
- Surface — the controls for whichever ring style is selected: lobe count and depth, rib count and height, waist depth, nub count, rows and height.
- Handle — length and grip diameter.
- Rod and fit — rod diameter, thread pitch and length, bore clearance, thread clearance and end play.
At the default settings: five 50 x 22 mm rings on 6 mm spacers, an 18 mm rod 175 mm long, 115 mm handles, and 365 mm overall as a two-handed roller.