Beyblades, those spinning tops that turned kids’ playtime into epic arena showdowns, thrive on barely controlled chaos. But Jon Bringus, an inventor with a knack for breaking boundaries, has cranked these toys into overdrive, creating a heart-pounding, slightly reckless spectacle with 3D printing and some serious engineering skills.
Bringus started with the old-school metal Beyblades—chunky, tough, and launched with a simple ripcord that sent them spinning into battle. Those classics already had some kick, but he saw room to go bigger. By jacking up their speed way past what the original designers ever dreamed, he turned these tops into tiny tornadoes of raw energy. His secret weapon? A custom rig he calls the “WMD Launcher,” a name that’s only half tongue-in-cheek considering the chaos it unleashes.
- EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO PLAY: Includes all that kids need to battle: 2 right-spinning tops, 2 launchers with ripcords, and Beystadium (17.2 x 14...
- INTRODUCING X-CELERATOR RAIL: Speed into high gear with the X-Celerator Gear System. When the gears of the bit and X-Celerator Rail meet, tops rocket...
- COLLIDE WITH EPIC BURSTS: The terrific speeds of Beyblade X tops riding the rail allow for breathtaking bursts and colossal crashes (Burst rates vary)
The launcher’s design is a gearhead’s dream. Bringus paired a lawnmower pull starter with a 12:1 geartrain, creating a setup that pumps out insane rotational force. The lawnmower starter brings the muscle, and the geartrain multiplies it, making standard Beyblade launchers look like child’s play. He built it all with 3D printing, letting him tweak and perfect every piece with precision. The result? A launcher that doesn’t just spin a Beyblade—it hurls it into action with ferocious speed.
Safety? That’s where it gets a bit sketchy to say the least, among other things. Regular Beyblades are designed with kid-friendly safeguards, yet Bringus’s launcher laughs at those rules. The souped-up tops hit harder, spin longer, and could easily fly apart or cause some real damage in the arena—definitely not your average playdate material.
3D printing is the heart of this wild project, giving Bringus the freedom to experiment in ways traditional manufacturing can’t touch. He used it to craft not just the launcher but custom Beyblade parts, fine-tuning their weight and balance for peak performance. It’s a setup anyone with a 3D printer and some CAD know-how could mess around with, opening the door for all kinds of tinkerers.
But it’s not just about raw power. Bringus had to dial in the launcher’s design to keep the Beyblades from shredding themselves at those crazy speeds. He played with gear ratios and materials, finding that 12:1 was the magic number—any more, and the tops might just explode. His process, laid out in his project notes, is a homage to DIY trial-and-error, where every flop is just fuel for something even crazier.
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