Spirograph vs Wild Gears Comparison
An excellent video by Wayne Schmidt comparing Spirograph and Wild Gears side-by-side.
Conclusion: Spirograph is fun, but it’s a toy. Wild Gears is more expensive, and somewhat more difficult to use, but it’s a more serious drawing tool.
Clear concise overview, just what I needed. Thanks. Trying to adapt such gears for experimental physics
exercise (not art patterns). Therefore, was looking for Wild-wheel and teeth dimensions in mm’s so as to first produce CAD drawings before ordering custom WildGears. This hands-on description has encouraged me to look deeper into the Wild product.
Great. Aaron Bleackley could answer your technical questions about Wild Gears.
I wanted to give the basic set of Wild Gears to my granddaughter 9 years old. Given the fact that there is no instruction manual and intro to patterns I have second thoughts. Will Wild gear consider creating a pattern catalog similar to the instructional of the Kenner?
You would have to talk with Aaron who produces Wild Gears – find him at http://www.wildgears.com.
As far as the basic how-to, when I was that age and got my first Spirograph (technically, it was my sister’s, ha ha), there were no videos; we just helped each other figure it out. The patterns in the booklet gave us a starting point for experimentation. Some people are more experimental than others. Some people like paint-by-numbers, others produce original paintings. But the former do get a great deal of satisfaction out of it, and there’s nothing wrong with that!
Wild Gears has been a product for the experimenters. Aaron has produced a number of videos, and so have I and other people. There are so many different Wild Gears now, and so many more combinations than Spirograph has. I can see the potential for videos that give general ideas for experimentation, to inspire those who need encouragement to try different things. I don’t know if he has considered creating a booklet.
A bit dated in 2024.
Wild Gears is an expansive system now, with a huge array of overpriced gears.
It is increasingly breaking out of the spirograph mould with more linear designs, but I’m not convinced whether this offers anything substantially innovative.
The spirograph range is bigger now too, and while they have had some cool ideas, they can still only produce a tiny design.
Wild Gears is an expensive product, it’s manufacturing is very basic, and I don’t think the IP really deserves this pricing. Also, postage to the UK adds 50% to the price, which is an absolute joke, and the main reason I don’t own one.
I think it’s time to start talking about at least one more system – Planarc, available through Etsy, which offers enormous gears, and a more polished product than Wild Gears. The range of gear shapes is much smaller than WG, but it has massive rings that allow several levels of gear-in-gear and designs with a higher level of complexity. They have recently released a set with a wider range of gear shapes. A simple, adult version of Spirograph that is much better value than WG if you’re happy with a smaller ecosystem.
I’d love to know if WG are really made of acrylic, because that’s a brittle, easily-chipped plastic that is certainly not tool grade!
Hi, Had the original spirograph as a boy. Now 67 I want to resume my interest. You say the Wild Gears is more difficult to use. Could you elaborate please.
“Difficult to use” was the conclusion of the guy who made the video, not mine, really. I suppose Spirograph is “easy” in that the wheels are smaller and lighter and it takes no effort, just coordination, to make a pattern. It comes with a set of instructions for patterns that other people have designed. Some people are happy to just try to reproduce those patterns. And it all fits into a custom made container that you can just close up and put away.
Wild Gear pieces are more solid, made of sheet acrylic. Most gears are bigger, some much bigger, than Spirograph gears. It takes a little more effort to push them, so for children it might be more difficult. But it comes with a lot of variety, and there isn’t an instruction manual. It’s for people who like to explore and experiment. You can make much bigger designs – in a wide range of sizes.
And then you have to figure out how to organize and store them when you aren’t using them. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution, as your collection will differ from mine.
So Wild Gears is more of a commitment, and it’s more interesting. If you enjoyed Spirograph when you were a kid, you’ll have lots of fun with Wild Gears.
Thank you for the comment. Just waiting for pension day now, LoL.
Well pension day arrived. got my full page gear set from Wild Gears. I am very happy with it. My experience with it so far has been pleasing. Aaron the owner has been easy to contact and answer any of my questions.
I did consider Planarc but decided to purchase Wild Gears due to vast catalogue of sets available. Price is a factor for me. I decided the Wild Gears was worth it for me. Each to their own.
I would also like to add the Wild Gears arrive very well packaged. The backing holding the gears was not difficult to remove.
So for me Wild Gears works.
Have fun with it!
Here is a follow up. I am now about a week into my wild gear journey. In all honesty I think I have gone backwards. The gears seem to want to rise up and leave the inner wheel.
i do not seem to be able to complete a pattern no matter how hard I try.
I suppose it is a bit like learning to ride a bike, I just need to get my balance right.
Is your desktop level? I had that problem on an old oak “teacher’s” desk I was using, and it turned out to be an otherwise imperceptible bulge on the surface.
Also, try not using the outermost pen hole at first. Sure they give sharper points, but the inner holes are easier.
You might also find it easier to get used to the smaller rings first before tackling the bigger ones.
Lastly, those of us who make videos don’t usually show the bloopers!
Hi Heather thanks for that. My desk is flat I checked with it with a steel rule. So I will try the other suggestions and see how I go.