From Parallel Waves or an Eight Chain Thru formation.

1. Arm Turn 1/2;
2. Centers Arm Turn 3/4 as Ends U-Turn Back;
3. Very Centers Trade as Outsides slide inward to form two Stars;
4. Star 3/4;
5. Very Centers Trade;
6. Center Wave Cast Off 3/4 as Others U-Turn Back by flipping away from the center of the set.

Ends in Parallel Waves.

Spin Chain The Gears:   before Spin Chain The Gears       after Arm Turn 1/2   after Centers Cast Off 3/4 as Ends U-Turn Back   after Very Centers Trade as Outsides slide inward to form two Stars       after Star 3/4   after Very Centers Trade   after Center Wave Cast Off 3/4 as Ends U-Turn Back by flipping away from center (done)

• After initial Arm Turn 1/2, new Ends U-Turn Back and slide inward, placing their hand inward to form a star.
• Don't turn the star unless there are 4 dancers in it. If you turn the star with only 3 dancers, the missing dancer is unable to catch up, and your square will break down.
• The last part for the Outsides can also be thought of as a Peel Off, since the movement is U-Turn Back by flipping away from center. Be sure to turn away from the Star, because if you turn toward it, you may collide with those doing the final Cast Off 3/4.

Variations:

• Star 1/4, Star 1/2, Star 3/4
• Don't Turn The Star
• Some callers call Spin Chain The Gears from a Tidal Wave. Although there is nothing in our definition to preclude this, we believe this usage is outside the range of the accepted usage for this call.

Spin Chain Thru [Mainstream] (Rod Blaylock 1967): From Parallel Waves, Eight Chain Thru, or other applicable formations. Arm Turn 1/2; Centers Cast Off 3/4; the Very Centers Trade; Centers Cast Off 3/4. Ends in Parallel Waves. This is a 4-part call.

Spin Chain And Circulate The Gears [C4]: Same as Spin Chain The Gears except that after each U-Turn Back, those doing the U-Turn Back do a Circulate around the outside.

See also Spin Chain & Exchange The Gears [Plus].