Secret "Hexagon" Box - Centrifugal Force is the Key 3D Printer File Image 1

Secret "Hexagon" Box - Centrifugal Force is the Key 3D Printer File Image 2

Secret "Hexagon" Box - Centrifugal Force is the Key

vmLOGIC

August 30, 2024

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Description

Heads up
In the meantime, there are other versions of the Secret Box: very easy to print and visually more appealing!
Entire collection of “Secret Boxes”

When I saw Ky3_actual's box a few days ago, I was very taken with his idea.
However, he writes that his model does not work quite perfectly because of the low mass of the ball bearings.
I like modelling with Fusion 360 and I had an idea to solve the problem. So I built the box from scratch. And what can I say...? It works flawlessly!

It's great as a gift box: "If you can open it, everything in it is yours!" :-)
Or as a party gag!

Centrifugal force and gravity! This is how the trick works:

Place the box on a smooth surface and rotate it once quickly around its axis. The centrifugal force causes the latches inside the box to move outwards. Now the lid can be lifted off or inserted.
To close the box, turn it on its side and rotate it slightly. The gravity causes the latches to move to the inside of the lid. No chance of opening the box now!

If you want to print the fun, you have a choice of three different sizes:

And here are the measurements so you can see what you can hide inside:

The matching lid for every box? Yes, but you can use any lid size on all boxes. The lids only differ in height.

PRINT INFORMATION

The most important things at the beginning:

You must print and prepare the latches before printing the box. This is because during the printing of the box there is a printing pause in which you have to insert the prepared latches.
To ensure that the mechanism works, please adhere to the following settings:
Layer height (also first level height), infill and print pauses are exactly adjusted (to a PLA print).

Pins and latches (optional with printable nuts)

Centrifugal force and gravity act on mass. Therefore I used six M6 nuts. Latch, pin and M6 nut together weigh approx. 2.5 grams. With this, the lock mechanism works perfectly.
Alternatively, I have included printable M6 nuts with latches (approx. 0.6 grams), but have not tested whether the mechanism actually works with it. It's up to you.

Layer height: 0.15mm (first layer: 0.20mm)
Infill: 100%
Supports: no

If you have chosen real M6 nuts, put the latches into the opening of the nuts with a little glue.
Later, when printing the box, place them in the recesses during the printing pause. Make sure that the glue is solid at this time.

After the box is printed, glue the six pins to the six latches by inserting them through the holes of the box and pressing them onto the latches.
Be careful: You need very little glue here. Make sure that no glue gets on the openings of the box. I used a drop of superglue that I applied to paper. I used a needle to pick up the glue from this drop and wet the end of the pins.

Boxes and lids

I myself printed the box and the lid with a 0.6mm nozzle. Sufficient for this purpose and is much faster than with a 0.4mm nozzle. Since some of you may not have a 0.6mm nozzle, I have provided files and settings for both nozzles.