The Future of Pencil & Dice Boxes

Throughout history, boxes have used the same basic design. They have a lid, and a box... I realize why this is and this in a few cases this is impractical, but it has style. The mechanical iris (such as the one used) is a fascinating device to watch, and is surprisingly robust for a 3d printed mechanism. Wow your friends with the future of Pencil & Dice Boxes.

These boxes use a few parts, the complex of which plans are provided for (in the file labeled Instractables). These parts will need to be 3d printed, with one End_.stl, one End_Top_Echt.stl, one End_Base.stl, six End_Door.stl, and six either End_Connector.stl or End_Connector2.stl (depending on your printers resolution, the number 2 has a smaller hole and will make assembly easier). The other parts are six slats that are .875" X .125" X however long you would like it to be (I recommend 7.75" for pencil boxes and 4" for dice boxes). The slats can be made out of many materials, but I would recommend acrylic as they can easily be cut and have patterns added in a laser cutter. Finally, you will also need some glue, epoxy works good, but they only have to be able to bond the slats to the 3d printed parts.

Once the parts have been printed, it is time for them to be assembled. First take End_Top_Echt and place it with the flat side face down. Next take the six connectors (whichever you chose), and push them onto the short pins coming out of End_Top_Echt with the slanted face of that hole facing up. After that, take the six doors and fit the smaller pin into the connector's holes that are still face up, so that corner without a pin is close to the center of the hexagon (on End_Top_Echt). Arrange the doors so that they seem closed. Finally take End_Base and arrange it so the holes line up with doors larger pins, then press it down so they fit in and the End_Top_Echt's long pins click around the ridge. Congrats you now have an iris mechanism.

Here you are at the final assembly, this will take some time but is fairly simple. Take your slats (the length is irrelevant), and place one end in the slots on End_Base from the mechanism you built last. Now place the other end into the slots from End_. Glue all the joints between the mechanism and end (do not glue any of the pins on the mechanism, it will interfere with their movement) and between the slats. Wait for it to dry (if you want it done quickly use hot glue, it holds surprisingly well). Viola, you have a Mk1. version of the future of Pencil & Dice Boxes.