Hi all. I have something I would like to share with the group. I don’t get a lot of time in the work shop and have to snatch an hour here and there. As such I tend to build small things that offer me a bit of a challenge. I have recently taken an interest in puzzle box’s so decided to build the most secure type of puzzle box. A Cryptex.
I feel it qualifies as the most secure due to the number of possible combinations. Mine will have 6 tumblers with a full alphabet of 26 letters on each. My calculations put the total number of possible combinations at slightly over 300 million. 26 to the power 6.
Not really too complicated but I have come up against a few challenges along the way. I initially wanted to make both the inner and outer bodies in timber but couldn’t fathom a way to do this with the kit I have so decided on some 50mm stainless tube for the inner and 50mm copper pipe for the outer. The outer needs to be cut along it’s length and opened up so it fits over the stainless pipe this will also provide a channel to house the pins.
I wanted to see face grain when you look at the wheels which meant laminating the available timber together. I have some beech which I have reclaimed. These are then sliced in to 15mm thick squares which will form the tumblers. I have a small pillar drill however I didn’t appreciate how much power would be required to drill a 56mm hole into end grain beech. I tried a Forster bit which was a non starter as the drill couldn’t turn it I also tried an adjustable spade bit and had the same issue. I ultimately settled on a metal hole saw which didn’t remove too much material at a time allowing the drill to cope.
I made a couple of jigs up to hold the peices steady while drilling. I then tidied both the inner hole and outer edge with the spindle sander.
Each of the rings requires a rebate to the inside which will allow them to rotate around the pins and will ultimately provide the lock. This groove was put in using the trim router on a board.
I feel it qualifies as the most secure due to the number of possible combinations. Mine will have 6 tumblers with a full alphabet of 26 letters on each. My calculations put the total number of possible combinations at slightly over 300 million. 26 to the power 6.
Not really too complicated but I have come up against a few challenges along the way. I initially wanted to make both the inner and outer bodies in timber but couldn’t fathom a way to do this with the kit I have so decided on some 50mm stainless tube for the inner and 50mm copper pipe for the outer. The outer needs to be cut along it’s length and opened up so it fits over the stainless pipe this will also provide a channel to house the pins.
I wanted to see face grain when you look at the wheels which meant laminating the available timber together. I have some beech which I have reclaimed. These are then sliced in to 15mm thick squares which will form the tumblers. I have a small pillar drill however I didn’t appreciate how much power would be required to drill a 56mm hole into end grain beech. I tried a Forster bit which was a non starter as the drill couldn’t turn it I also tried an adjustable spade bit and had the same issue. I ultimately settled on a metal hole saw which didn’t remove too much material at a time allowing the drill to cope.
I made a couple of jigs up to hold the peices steady while drilling. I then tidied both the inner hole and outer edge with the spindle sander.
Each of the rings requires a rebate to the inside which will allow them to rotate around the pins and will ultimately provide the lock. This groove was put in using the trim router on a board.
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