2x2x3 sliding tile puzzle (screwless)

prusaprinters

<p>This 2x2x3 sliding tile puzzle is 100% 3d printable and designed to be a fairly easy print with minimal support. The top and bottom both rotate, and the two sides are joined by a pin in the center that they rotate about (Similar to a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Square-1_(puzzle)">square-1 puzzle</a>). In addition to this, the side tiles are free to slide (similar to the <a href="https://www.jaapsch.net/puzzles/tower.htm">whip-it/puzzle tower puzzles</a>). The difficulty of this puzzle is fairly low, most people should be able to solve it after a while with a bit of thinking.</p><p><strong>Parts to print</strong></p><p>&nbsp;You will need to print:</p><ul><li>2x Core</li><li>8x Edge</li><li>1x Pin</li><li>8x Top and bottom tile (in sets of 4, different colours depending on your colour scheme)</li><li>24x Side tile (in sets of 3, different colours depending on your colour scheme)</li></ul><p>For my colour scheme, I used white and yellow for the top and bottom, and then a different colour for every column of sliding tiles. However, you can use whatever you want for the colour scheme, it's up to you.</p><p><strong>Printing</strong></p><p>Supports couldn't be entirely avoided on this model but I tried to keep it to a minimum. Supports will be needed on the sides of the core where the tracks for the tiles overhang and the same goes for the edge pieces. The edge pieces will also most likely need a bit of support in the internal track part. Other than that, the rest should print fine without any supports and the models should already be in their optimal printing orientation.</p><p><strong>Assembly</strong></p><p>Assembly is pretty straightforward. You take four of the edge pieces and one of the core pieces and slide three of the edges onto the core, leaving one out so that you can slide in the side tiles. You then slide in the side tiles, slide the last two tiles into the edge you left out, and attach the last edge piece. You repeat the same thing for the other half and make sure that you left out one of the side tiles so that they will actually be able to slide. You then take the pin and push it into one side until it clicks into place, it can take a bit of force but it shouldn't be too bad. After the pin is in place, you carefully push the two sides together until they click into place. The last step is to glue in place the top and bottom tiles, a drop of super glue should be all it takes.</p><p>&nbsp;</p>