Useless Box/Machine

thingiverse

I've had the idea for this box lying around for years, and while it might seem a little old-fashioned, I'm sharing it here anyway. I made this about two years ago when none of the useless boxes on these forums impressed me with their design. They were all clunky and required a bunch of parts and hinges, which isn't really my thing. So, I set out to create something that was small, compact, and had batteries located inside the box. The idea is easy enough to print and assemble if you're comfortable with soldering and reading basic schematics. https://youtu.be/UA4ShNt-iYw Instructions: Parts list and instructions - 4.3g servo: You can find this on eBay for a few dollars, or Amazon also carries it. I designed the box around this particular style of servo, but some others I've gotten don't quite fit as snugly. The flanges might be different. If you get a different servo, you'll still need to remove the control board and connect it directly to DC voltage to make it spin continuously. You'll also need to remove any detents or the potentiometer. How to modify the servo depends on what model you have. - DPDT toggle switch: You'll need one with an On-On design. To adjust this for less effort required, disassemble it and shorten the rod that flips the contactor by about 1/16 inch. The DPDT toggle switch should be positioned so the terminals connected to the batteries are against the front of the box (the side opposite from the hinge). - Subminiature microswitch: You can find this on eBay or Amazon. - Batteries: Use two AAA batteries. Miscellaneous wire - Paper clip or similar bendable material. I used straightened paper clips, wrapped them around some needle-nose pliers to make good contacts for the batteries. You might be able to use anything similar just ensure you can solder to it. Machine screws - 2-56 x 1/2": There are nine machine screws holding everything together, with two each for the micro switch and lid, one for the battery cover, and two for the hinge. The door is glued onto a hinge. It might have been possible to design it so that both parts could be printed as one unit, but I chose not to do this so that I'd get better results on the top surface. As for the servo arm that's attached inside, you can glue it like I did, or simply melt some PLA around it and secure it with a bit of adhesive. Minor adjustments might be required before everything fits properly together, particularly to ensure that the door closes as intended.