Food Living Outside Play Technology Workshop

Mystery Box
by fungus amungus on July 14, 2012

Table of Contents

Mystery Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Intro: Mystery Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Step 1: Supplies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Step 2: Cut, cut, and paint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

File Downloads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Step 3: Gluing and clamping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Step 4: Attaching the latches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Step 5: Put in something special . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Advertisements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

http://www.instructables.com/id/Mystery-Box-2/
 Author:fungus amungus supamoto
I like to make things for the internets. I also sell a pretty cool calendar at supamoto.co. You'll like it.

Intro: Mystery Box

This mystery box is a wooden cube with no apparent way of opening it. On one side there is clearly a square cut into it, but there is no latch, no knob, and no keyhole to
try and open it with.

Mystery boxes, how do they freakin' work?

Step 1: Supplies
Here's what you need to make this
- 1/4" plywood
- Elmer's Carpenter's Wood Glue
- magnetic childproofing lock
- black spray paint (optional)
- laser cutter (optional)
- wood saws (optional)
- clamps
- drill press

For this project, I made all the cuts with a laser cutter. This made the interlocking edges a lot easier to pull off, but those edges are completely optional. Make the box any
way you want and decorate it any way you want. The big trick is with the magnetic locks.

Step 2: Cut, cut, and paint

All of these pieces were cut with a laser cutter. In addition to the cuts, I also used the laser cutter to cut away at some masking tape I had laid on top of the wood. By
peeling off the positive parts of the image, I was able to create a stencil that I could use to apply the designs with the black spray paint.

The files needed are below.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Mystery-Box-2/
File Downloads

box patterns.eps (3 MB)

[NOTE: When saving, if you see .tmp as the file ext, rename it to 'box patterns.eps']

cube6x6x6-parts-0.eps (12 KB)

[NOTE: When saving, if you see .tmp as the file ext, rename it to 'cube6x6x6-parts-0.eps']
Step 3: Gluing and clamping
For the sides and top pieces it was just a matter of applying the Elmer's Carpenter's Wood Glue to the sides, attaching it all together. and clamping it. It's pretty
straightforward. I did this in 2 steps, though. I first glued the sides in place with the top piece to register it and then glued the top to the rest separately.

The more complicated part here involved the bottom piece. Here you can see the extra layers of wood on the piece and the side that all needed to be glued together in
order for it to work.

Step 4: Attaching the latches

Now that the bottom piece has all the wood in place, it's time to attach the latches. Here I used a 1/4" drill bit to drill out the holes for the bottom piece of the latch. I used
a bigger bit than I needed so that there would be a little bit of wiggle room for adjusting the placement of the latch.

I put a little bit of hot glue inside the two holes and placed the latches in it. Now I put the whole thing together and moved the latches into just the right place so that the
latches would keep the middle piece of wood as flush as possible with the rest of the side of the cube.

When you're totally happy with the special side of the sube, glue it to the rest of the box.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Mystery-Box-2/
Step 5: Put in something special
Now it's time to put the box to work. Put in a present or a special message for a friend and see them try to get it out. Feel free to give whatever hints you want along the
way.

Enjoy!

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cutter by vlicks with a
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Comments
18 comments Add Comment

Lt.Greg says: Aug 5, 2012. 7:38 PM REPLY

I was at a gun show in Florida last year, and there was a fellow who took household items (usually your own furniture,but he also built items as well) and
turned them into covert gun storage lockers for all around your house. He also used this same concept of the hidden magnetic latch, and often combined it
with spring-loaded doors and drawers, etc. He did excellent work, and his seams were nearly impossible to detect. Great concept.

fungus amungus says: Aug 6, 2012. 4:02 PM REPLY

Ooh, secret compartments would be a lot of fun to get into.

myxpykalix says: Aug 5, 2012. 11:55 AM REPLY

I'm always fascinated by "mystery" ways to open stuff, good instructable however right above "step3" you say the "files are below" only I don't see them
anywhere and can you post a source for the magnetic lock? I've never seen one of those before. Good job....thanks

fungus amungus says: Aug 5, 2012. 3:40 PM REPLY

I also added a link to the specific lock I used. I'll put it here as well, though:
http://www.amazon.com/Dreambaby-Mag-Lock-Locks-White/dp/B005670KMK/

fungus amungus says: Aug 5, 2012. 3:34 PM REPLY

Fixed

Omnipharious says: Aug 5, 2012. 8:07 AM REPLY

I usually discourage any instructable "sponsored" or "brought to you" by any companies, but at least it is a genuinely good idea, presented in a nice way, not
like that terrible marketing scam of a "zombie survival kit" that got featured a few months ago.

fungus amungus says: Aug 5, 2012. 3:36 PM REPLY

Yes, I completely understand. Whenever we've worked with companies for any sponsored content we always always always want to make content that
we are excited about as well.

camirrakiu says: Aug 5, 2012. 10:01 AM REPLY

awesome images. r u alchemist or, maybe fm? or you just find them 'cool'? gr33tings!

fungus amungus says: Aug 5, 2012. 3:35 PM REPLY

fm? The labyrinth one means a lot to me. Makes a lot more sense when you can walk along one. Others are part aesthetic, part relating to my own
history.

captnkrunch says: Aug 5, 2012. 11:37 AM REPLY

where exactly are the files?

fungus amungus says: Aug 5, 2012. 3:34 PM REPLY

Fixed

jimbom says: Aug 5, 2012. 6:12 AM REPLY

Looks like the laser cut files might be missing from this instructable.

fungus amungus says: Aug 5, 2012. 3:33 PM REPLY

Fixed

canucksgirl says: Aug 2, 2012. 4:08 PM REPLY

Awesome job! I love the concept and how it turned out. The video was great too in explaining how it all works.

Thanks for sharing. :)

http://www.instructables.com/id/Mystery-Box-2/
 fungus amungus says: Aug 3, 2012. 4:30 PM REPLY
Thanks, although the magnet latch idea was all randofo's

canucksgirl says: Aug 3, 2012. 4:38 PM REPLY

Well then, I retract my entire comment... (kidding). :P

jessyratfink says: Aug 2, 2012. 3:51 PM REPLY

Love this! The designs on the box make me think of Lost. Bonus points for that. :D

fungus amungus says: Aug 3, 2012. 4:30 PM REPLY

Yeah, Lost did play a lot with iconography. I miss that show sometimes.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Mystery-Box-2/