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Mechanical Spinning Top Dice Box

undefined-Imgur.gif Mechanical Spinning Top Dice Box
IMG_8220.jpg Mechanical Spinning Top Dice Box
IMG_8217.jpg Mechanical Spinning Top Dice Box
IMG_8219.jpg Mechanical Spinning Top Dice Box
IMG_8221.jpg Mechanical Spinning Top Dice Box
IMG_8218.jpg Mechanical Spinning Top Dice Box
IMG_0018.jpg Mechanical Spinning Top Dice Box
Triangle.stl Mechanical Spinning Top Dice Box
Small Gear.stl Mechanical Spinning Top Dice Box
Gear Frame.stl Mechanical Spinning Top Dice Box
Base.stl Mechanical Spinning Top Dice Box
Top Ring.stl Mechanical Spinning Top Dice Box
Small gear increased clearance.stl Mechanical Spinning Top Dice Box
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Creation quality: 4/5 (41 votes)
Evaluation of on the printability, utility, level of detail, etc.
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6 files (STL) Close
  • Base.stl
  • Gear Frame.stl
  • Small Gear.stl
  • Small gear increased clearance.stl
  • Top Ring.stl
  • Triangle.stl

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Last update 2022-09-22 at 04:08
Publication date 2021-07-01 at 16:57
Design number 463051
mikhaildshapiro

mikhaildshapiro

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24 comments

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24 comments

runsandkisses
runsandkisses

Love this- printed 3 so far since everyone in the family NEEDS their own- having a very difficult time popping out the holes where the top triangles fit though... luckily super glue comes to the rescue when we ultimately end up making the hole too big. Thanks for the neat build!
runsandkisses
runsandkisses

Love this- printed 3 so far since everyone in the family NEEDS their own- having a very difficult time popping out the holes where the top triangles fit though... luckily super glue comes to the rescue when we ultimately end up making the hole too big. Thanks for the neat build!
ronigrr
ronigrr

Any more advice on printing settings, i am getting stuck gears and i need to use hole compensation to make the gears to fit and not get stuck?
dapenguinsteve
dapenguinsteve

I also am having a tough time getting the top ring to twist onto the gear base. Were you able to make that update?
ddrowley
ddrowley

I can't get the ring to lock on top of the gear base. Everything else is fine but I can't get it to twist. It's almost like the it can't fit in the small slots..... Any help please?

mikhaildshapiro
mikhaildshapiro

I could probably look at expanding those slots and ing new files next week.

Jonah1500
Jonah1500

I have the same issue. The tolerance isn't just tight. The top ring spaces for the gear doesn't seem to be big enough

mikhaildshapiro
mikhaildshapiro

Thank you for getting in touch. I have set aside time this weekend to improve the model.

thisguyfuchs
thisguyfuchs

Any updates on this?

thisguyfuchs
thisguyfuchs

I was able to get them to fit properly by printing in a lower layer height. If you're having the same problem, .08mm worked for me, can try a .1 instead, I just went for the lowest my nozzle would let me.
estebansanchezmaria
estebansanchezmaria

no entiendo como unir la base con la parte que gira
zacware
zacware

Wow! This printed perfectly on my CR10 V2 Pro. Super excellent design!

mikhaildshapiro
mikhaildshapiro

Thank you!
Kniephaus
Kniephaus

How small can this be printed using a 0.4mm nozzle? I'd like there to not be a lot of unused space inside it. Awesome design btw!

mikhaildshapiro
mikhaildshapiro

Thanks! Not sure, I've printed it at 75% before.
Abbub
Abbub

I tried for a week printing over and over with different slicer settings to get this to work and tried all 3 versions of the gears the author has ed as people complain about not being able to get it to turn. Finally I loaded the models into tinkercad and guess what? The gears have different X axis sizes on all three models he has ed. They aren't round! No wonder they don't turn!!! After I fixed this issue myself it works great. Yes, round gears actually turn!

  • 1 like
mikhaildshapiro
mikhaildshapiro

Can you a screenshot of your measurements?
ManuZz
ManuZz

why is it not possible to have a infill in the base between both walls? i have a third infill next to the inner wall - everything else is empty untill i set the infill to 100%, then i have no space between the walls. any ideas how to get a complete infill with 15% of infill?
chartman
chartman

i tried it on a resin printer and nothing would fit right, also the triangles were too big to fit in the slots, gears wouldn't turn well, i just don't think the sla printer is good for this and technical prints, im finding that resin is better for complex detail in solid objects like figures and you dont get a lot of lines showing on the prints with with resin but every technical thing ive tried seems to be a tad off, also the s distort a lot of the surfaces that you need to be very precise and accurate on, will try this again when i get an fdm printer but def don't recommend on sla resin printers.
davidstrothersd
davidstrothersd

Ive made 2 already these thing are cool. it would be cool to print these pieces in lost pla and cast it in sterling silver.

  • 1 like
BEARTATO
BEARTATO

That's something I've been toying with the idea of. I like the concept of applying the lost wax process to PLA.
stresspuppy
stresspuppy

This is an amazing piece of work. I printed at 100% and things just snapped together as stated in the instructions. I am amazed at the tight tolerances and how things are tight but do fit together. The only issue I had was with getting the top ring to twist on. But that was on me, not the design. My bridging wasn't great for some reason (filament I used?) so I had to use an Exacto knife to clean up the grooves. Once the stuff was out of the way, it twisted right on, no problems. I'll probably be printing more as these are pretty clever and just fun to play with.

Fantastic work!

  • 1 like
Graylynn
Graylynn

As soon as I tried to lock the ring on, all of the locking tabs just snapped off.

The better way to design the locking tabs is to actually have the tabs printed separately with peg bottoms and include receiving holes for them in the gear frame. This would allow the to put a little more force on the locking ring without having the tabs pop right off, since the tabs would extend into the base fully on a peg and provide structural integrity. The way it is now, just one layer of filament holds the tabs onto the gear frame, and even a tiny bit of force left or right can sheer them right off.

Either that or the tabs are just a touch too big for the slot or vice versa (slot slightly too small), I'm not sure. My printer has amazing tolerances and I have no issues with any locking / snap together piece, the snap ring went on like a glove, but the tabs are a nightmare.

I've already I've broken two now, so I'll probably try to remix it temporarily for my own purposes using pegs.

mikhaildshapiro
mikhaildshapiro

Hey, thanks for the ! I see what you mean about the pegs. If I were to adjust the mode, my approach would be to make those pegs slightly less triangular, since you really only need a small angle to hold the top ring in place. That would also increase the connection area between the pegs and the gear frame.

  • 1 like
Graylynn
Graylynn

That might be enough, more surface area to prevent them so easily sheering off may do it

  • 1 like
psicobra2
psicobra2

love this well done the tolerances are very tight if i hadn't fully calibrated my printer before hand i doubt i could have made this work i made a video of it all put together thanks again.

https://youtu.be/Zkt_FCJJedw

mikhaildshapiro
mikhaildshapiro

Hey thanks! Video looks awesome, mind if I share it on Instagram/Facebook?

Just wondering, what tolerances did you think could be adjusted?
jlg7509
jlg7509

How do you get the gears on the pegs without them immediately snapping off with little to no pressure, if it would even fit together, the pegs are so fragile that they would just snap under the turning torque, tried 3 different filaments and settings, waste of money

mikhaildshapiro
mikhaildshapiro

Good point - I'll push an update with a fix this weekend.

mikhaildshapiro
mikhaildshapiro

Updated
jayfredo
jayfredo

Could you please post a picture of the side of the assembled box to help show how the gear frame and the body connect? I am currently not able to get the gear frame to go all the way over the rim on the body. I'm not sure if I'm trying to force the gear frame too low...but the way it currently is the gear frame comes off easily, so thinking I might need to do some more sanding to get the body to fit into the ring.

  • 1 like
jayfredo
jayfredo

Nevermind! A little more sanding on the ring on the body and it finally gave up the fight and snapped together!

  • 1 like
jayfredo
jayfredo

So I put the whole thing together and it's tighter than if I'd glued it solid. I suspect I'm getting a lot of friction out of the gear posts. After a great deal of effort I got the ring back off and took the gears out. 3 / 6 took the posts with them out of the gear frame. It appears that the gears are well captured by the gear frame and the ring, so after I reprint new gears, I may try to put them in without the posts and see if I fare better. But note to others making one of these, pay close attention to the gear to post fit as you build this up. If you have to use much force at all to install the gears in the gear frame, you will likely not have a satisfactory rotation outcome at full assembly (unless you have world class grip strength!)

Side note - I printed this at 90% per the instructions above, but wondering if I would have better luck at 100% (as all of my friction points would have 10% more gap). Or maybe I just need to tune my printer again.

If you've read this far, thanks for indulging my ramble.

  • 1 like
mikhaildshapiro
mikhaildshapiro

Hi, just reading this now. Yeah it's tough to design around different machines, I tuned the tolerances for the one I have at home. Definitely those small differences will increase at 100% which might give you a better fit. Curious as to how it goes! I'll keep thinking if there are any tips that make assembly easier. Are you using an FDM printer?
MelanHolic
MelanHolic

Can I print this on an SLA 3d Printer? I've recently purchased a Photon Mono 3d printer and now try to print different things with it.

mikhaildshapiro
mikhaildshapiro

Hey, I'm not sure, I only have FDM at home. If you have issues with it, reach out and I could try to help.
DarkSaiyan
DarkSaiyan

How did you get the multicolor ring, body, and triangles? Do you have MMU?

mikhaildshapiro
mikhaildshapiro

No MMU necessary, I did it may adding color changes in PrusaSlicer which let me change filament at certain heights. Check out this article:

https://help.prusa3d.com/en/article/color-change_1687/

I print the body and the gear frame at the same time so that the lines are the same height. Hope this helps!
william_loo
william_loo

I love this design!

Quick question: Why scale to 90%? If scale to 90%, will it make the rotation better? (I printed one at 100%, but does not rotate well)
Or this scale is for some other reasons?

mikhaildshapiro
mikhaildshapiro

Thanks! I ended up preferring 90% to 100% just as a personal preference and tuned the tolerances to that scale. Just curious, what rotation issues are you seeing?

william_loo
william_loo

Thanks for quick reply!

if "Press the Gear Frame and the Body together until the ring fits into the groove.", it will be difficult to rotate the body against gear frame. I tried to make the frame just sit on body, it rotates/moves well. but will not turn all the gears on top. I guess too much frictions?

I am printing another version of 90% with another PLA filament. Hope it works this time.

When you say "tuned the tolerances", what does it mean? Does it relate to friction? Thanks!

mikhaildshapiro
mikhaildshapiro

Regarding the base and gear frame friction, when I snap them together I usually get a pretty loose fit that moves freely. The slicer settings I use are in the description

william_loo
william_loo

I see. Thanks for the help. I will report once I have my 90% version done.

william_loo
william_loo

I printed the 90% version and it works much better than the 100% version. I need use sandpaper for inside rim where each circle start/end (not visible after assemble.)

The triangles are a little bit fragile in kids' hands. I will print one for myself.
dsg2
dsg2

I've printed my first box from the model, and I ran into an issue: the pegs on the triangles are prone to delamination failure because of their orientation relative to the Z axis. (aka I broke a few triangle idly spinning the box around)

Do you have any ideas for changes to to the model to improve the strength? One idea I have is to print the pegs separately laying down, and have them mate with the triangle with a dovetail.

I'd like to give a few of these as gifts, but I'm worried about breakages. I'll post a photo once I've reprinted the broken pieces.

mikhaildshapiro
mikhaildshapiro

Sorry about those breakages, that's not a bad idea - the peg could be part of the gear instead and mate with the triangle. Another alternative could be adding a fillet on the peg so that it's stronger than a right angle.
dsg2
dsg2

How did you print the color scheme in the pictures? Did you print pieces solid, or do color changes at certain layers?

  • 1 like
mikhaildshapiro
mikhaildshapiro

Yep I do it via color changes at certain layers. I print the Base and Gear Frame at the same time so the lines are the same. You could also do a color change on the triangles.

Here's my setup:
https://imgur.com/a/OTUDpv2

dsg2
dsg2

Great, thank you! I see that for the base & gear frame you color change at 4mm. What's the height you change at on the triangles?

  • 1 like
mikhaildshapiro
mikhaildshapiro

No problem! Triangles change at 1.8
DmanJ82
DmanJ82

I was wondering if this box can be turned upside down without falling apart? Or.. is gravity the only thing holding the lid components in place?

mikhaildshapiro
mikhaildshapiro

Its a friction fit so they may fall out - I usually put a drop of superglue in each gear to hold the triangles in place

quietlyscheming
quietlyscheming

I believe they were not referring to the triangle sections but the Gear Frame falling off the Body if turned over. I love this design but is there something I'm missing to keep the Gear Frame (top half) from falling off if turned over?

mikhaildshapiro
mikhaildshapiro

Thanks for asking, yeah there is a way to snap them together - the Base has a ring around the middle, and the Gear Frame has a groove at the bottom. You have to snap the gear frame onto the base so that that the ring fits into the groove. Let me know if that helps, if not I can a video

  • 1 like
mikhaildshapiro
mikhaildshapiro

It takes a little bit of force to snap them together

meulab3d
meulab3d

I saw the copyright symbol, but I have to ask anyway. Can I buy the STL and sell the print in my country?

mikhaildshapiro
mikhaildshapiro

Hey, sorry for the late reply. As of right now the answer is no. Thanks for asking though and glad you like the design!

  • 1 like

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