Puzzles

Interlocking puzzle bins on Thingiverse

Interlocking puzzle bins on Thingiverse

These cool interlocking jigsaw-puzzle shaped cans from Thingiverse user Zydac may be the best example, at least in terms of looks, of objects designed for printing on a MakerBot, RepRap, or other small FDM-type printer.

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CNC jigsaw puzzle parquet floor

CNC jigsaw puzzle parquet floor

My pal Angus Hines cut these interlocking wooden puzzle pieces from finish-grade oak plywood using his ShopBot, and installed them in a hallway of his Carrollton, Virginia home. The finish is Varathane High Traffic polyurethane. There are more pictures in this Flickr set. If you’re interested in the idea, feel free to contact Angus directly. I’m sure he’d be glad to cut you some puzzle flooring or other custom parquetry at his usual bargain prices. [Thanks, Angus!]

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125-piece puzzle in 6 different metals with hidden “Golden Gun”

Michigan machinist GarE Maxton makes many different types of interlocking solid puzzles of this type, but this one, which is he calls Intimidator, is his masterpiece. Starting the disassembly process requires a special key. Once diassembled, about 20 of the pieces can be recombined to make a functioning single-shot pistol. Other parts of the puzzle separately and securely store “a customized set of tools, all necessary hardware, 45 caliber bullets, a standard sight, a laser sight, a cannister containing black powder pellets, a secure storage area for 209 shotgun primers, a spent primer removal tool and a ramrod for loading the bullets.”

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Smallest reverse geocache puzzle yet

This latest version of Mikal Hart’s original reverse geocache puzzle–a box that only opens in one location on the Earth’s surface–is by Markus. At just 3.75″ on its longest side, Markus’s box is by far the most compact and elegant version of the puzzle I have ever seen. [via Hack a Day]

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Puzzle table bases

Puzzle table bases

These glueless interlocking table bases based on burr puzzles are from Bulgarian architect Petar Zaharinov. I discovered them while perusing last year’s entries to the Nob Yoshigahara Puzzle Design Competition.

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3D-printable 4-part sphere model on Thingiverse

Interesting dissection of a sphere from Thingiverse user VeryWetPaint. This “hemi-demi-sphere” is also cleverly designed to present the best-finished surface from the printer on the outside of the assembled sphere.

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