# Cryptex Prototype



## gketell

Ever since my son read The DaVinci Code in 6th grade he has wanted a cryptex. He even did a rough design of his own creation so he could make it. This year he took an Advanced Studies class that let him pretty much do what he wanted as long as he did research, did a write up, and did a project. He chose the cryptex. He and I designed it and built it pretty much from scratch starting with his plans and enhancing them and filling in all the missing parts. This was implemented as a prototype so we took a short cut in using the PVC for the central tubes since we couldn't figure out how to make the tubes from scratch in the time we had left.










It is 6-1/2" long and 4-/14" diameter and is made out of Walnut and Bloodwood and PVC.

There are seven combination rings each with 27 possible entries resulting in over 10.4 Billion possible combinations.

This is the architecture of the beast:




You have the inner "safe tube" with attached PVC lock teeth that is inset into, and glued to the "outer door". And outer "C" tube that keeps the thing from falling apart while open that is inset into and glued to the back end piece. The "Lock Rings" and the outside "combination rings". You can set the combination to anything you like by loosening a set screw in the lock ring and rotating the combination ring about it then tightening the set screw again. (See attachments for more details.)

My son did all the band saw work, all the scroll saw work, all the planer work and I ended up doing all of the tablesaw work and most of the router work on the rings (after he lost his fingernail to the router during a moment of inattention 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




).

All in all it was a great project and we learned a lot and know lots of areas for improvement if we ever get around to making a "final draft" and "finish" versions. 

GK


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## pipecrafter

That is GREAT!  Now get him to figure out how to burst a glass container of vinegar inside of someone attempts to force it. :biggrin:


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## bitshird

Greg, That is Awesome!! no pun intended, what a great Father & Son project


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## Pen Maker

.. - / .. ... / - .... . / -.-. --- --- .-.. . ... - / - .... .. -. --. / .. / .... .- ...- . / . ...- . .-. / ... . . -. / - .... .- - / .-- .- ... / .... .- -. -.. / -- .- -.. .


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## Pen Maker

it is the coolest thing I have ever seen that was hand made


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## pipecrafter

-.-- --- ..- * .- .-. . * - .... . * -... .. --. --. . ... - * --. . . -.- * .. * ...- . * . ...- . .-. * -.-. --- -- . * .- -.-. .-. --- ... ... * * * -- .- -.-- -... . * -... .. --. --. . .-. * - .... .- -. * -- . * *

Geek.  :biggrin:


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## Pen Maker

-. --- -.. --- ..- -... - .- -... --- ..- - .. - --..--   -.-- --- ..- .-. -. --- - ... --- -... .- -.. -.-- --- ..- .-. ... . .-.. ..-.


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## Rcd567

WOW


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## thewishman

At-thay is-ay ice-nay!


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## gketell

Thank you all for the nice comments!!  Even if I did have to throw on my geek hat to read some of them.  :biggrin:  

I never knew there were morse-code translators on the web now.  That is fun!!

GK


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## rlharding

Wow....now that's something you should market. I can't even imagine how you would start.  Fabulous, and as someone said, a great father/son bonding event.  Wow.


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## gketell

Yahhhhh, no.  Making one of these was a real PITA.  I can't even imagine trying to make them in any kind of quantity.  Maybe if I had a CNC machine and/or a metal lathe.  But trying to hand create each of those rings.... We threw out more than we "successfully" made.  And I would want to do make the inner tubes out of wood too (which I really don't have a lot of clue how to do).

But it would be fun to figure out all those issues.  

GK


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## workinforwood

That's really great Greg.  They had one in one of the magazines last year, but the finished project paled in comparison to your prototype!


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## gketell

I saw the plans in ScrollSaw magazine.  It was great if you only had a scroll saw to work with.  But we didn't like the external braces to keep it assembled or the brads as the "keys".  

My son wanted it to look like what we saw in the movie but have an adjustable combination.  It was really fun working with him to figure out how to make what he wanted.  I really can't recommend highly enough taking on a challenging project with your kids and working with them to solve the problems.  It'll bring you closer together (when it is done; while doing it you may fight a bit. :wink.

GK


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## VisExp

Greg, that is very cool.  I'm sitting here trying to figure out all the steps involved in making it.  Your son is going to remember this experience for many years to come, as are you I'm sure.


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## Glenn McCullough

Greg,
     Awsome project and even better execution! It looks like one of those things that people look at,  scratch their head and say, "How'd he do that?"


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## Tn-Steve

Super Cool.  Sounds like you have a junior engineer there on your hands.  A very impressive project, well designed and well executed.  Way to go.

Steve


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## workinforwood

gketell said:


> I saw the plans in ScrollSaw magazine.  It was great if you only had a scroll saw to work with.  But we didn't like the external braces to keep it assembled or the brads as the "keys".
> 
> 
> 
> GK



Yep, that's the one, but like I said, your prototype is a million time better than the one in the magazine!  But hey...that same magazine will print an intarsia on the cover with gaps big enough to put a thumb into and won't accept any of my stuff.  So I publish elsewhere!


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## TellicoTurning

pipecrafter said:


> -.-- --- ..- * .- .-. . * - .... . * -... .. --. --. . ... - * --. . . -.- * .. * ...- . * . ...- . .-. * -.-. --- -- . * .- -.-. .-. --- ... ... * * * -- .- -.-- -... . * -... .. --. --. . .-. * - .... .- -. * -- . * *
> 
> Geek.  :biggrin:



You guys are giving me a headache trying to remember how to read morse code.. :embarrassed:   it's been 45 years since I worked with it... (former RM2-USN)


Oh and Thanks Greg!!
Now you've added another something to my to-do list... number 139.:curse::curse::biggrin::biggrin:


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## gketell

Chuck,

Here is how I read/wrote morse code: http://morsecode.scphillips.com/jtranslator.html.  I never did learn how to read it.

GK
ps  you're welcome.  :evilgrin:


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## TellicoTurning

gketell said:


> Chuck,
> 
> Here is how I read/wrote morse code: http://morsecode.scphillips.com/jtranslator.html.  I never did learn how to read it.
> 
> GK
> ps  you're welcome.  :evilgrin:



Oh I learned to read the stuff.. in the navy radiomen are derogatively referred to as "dit dopes"... wouldn't know why..

I did more telex than radio... seemed like every time I came up on the ship circuit, I would get dinged the the communications techs that monitored the radio frequencies... seems I had a "distinctive swinging fist"..


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## titan2

gketell said:


> Chuck,
> 
> Here is how I read/wrote morse code: http://morsecode.scphillips.com/jtranslator.html. I never did learn how to read it.
> 
> GK
> ps you're welcome. :evilgrin:


 
-. --- .-- --..-- / - .... .- - .----. ... / .- / .--. .-. . - - -.-- / -. . .- - / ... .. - . ? ? ?


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## angelofdeath

WOW....that is WAAYYYY cool....  very neat....thank you very much for sharing...that is really awesome.


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## Jim Smith

What a great father and son project.  I'm sure he'll remember this project for the rest of his life and not just because of the lessons he learned about working with a router.  Terrific job!  Thanks for sharing this with us.

Jim


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