Cryptex

Just like in the Da Vinci Code. It works much like a bicycle combination lock and if one arranges the rings to spell out the correct password, the rings align to unlock it, and the entire cylinder slides apart. In the inner compartment of the cryptex, this is where secret information can be hidden.

This was sorta a school project. For an engineering project we had to invent something.

Step 1 Materials

-(2) 2" PVC end caps
-(1) 1.5" PVC coupler
-(1) 1.5" PVC tubing (about 7")
-(1) 2" PVC tubing (about 7")
-(3) .5" x 5" x .125" clear acrylic strips
-Dremel Tool
-Superglue

Comments

[h.bogart]

The coupler is holding the rings in place, right? idk : /

[thatsgenius]

i bought all the materials. Tried to make this for weeks. what do i get? 20$ gone out of my pocket, and wasting 2 weeks of my life. T_T

[Quintonio]

what does it mean by notch like it starts at one end and goes to the other

[NicOmbra]

Because of the length pvc pipe is sold in, maybe you could make lots of these, then have the riddles to one cryptex inside another cyptex.

[MITisNOTHINGtoME]

You didn't mention that little piece of white paper or plastic of some sort. It seems like, reading through your instructable that that is the mechanism. Please go more in depth.

[Luxordo5]

It took me awhile to realize what you meant by "get your mind out of the gutter" I probably wouldnt have realized if you didnt mention it, should I be embarrassed?

[akinich]

WHAT DOES IT MEAN ?????

[thatsgenius]

I DONT Know!!!!!

[SterLuMan]

well dude look at the pic and think... what does it remind you of?

[akinich]

pipe???

[kooldoode]

no, close its another p word,

[SterLuMan]

Dude how old r u?! 5?!

[akinich]

pvc? will somebody just tell me what it means

[SterLuMan]

have you got it yet?!

[josh1324]

lol seriously?

[SterLuMan]

it starts with p, has 5 letters, boys have it, girls dont...

[Dumchicken]

i know

[thatsgenius]

just shuttup please!

[SterLuMan]

Oh jeez... Are you really that superficial? And it's 'shut up', not 'shuttup'...

[thatsgenius]

I don't care! Just please, shut up!

[starfox384]

love the riddle

[Kaelessin]

Hey! I liked your idea so much that I ported it over to an all copper design. Had to do some tweaking to make it work properly but enjoyed what I feel great results! I changed the design somewhat so that all letters need to be lined up to crack it (as opposed to a "brute force method" possible design)

Here is mine.

Thanks for this ible!

[jediking14]

What you gave us your password... Nooooooooooo.

[rennboyz]

nice riddle!!!

[greymatter21]

dido dat!(i suc at riddles>.<)

[jeroenenmarloes]

Great project. I used rivets to make the cryptex thougher to crack. In stead of one small stripe of plastic at the end, use rivets under every letter. See the pictures attached.

! the sanding of the tube is done best with an electric grinding wheel.

[LiMiT-L3sS]

dude do u hav a instuctabl fr dis its so sick

[jeroenenmarloes]

hey death kid,

unusual nick by the way.... if you follow this instructable then you will end up like mine. All you have to do extra
is use rivets.

[hornbadoing]

 pleas make a video on youtube on how to make a cryptex the way u did

[jeroenenmarloes]

 Dear hornbadoing,

I already made the crypto. So a video is only possible if I rebuild it. I don't have the time right now. Perhaps in the future.

 

[sulis96]

 do you have an instuctables on this of your own ?????? if you do could you E-mail me how to make one your way 

E-mail: [e-mail]

[jeroenenmarloes]

Dear sulis96,

If you follow exactly the instructions in the instructable you have 80% of the result. You need to be alert in step 4: Glue and Cut.

Instead of :"Cut a 2 1/4" x 1/2" piece of PVC, then glue it onto the 1 1/2" PVC tube."
Each "ring" consists of an outer and inner ring. The inner ring is smaller +/- 1/4". This space is enough for the rivet. If you place ring for ring on the cryptex and sign it, draw a line as seen in the firt photo, its jhust a matter of drilling and nailing. 

I hope with this information you have enough for building the cryptex.

[sulis96]

it has thanks again bra ;)

[boston09]

i like it! thanks for the advice

[LiMiT-L3sS]

Ill make one to have my sister and others figure out to come in my room

[YuriTS]

excuse me, you can repeat the measures of the material for Criptex. thank's :)

[Kaelessin]

Just stumbled onto this today and i have to commend you! that much sanding takes dedication! I am curious what prevents a brute force approach to cracking this thing? From what i can see based on your pictures the person would only need 26X5 tries max to open the cryptex since they can just go sequentially trying each letter on each ring until the cryptex opens a little further.

A video of this thing opening and closing would probably help those confused as to how it gets put together.

[teamcoltra]

 its not 26X5 its 26^5

its 26 X 26 X 26 X 26 X 26

It would take a long time to just go through each letter.

[Kaelessin]

That would be true if the cracker needed all the letters at once to open it. As this is constructed you could get the first letter and slide it open a bit then work on the second letter and so on. This one could be cracked in minutes because of that.

[teamcoltra]

 Oh ... well I guess in practice that is correct then, in theory though it should be 26^5 :P