How to Build a Cardboard Combination Padlock

Today I will be showing you how to make a combination lock- out of cardboard! This is a fun build and a perfect way to get rid of empty boxes sitting around. Have any questions? Pop a comment below and I'll help. I am entering this in the toy contest so if you like my work, please vote!

Step 1 Tools and Materials

Not many things are required to make this lock.  It's mainly cardboard.

TOOLS:
-Ruler
-Box cutter / razor blade
-A cutting mat (so you don't gouge your table)
-Pencil
-Hot glue gun and extra glue sticks
-A compass (the kind used to draw circles)
-Hole punch (apparently this can be used to punch the holes for the washers and such. (thanks to swhitaker2 for discovering this))

MATERIALS:
-Corrugated cardboard
-Two new pencils
-Large paperclip

Comments

[insttuctable8]

cool project you should make another that can actually lock a box, And make it smaller because it is huge please try

[macrumpton]

This looks awesome.
I think it might be even better if you used laminated layers of solid cardboard, like the stuff used for cereal boxes rather than the corrugated stuff, as it would be a lot more durable. After all it is a lot of work, so you want it to last.

[244 Jake]

Great post as to how the lock system works, Any way a completed safe could be shown.

Yesterday I received this. Most cool. I do NOT beleive it's evil to show a different way to do the same thing. Even if this was 3 months after YOURs.

http://www.robives.com/blog/papersafe

Could you do the next step, Please, show how to connect to a door handle. I want to make a big Toy Gun Safe, out of card board, say the card board box a refrigartor would come in..

Big Jake

[samaw129]

hey, im back,
any way to add a door? trying to win a bet that i built a cardboard safe

[tardis fan]

You could try to connect the locking bar to a linkage so it draws back a bolt unlocking the door. Experiment!

[samaw129]

hole punchers work well for the washers :)

[tardis fan]

Never actually thought about using hole punchers for that. I might add it to the instructable.

[samaw129]

haha yeah worked for me!

[thing 2]

Could you upload a video that shows how it works/a demonstration?

[tardis fan]

Most likely I will. Just have to find the time. . .

[BuhBomb]

This reminds me of Furio Tigre's cardboard badge...

[ihaveguitarskills!]

you should make the lock mechanism smaller, so you can put stuff in the box.that's what im going to do.

[tardis fan]

Cool! Post some pics when you do.

[ghostpotato]

epic!!!

i made this and only tool me about a hour and it works awesome.

might make a full case for it so you cant just look over the back and align them.
if i make that i might post some pictures. O and also knex rods are a good substitute if you don't want to use up pencils

p.s. be careful when hot gluing i got a nasty burn in my left pointer so now it hurts to type. lol why am i making this comment so long then??

this is truly ingenious and im giving a 5* for sure

my finger hurts :(

[ihaveguitarskills!]

i was hot gluing once, and I was kicked in the head. it burned me);

[ghostpotato]

oops in second line i made a mistake i meant only took me an hour not tool me an hour srry

[tardis fan]

I'd be interested to see how the covered lock turns out.

Hot glue burns are nasty, aren't they? I got one while making the base and had to take the picture as fast as possible!

[heathbar64]

Very funny thing. I made one very similar to this a few month ago. My daughter had her first combination locker at school and I thought knowing how it worked would help her with getting it open.. too bad I didn't take a picture.

[tardis fan]

This model is good at teaching about locks. My family has learned from it as well.

[rimar2000]

WOW, what a good work!

[tardis fan]

Thank you!

[tinker234]

wow great work

[tardis fan]

Thanks!

[LostRite]

I was just wondering why no one has posted an ible on this. It is very amusingly handy for all sorts of rediculousness. Well done!

[tardis fan]

Thanks for the complement! Try your hand at making one!

[kelseymh]

Now that is really awesome. Way back when I was teaching physical and information security courses, this would have been a brilliant take-home project for my students.

[tardis fan]

Thanks! If you make one, be sure to let me know!