Hello everyone! What I have here is a small project that I worked on for a few weeks: a leave me alone box! I've seen lots of these boxes around on the internet, so I decided to build one out of Knex. :-) It is purely mechanical and uses things like an arm, crank, and a more compact version of the motor switch system I invented in my skeeball machine.

Note: If you use the mechanism anywhere else, please give me credit.

Here's a video of the box in action:

If you want to build the leave me alone box, then move on to the next step!
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Step 1: Time to Count! (Optional)

These are the pieces I used to build the leave me alone box. The box uses a lot of pieces, so if you don't have enough you could make it with blue/yellow rods instead of green/white rods. The pieces below are listed with their classic-colored names. Counting is so much fun!

Rods: 436

green- 263
white- 156
blue- 8
yellow- 7
red- 2

Connectors: 265

dark gray- 24
light gray- 9
red- 29
green- 7
yellow- 24
orange- 13
white- 51
blue- 14
purple- 94

Other: 57

blue spacer- 20
silver spacer- 11
tan clip- 11
black Y clip- 10
medium yellow gear- 1
small blue/brown gear- 1
newer-style battery-powered motor (green)*- 1
blue hinge- 1
black/green hinge- 1

Total: 758

*You must use this type of motor. Keep in mind that motors of different colors go different speeds.

Step 2: Bottom Panel

Let's start off with something simple. This is the bottom of the box where everything will attach.

Throughout this Instructable, make sure to pay attention to the numbered picture descriptions.

1- Build it!
2- The bottom of the bottom. See what I did there? ;-)

Step 3: Motor

Now you will attach the motor to the bottom and slide in the axle.

1- Build these.
2- Another view.
3- Attach the one with the yellow connector to the motor.
4- Attach the other side.
5- Connect the motor to the bottom.
6- Another view.
7- Get these things for the axle.
8- Slide it into the motor as shown.

Step 4: Motor Switch

Now that the motor is attached, it's time to build the motor's switch.

1- Get a yellow rod and put it in between the motor and casing.
2- Get a dark gray connector and connect it as shown.
3- Get another dark gray connector and connect it above where the motor's switch is.
4- Build this thing, which will strengthen the switch.
5- Another view.
6- Attach it to the motor section. The switch should now slide nicely in either direction if you move the yellow connector.
7- Another view.
8- Another view.

Step 5: Gear and Rods

Everybody likes gears! After the gear, you'll add it some random white rod things.

1- Build this.
2- Another view.
3- The gear section attaches to the bottom in two places.
4- Another view.
5- This will secure the gear in place.
6- Another view.
7- Attach it like so.
8- Get these.
9- Attach them to the blue connectors.

Step 6: Lever

This lever is what you will push to activate the machine.

1- Build the lever.
2- Another view.
3- What?! Wrong lever, skip to the next picture...
4- Attach the lever. Make sure the white rods it attaches to are pushed all the way down.
5- Another view.
6- Another view.
7- Build these random things.
8- Attach them to the bottom.

Step 7: The Crank

If you're feeling cranky, then this step is for you. Also included is a section of wall for the box.

1- Build the crank.
2- Attach it to the yellow gear's axle.
3- Get these.
4- Connect them.
5- Build this square.
6- Slide it onto the white rods.
7- Build this.
8- Slide it onto the white rods.
9- Build a wall section.
10- Attach it to the rest of the model.
11- A view of the other side.

Step 8: The Arm

Now you will build the box's arm and the shutoff arm.

1- Build the shutoff arm.
2- Another view.
3- Connect it to the motor's switch.
4- Another view.
5- Build the arm's axle.
6- Another view.
7- Another view.
8- Attach the axle to the rest of the model.
9- The shutoff arm should fit over the axle like so.
10- Another view.
11- Connect the white rod of the crank to the dark gray connector.
12- Build the arm.
13- Connect it to the axle.
14- Get these pieces.
15- Add them to the edge of the axle.

Step 9: The Box (Part 1)

Now that most of the mechanics are finished, it's time for the box!

1- Build this wall.
2- Another view.
3- Attach it to the rest.
4- Build another wall.
5- Attach it to the rest.
6- Build this. It's part of the top covering.
7- Another view.
8- Another view.
9- Build this section.
10- Combine the two sections.
11- Attach it to the top of the box. Notice how the arm is resting on the orange connectors.

Step 10: The Box (Part 2)

More box building, yay!

1- Build this.
2- Another view.
3- Attach it to the rest of the box.
4- Build another wall.
5- Another view.
6- Attach it to the rest.
7- Build this small thing.
8- Connect it to the box.
9- Build another small thing.
10- Attach it to the box.

Step 11: The Lid

You're almost done! You just have to build the lid and finish the box.

1- Build the lid.
2- Don't forget the hinge!
3- Add the lid to the box.
4- Connect the hinge.
5- Another view.
6- Build this section.
7- Attach it to the box.

Step 12: It Has Been Completed!

Congrats, you have finished! Your box will now want to be left alone. Just push the switch toward the lid and watch it turn itself off.

Feel free to post comments below and subscribe! Also, if you build the box and post a picture below, I'll add it to this step.

Thanks for viewing!
-Shadowman39