Mechanical Gift Box
March 31, 2025 10:05 AM Subscribe
Mechanical Gift Box
19 minute build video with a very sweet finale. Spent 10 months in my free time building this mechanical box so I could surprise my partner 💍 It worked!
Designed and engineered on the fly as I went, no CNC or CAD support, just stubbornness and a whole ton of luck. Mostly cherry and brass. Dutch oil finish. The melody is taken from “Papageno’s Glockenspiel” from “The Magic Flute”
19 minute build video with a very sweet finale. Spent 10 months in my free time building this mechanical box so I could surprise my partner 💍 It worked!
Designed and engineered on the fly as I went, no CNC or CAD support, just stubbornness and a whole ton of luck. Mostly cherry and brass. Dutch oil finish. The melody is taken from “Papageno’s Glockenspiel” from “The Magic Flute”
Role: engineer, builder, learner, lover
Lovely and congratulations!
posted by ellieBOA at 5:43 AM on April 1 [1 favorite]
posted by ellieBOA at 5:43 AM on April 1 [1 favorite]
Wow!
may I ask, what is that tiny table top table saw you are using?
posted by elgee at 9:25 AM on April 1 [1 favorite]
may I ask, what is that tiny table top table saw you are using?
posted by elgee at 9:25 AM on April 1 [1 favorite]
elgee: "
may I ask, what is that tiny table top table saw you are using?"
I'm not churl, but it looks a lot like this
posted by aubilenon at 8:09 PM on April 1 [1 favorite]
may I ask, what is that tiny table top table saw you are using?"
I'm not churl, but it looks a lot like this
posted by aubilenon at 8:09 PM on April 1 [1 favorite]
A few people have asked about the saw! Yep it's one of the zillion white-labeled incarnations of the saw aubilenon linked; I got it on a lark and ended up using it for almost everything.
It's noisy, swapping the blades really sucks, the miter gauge is approximate, and the fence doesn't want to stay perfectly parallel to the cut, but it's been a workhorse and at that price it definitely paid for itself manyfold. I think if I ever tried something at this scale again I'd spring for the Proxxon FET which seems pretty sexy.
posted by churl at 12:06 PM on April 2 [1 favorite]
It's noisy, swapping the blades really sucks, the miter gauge is approximate, and the fence doesn't want to stay perfectly parallel to the cut, but it's been a workhorse and at that price it definitely paid for itself manyfold. I think if I ever tried something at this scale again I'd spring for the Proxxon FET which seems pretty sexy.
posted by churl at 12:06 PM on April 2 [1 favorite]
That was so cool to watch! I'm in awe that you both designed and made this thing… what an amazing gift!
(And congratulations on the engagement!)
posted by demi-octopus at 4:34 AM on April 5 [1 favorite]
(And congratulations on the engagement!)
posted by demi-octopus at 4:34 AM on April 5 [1 favorite]
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posted by Paul Slade at 11:44 AM on March 31 [1 favorite]