The Forgotten Cipher

The Forgotten Cipher is a 26-disc mechanical puzzle engineered to feel like a timeless, crafted relic from a world where magic and engineering were one and the same.

🗝️ The Artifact Features

26 Unique Cipher Discs: Each disc contains a mathematically generated, uniquely scrambled 26-letter alphabet. No two discs are identical. Two dedicated slots are reserved for numbers to support puzzle sequencing.

Centuries of "Wear": Interleaved between the discs are 1mm spacer rings designed with a physical "worn" aesthetic. Small divots and imperfections are baked into the model to make the relic feel heavily used.

Satisfying Mechanics: Gear-shaped end caps lock the cylinder together, engineered with a precise 0.05mm tolerance for a tight, satisfying snap-fit.

Infinite Secrets: With 26 rotating rings, the number of possible codes, passwords, or incantations you can hide is practically limitless.

🖨️ Printing Instructions (Crucial for Success)

Plate 1 (The Test Plate): Do not skip this! Print Plate 1 first. It contains a 7mm mini-spindle, 1 Cap, 1 Spacer, and 1 Disc. It takes about 20 minutes and verifies two critical things: that your printer perfectly captures the engraved letters, and that the Cap snaps onto the spindle securely with your specific filament.

You may increase the speed to reduce print time; however, based on my testing and experience, these settings produced the most reliable results.

⚙️ Assembly

Clean the Core: Carefully remove the brim from the bottom of the tall Main Spindle. Ensure the bottom edge is perfectly flat and smooth.

Cap the Bottom: Snap one of the Gear Caps onto the bottom of the spindle.

The Stack: Slide a Spacer Ring down the rod until it hits the bottom cap. Then add a Cipher Disc.

Repeat: Alternate stacking (Spacer > Disc > Spacer > Disc) all the way up the core.

Lock it Away: You will end with your final Spacer at the very top. Snap the second Gear Cap onto the top of the spindle to lock your secrets inside.

Depending on your system tuning, you may need to add or remove extra spacers.

Filaments Used:

SUNLU PLA+ 2.0 – spindle

eSUN PLA+ – Bone White

Overture Matte PLA – Brown for cap and discs

If you’ve read through the instructions, please take a look at the other models on my profile.

https://skybuildstudio.com/

https://www.instagram.com/p/DU1L1SxkfIE/

If you would like the raw file: https://**********.com/en/makerlab/parametricModelMaker?designId=2407322&from=model_page&modelName=TheForgottenCipherscad.scad&protected=true&unikey=340b0a14-8d74-4e9a-a730-ef7520b60373

Thank you.

The Forgotten Cipher

0.2mm layer, 2 walls, 15% infill