I originally set out to develop a locking pin mechanism, but troubleshooting internal issues proved difficult due to limited visibility. To better understand what was going wrong, I created a simple test cube. As I refined the design, the cube evolved into a useful tool for test printing. It was quick to print and made it easy to identify issues such as stringing, gaps, and general print quality.

Eventually, I achieved a successful print, but found the mechanism too unreliable for practical use with my budget printer. The tolerances were simply too tight—on average, only one out of every five prints would function correctly at the original size.

However, scaling the model up to 200% and printing it with a 0.8 mm nozzle produced consistently excellent results. Every print came out cleanly with no mechanical issues.

Here’s a video demonstration of the 200% scaled version printed with a 0.8 mm nozzle.

but if you print it at this scale its a bit loose in the threads compared to the smaller ones

https://youtu.be/FGrr3VonMqc?si=gtIWl2-tRKrwTDcS

I hope this test cube serves as a fun and useful tool for others looking to experiment or calibrate their printers.

Worm gear mechanism torture test cube

0.2mm layer, 2 walls, 15% infill