Jedi Holocron (with gears) - Star Wars

Build a holocron that opens using a series of gears.
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updated March 13, 2023

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Update August 31 2022 - Got a little ahead of myself by posting this remix without testing out the assembly (made mine out of the original) so once I printed it found the gears are easy enough to get in for the first 3 but the fourth one is really tough, requiring some careful wedging and maneuvering. 

I want to fix that issue by adding some clearance gaps between the teeth to let them slide over each other better. Even just cutting off a few layers from the bottom of the teeth might allow better clearance. 

The alignment of the notches was also very difficult when getting the gears in, so I'm going to fix that element as well. I'll keep you updated. 

Updated the corner window x24 part since it was a little too big. Reduced it 3% and it seems better, so I plated that in compact 24 parts for your convenience. 

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Here is a geared holocron designed by prop maker Gustavo Canales who posted it on therpf.com several years ago, and he shared the files for free on shapeways. I built the model and it worked mostly well but was a little difficult to get the gears in through a small opening, so I decided to remix it.

The core was split in two halves so the gears could be installed much easier, and added separated panels for printing the windows in blue. Added a magnet option (6x2mm, need two) to help the rotating corners stay in place when closed, but not too hard to turn. Also adjusted the corners so they print flat without supports. 

Some tips:

  • The gears can technically be printed without supports but with a lot of little teeth sticking to the bed it can be nerve-wracking to wonder if it will fail, so it may be reassuring to use supports. 
  • My window panels were done in transparent filament but I recommend using a solid color to avoid glue showing through. 
  • Ok, had it all wrong the first time-- its not A gears on one side and B on the other. Its supposed to be alternating so looking at one core half the gears would be installed like:

                                                                                                                  A B
                                                                                                                  B A

  • The gears need to be sort of wedged in place with its notch facing any of the 3 points of the triangle.
  • Test fit everything before gluing to make sure it all lines up right.
  • Use color swapping for the center windows. Here is a guide that explains how that works, at least with Prusaslicer: https://help.prusa3d.com/en/article/color-change_1687
  • I printed everything at a layer height of .15mm. 

Display stand included.

For the gold parts I used CC3D antique gold silk PLA. The blue was 3D Solutech transparent aqua PLA. 

Extra special thanks to Gustavo Canales for doing the hard work and sharing this awesome model!

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The author remixed this model.

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