Scytale cipher tube — 3D-printable model preview

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Kids & play Multi-part assembly

Scytale cipher tube

Send secret messages that only a tube of exactly the same width can read

The Spartans sent secret orders 2,500 years ago with a scytale. Wind a narrow strip of paper in a spiral round the tube, write your message along it, one letter per turn, then unwind it: the letters scatter into nonsense. Only someone with a tube of exactly the same width can wind it back up and read it. The flat faces of this hexagonal tube keep the lines of writing straight, and the strip lives inside it under the screw cap. Change the width before you print and your pair of tubes becomes your own unbreakable key.

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Size: 36 × 36 × 200 mm
Shape: Hexagonal
Walls: 2.0 mm
Volume: 96.4 cm³
Est. weight (PLA): 120 g
Parts to print: 3
Category: Kids & play
Made by: Krypto
Built in: 13 steps

What’s in it

Hexagonal, 36 × 36 × 200 mm, with 2.0 mm walls
Raised text: “KEY”
Screw-on lid (prints separately)

How to print it

Print two identical tubes, one for each friend. The diameter is the key: change the width to make your own private cipher.

Prints as shown on its floor, no supports. The threaded lid and its neck piece print separately; adjust Fit in the Lid tab if it binds.

Filament: at most about 120 g of PLA printed solid (roughly $2.39 at $20 per kg); normal infill uses less.

To get the files, open it in the generator and choose File › Download STL (one file per part) or Download 3MF (every part on one plate).

Questions

What size is the scytale cipher tube model?

The scytale cipher tube model measures 36 × 36 × 200 mm (width × depth × height). You can change every size in the free SO3D.xyz generator before you download it.

Does it need supports?

No. Print two identical tubes, one for each friend. The diameter is the key: change the width to make your own private cipher. Prints as shown on its floor, no supports. The threaded lid and its neck piece print separately; adjust Fit in the Lid tab if it binds.

How much filament does it use?

At most about 120 g of PLA (96.4 cm³ printed solid), roughly $2.39 of filament at $20 per kg. Normal infill uses less.

How many parts does it print as?

3 parts. The download lays each part flat in its best print position: Download STL gives one file per part, Download 3MF puts them all on one plate.

Can I change it?

Yes. Open it in the SO3D.xyz generator (free, in your browser), change the size, walls, dividers, holes, text or anything else, then download it as STL or 3MF for your slicer.

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Make it fit your space

Change the size, walls, dividers, holes and labels of the scytale cipher tube model in your browser, then download it for your printer. Free, no CAD needed.

Customize this model