instructables

Cryptic Calendar

by cfb70

Lots of people like gadgets. I am not the exception to the rule.

There is a YouTube channel called “Grand Illusions” https://www.youtube.com/c/grandillusions/videos where his author
Tim (Timothy Quiller Rowett) presents curiosities, toys, etc.
At this site I saw a cryptic calendar for the rst time.
As I liked it, I tried to nd it to buy it on the web. Since I couldn't nd it, I decided to build it on my own.
In this tutorial he explains how to do it very easily.
Let's start !
PS: my special consideration to all the people who are su ering from COVID-19.
We all hope that scientists can nd a vaccine !!

=== EDITED 4-NOV-2020 ===

-in step 2, les are again available in the onedrive link.
=== EDITED 12-DIC-2021 ===
-in step 8, I add 3 image with secret les measurements.
=== EDITED 28-AUG-2022 ===
-in step 2, I add Adobe Ilustrator le (*.ai)
======================

Supplies:

- Wooden Plywood 12 mm.

- Black PTEG or PLA lament.
- Metal Keyhole hanger (1)
- Epoxy pegament.
- Black Acrylic Paint.
- Clear/Transparent paint spray.

Tools:
- A table saw or similar.

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- CNC.
- Milling bit, double utes spiral carbide at nose end mill 1mm cutting diamater and 1/8 shank diameter carbide.
- Straight end mill milling cutter utes (tungsten Steel) 1/8 ”cutting diameter and 1/8 shank diameter.
- Printer 3d.
- Sandpaper ( ne, medium and coarse grain)
- Electric rectangular orbital sander.
- Electric blower or compressor.
- Vacuum cleaner electric.

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 https://vimeo.com/457999831

Step 1: CRYPTOGRAPHY...WHAT?

According to the Cambridge dictionary cryptography is “the practice of creating and understanding codes that keep
information secret”.
If you are interested in the subject, there is a lot of bibliography on the subject on the web.
Here you could see a lot: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cryptography
In this project we will build a wooden table that contains signs (triangles, squares, rectangles, etc.) that are
indecipherable at rst glance.
But, when we place a plastic template (the secret key) on the table and slide it from top to bottom, each of the 31 days of
a calendar month magically appears individually.
See the included schematics to understand how encryption and decryption works .

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Step 2: DESIGN

Font
The rst thing I did was look for the type of font to achieve the desired e ect.
The appropriate font is "Porker" designed by Robert Schenk. Note that there are some others fonts with which a similar
e ect.
In the attached photo you can see what a normal number, an encrypted number and the decryption process are like with
the help of a template (key secret)
Adobe Ilustrator
With Adobe Illustrator (AI) I generated a drawing with the 31 calendar numbers in POSITIVE, that is, black color and white
background. I made two columns: on the left the numbers 1 to 16 and on the right the numbers 17 to 31.
( le attached).
Moho(ex anime studio)
Then I imported the AI le from the MOHO program, which has a lot of versatility to work with vector drawing and
animations.
I completed each of the boxes for each number, and I turned the numbers to NEGATIVE, that is, a white font and a black
background.

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Then I erased all the white background lines, leaving only the black ones. In this way the table of numbers from 1 to 31
was “encrypted”.
I exported this image to JPEG le (see note 2)
With software moho I made an animation to test the numbers and the key secret (please see video).
Aspire Vectric
I exported this le as JPEG and imported it with Aspire software to be able to create a GCODE to work in a CNC machine.
I think it would also be possible to make the drawings with a laser.
For the shapes (squares, triangles, etc.) I used milling bit, double utes spiral carbide at nose end mill 1mm cutting
diameter and (1/8 shank diameter carbide)
For cut the outer edge, I used a bit straight end mill milling cutter utes (tungsten Steel) 1/8 ”cutting diameter (1/8 shank
diameter).
The feed rate that I applied to carving / cut plywood was 250 mm/min.
To hang the calendar on the wall I looked for a metal keyhole hanger.
In the back face of the calendar I made a milling of the wood to install it.
Of course you can use di erent types of keyhole hanger, depending on what you can nd.
PLEASE READ. VERY IMPORTANT:
(1) you can download my Aspire, Gcode les and DXF, but take special care to adjust it to your CNC (heights, etc.) and
your own bits. Also if you decide to use another wood, you will have to change the parameters.
https://1drv.ms/u/s!AoZa4oXuD3mOgokIRXiefbm-g0-niw?e=QhuGs4
(2) if you haven´t Aspire Vectric or you use another software you can use the template in JPEG or the DXF le included in
the link above to generate the GCODE in another way.

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 https://vimeo.com/458009706

Download

https://www.instructables.com/ORIG/FJX/YFTD/L7DCFLBK/FJXYFTDL7DCFLBK.ai

Step 3: SUMMARY OF ALL TASK (See the Video)

To build the Cryptic Calendar, once you have the necessary materials and tools, the tasks are as follows (they will be
explained then step by step later).
CNC
Cut de base wood (340mm x 140mm x 12mm)
Fix the wood in the CNC and leveling the base plane CNC.
Carving the gures.
Aspire the dust.
Cut the edges.
Aspire the dust.
Remove the Wood from CNC.
Sand the Wood.
Put the wood on the back side, to carving the space to metal keyhole hanger.
Aspire the dust.
Sand the Wood.

PAINT FIGURE
Initial sanding
Painting the gures (triangles and rectangles) with acrylic paint.
Sanding soft/hard to remove excess paint.
Use a blower or compressor to remove the dust.
Final cleaning and retouch
Use vacuum cleaner to clean up any particles or dust.
Final cleaning with a dry cloth.

3D PRINTER
Print the “key secret” piece, in black PTEG PAINT FIGURES

PAINT SURFACE
Paint the surface (front, back and sides) with clear / transparent aerosol paint.

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FINAL INSTALATION
On the back of the Cryptic Calendar put the keyhole hanger in the carving position.
Install the “Secret key” (printed 3d piece) into the Cryptic Calendar.
Choose a wall in your house to install it.
Enjoy.

https://vimeo.com/457960475

Step 4: CUT WOOD

The nal dimensions of the calendar are H= 330 mm x W= 80mm x T=12 mm

For the CNC working process it's necessary to cut a larger dimension: 340 mm height by 140 mm wide.
I've used 12mm Plywood in this project, but another type of wood could also be used.
To cut the wood I used a table saw.

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Step 5: CNC

For this process, I used the excellent DREMEL CNC designed by NIKODEM BARTNIK (with 500w chinesse spindle
upgrade).
The CNC's work space can may seem limited, but for the hobbyist, and those who have never worked with CNC in
general, I really recommend it! (See photos 1 and 2)
https://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-3D-Printed-Dr...
Discard this comment if you have another commercial or larger CNC ;)
Preparations before using the CNC
First The rst thing I do is make holes in the corners of the wood to work with the CNC to x it with self-drilling screws. To
prevent the screws from sticking out above the Z = 0 level, I make a countersink with a tool for this purpose.(See photo 3
and 4)
Leveling
Before working with the CNC, with the wood placed in it, I recommend leveling the space of work (Z). This is because we
have carving 0.4 mm, which is a very small dimension.
I do it with a small piece of paper, similar to leveling in 3d printers. See photo 5. Photo 6 wooden ready to run CNC.
Carving gures (front)
To carve the gures (triangles and squares) I used milling bit, double utes spiral carbide at nose end mill 1mm cutting
diamater and 1/8 shank diameter carbide. (See photo 7).
In photo 9 you can see the the nished carving work done by the CNC.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PY5Q6B6/ref=...
Cut edge (front) and carving space for metal keyhole hanger (back)
To cut the outline of the calendar to its nal size I used a bit straight end mill milling cutter utes (tungsten Steel) 1/8
”cutting diameter and 1/8 shank diameter. (See photo 8)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PY5Q6B6/ref=...
In photo 10 you can see the the nished cutting edge work done by the CNC (side front)
On the back side of the calendar I made a carving using the same bit above.
In photo 11 you can see the the nished carving done work for metal keyhole hanger by the CNC (side front)

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Step 6: PAINTING FIGURES

Initial sanding
Use a regular sandpaper to remove any wood debris as shown in the gure (photo2)
Do this work with the side edges of the wood and on its back.
This previous work is very important, please do the work patiently to get a good result in the following stages.
Painting the gures (triangles and rectangles)
With the help of a small brush and acrylic paint, paint each of the spawned gures from the wood.
Make sure that the painting reaches both the bottom and the sides of each gure.
To do this, distribute paint generously inside the gure and around it as seen in the gures.
Let stand until completely dry. Once it is dry, check that there are no unpainted parts.
With the same brush and paint, make the touch-ups so that 100% is well painted.
Again let stand until completely dry.
NOTE: you can use a heat gun to speed up the drying of the paint.
Final sanding
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Now it's Time to remove excess paint.
For this I used:
Sponge coarse sandpaper
An electric rectangular orbital sander.
Coarse sandpaper glued to a small piece of wood.

For this task, the use of safety glasses and gloves is recommended.
First apply sponge sandpaper rmly and evenly across the entire surface.
Then with the rectangular orbital sander I remove 100% of the paint. Do it rmly and evenly across the entire surface. The
small piece of wood with sandpaper attached will serve for the nal details.
You will notice that the wood dust will accumulate in the carved gures.
The sanding is ready when there is no more excess paint.
Final cleaning and retouch
Now use a blower or compressor to remove the dust.
You will see magically that the paint stays and the job is perfectly done.
With the help of a pointed metal element (such as a needle or similar) remove the dust that may stick to the corners in
some gures (see photo 3 and 4)
You can also use a vacuum cleaner to clean up any particles or dust (see photo 7)
Finally, use a clean and dry cloth as a nal cleaning.
If you prefer, you can dampen the cloth very slightly and go over all surfaces.

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 https://vimeo.com/457580238

https://vimeo.com/457583515

Step 7: SURFACE PAINT

I chose a matte clear / transparent spray paint nish (not varnish).

It is applied following the manufacturer's recommendations, spraying from a distance, avoiding excess paint (drops or
similar).
His paint should be applied on the front, back and sides.
The drying of this type of paint on plywood is very fast.

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 https://vimeo.com/457585101

Step 8: 3D PRINT: THE SECRET KEY PIECE

The design of the part was made with AUTODESK FUSION360.

Use a 3d printer to create the part. I have a Creality Ender 3 Pro.
I suggest printing face down as seen in photo 3 (Cura software).
In my case I used black PTEG lament, but you can also use PLA.
I include the le to print.
** EDIT 8-DIC-2021**

I added 3 additional images with dimensions of the secret piece, to check the measurements with your print.

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 View in 3D Download

https://www.instructables.com/ORIG/FBE/GKTM/KF13YUPS/FBEGKTMKF13YUPS.stl

Step 9: FINAL INSTALATION

On the back of the Cryptic Calendar put the keyhole hanger in the carving position and applied epoxy cement (I did that)
or if you prefer self drilling screws.
Choose a wall in your house to install it.
In my case I made a hole in the wall and installed a sher wall plug S5 (choose the right model for your type of wall).
Height from the oor approximately 1.65 / 1.75 m.
Then I put in a 2.5mm self drilling screw.
Now only remains to hang the Cryptic Calendar on the wall and enjoy the work done.
How to use:
To mark the days of the month from 1 to 15, the 3d plastic piece (Secret Key) must be placed with its square holes on the
left side. From number 16 to number 31 the piece must be rotated 180 degrees so that the square holes are on the right
side.

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 https://vimeo.com/457588813

Step 10: Final Words

That's all for this project! I hope you enjoyed this instructable.
If you have any question ask them in the comments below!
I would also love to hear what you think about the project.
Happy making!
cfb70
PS1: if you like the project, please vote for this!
PS2/Credits: "The End" photo Designed by Freepik

Any chance you can post the Adobe Illustrator file? I'd like to give make this only with a different
method.
I updated the instructable.
I added the file in Adobe Illustrator format :)
Hello, thank you for your interest.
I try to locate it and share it.
A fantastic design and great tutorial. Loved the video.

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Hi! Thank you for your comments.

Very cool Idea. I´ve made one with my CO2-Laser

Hi there! I am very happy to see your work done! It's great and I love the stand alternative to
support it on a table or on the floor. Thanks for sharing!
cfb70
Very cool concept, it might be worth adding something to index the frame so that the dates can
click into place.
Hi ! Thank you very much for your comment and suggestion. Is true. As I mentioned below to
other users, registration marks could be made on the wood so that the plastic piece fits in each
number. Cheers !
it might even be possible to use some magnets on the plastic part and conseal some metal rod
from the back side.

Anyways really like it!

The dimensions of the plastic part were designed in such a way that due to friction when it is fixed
in place the plastic part does not move. But your idea of magnets is also good. Thanks for
commenting!
Can anyone tell me how to fix the secret key piece?
I don't know how to proceed
Yes of course. I can help you!. But first I need to know what is the specific problem you have to
solve. I imagine that you have printed the piece, and for some reason the piece does not get to
do the problem of deciphering each number. Differences in dimensions perhaps? Just mention it
in the greatest degree of detail right here and we will try to find a solution. I am sending you
some plans with dimensions of the secret piece and measurements.

Thx Cfb!
Opening the secretkey file I don't understand how it can be fixed to the panel and I can't find an
answer even looking at the guide.Can you clarify please?thank you so much for your support!

I think you want to know how to attach the secret key piece. May be it is too loose, so you can
made it smaller or add some non sliding side on the board..
Yes exactly...Thanks!

Hi @Twintop87, originally the piece had been built of wood, but it slid. It occurred to me to make
it 3D printed with dimensions adjusted so that the part would hold. If you still have a problem
when printed, you can follow the suggestions by @malijai: or further reduce the size of the piece

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or generate registration lines on the upper edge of the wood. Good Luck! When you finish it I
would love to see your photo below! Cheers
What a neat idea. as others said, I would add a sort of indexing system on the side of the
calendar part. something as simple as lines to move the key piece to would suffice. However that
does make it easier to decipher or least gives any undesireables a clue how to do it :-)
Thank you very much for your comments and suggestions. Some considerations: the secret
piece remains fixed by friction. The day numbers start at the top from 1 to 16 on the left loop and
from 17 to 31 on the right side, only by sliding down the secret piece "appears" the next day
number. My design has tried to be as minimalist as possible, but for greater comfort it would be
possible to make a registration system proposed by one of you like the one attached in the photo
(it is only a draft sketch). A greeting.

Cool project and nice CNC machine ;)

Thanks Nikus ... you know other projects that I have done with this same CNC. Without that
instructable you made “CNC DREMEL” this mine would have been impossible! Cheers
Fantastic! One day if I have time I may add the months and also figure out how to automate it so I
don't have to manually update it each day. Perhaps I'll turn it into a pair of concentric circles with
months on the outer ring and days on the inner ring. The circles will rotate (non-consistently, just
when they need to update) and the key will be fixed. Oh, maybe instead two circles next to each
other with the key fixed between the two circles.... Just thinking out loud. If I ever get it done I'll be
sure to show you how it turned out.
See this project .. maybe could help for your idea ... https://www.instructables.com/id/Automated-
Perpetual-Calendar
Thank you very much for your comment!
This is really the good thing about sharing projects in this community. Everything can be
improved with imaginative ideas like the ones you tell me. Any suggestions or help let me know.
A greeting.
I'm definitely going to try this. I've already reworked the file to fit my CNC and made it larger. I
plan on making the "key" out of wood so that will be a trial and error job.

Thanks!
That's good news.
Thanks for comment!
Look forward to seeing your photo, sharing here, to encourage others to build the project!
Cheers.
Love it. I will rework it to suit a laser cutter.

Transfer tape and twenty minutes weeding will ease the paint and sand, or I might make it multi-
layer using 1.5mm mdf and just paint the back piece black.

Great job! And excellent tutorial. You get my vote.

Hello, thanks for commenting and that you like the project.

The variants you propose are good.

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I would love to see a photo with your work done...

Do it! i encourage you :)

Cheers.
Nice, I really like this!
The secret piece only holds in place by friction, kind of wedge in place?
Wonder if you could add some positioning tabs, notch on each side of the board with the CNC
and "bumbs" in the inside of the secret piece.This would help positioning it.
Or you could add magnet, drilling from the back almost thru the board and glue in a little magnet.
Then incorporate one in the secret piece.

PS: Little typo:

PLEASE READ. VERY IMPORTANT:
(1) you cand download
Hi, I'm glad you liked it. I really appreciate your questions and contribution.
The secret piece is very light (PTEG printed3d). I have designed the final interior dimensions to
hold by friction. The cryptic calendar has been installed in my house for weeks and is not moving
:)
For this I did several tests until I found the best relationship between smooth vertical sliding and
friction braking. However, I find your ideas for braking (positioning tabs / notchs or Magnets) very
valid, especially if one wanted to make a larger calendar and the secret piece was bigger.
I send you a greeting and I encourage you to build it!

PS: Thanks for indicating the little typo: where it says "cand" it should say "can" :)
I have detected others, when the contest is over I will make a revised edition.
Just to be clear, you can make edits/fix typos, etc. at any time - and are encouraged to! : )

Hi. Thanks for clarifying . For a moment I thought that once a project was submitted to a contest,
it was not allowed to make adjustments to the original text until the contest ended :)
At first glance, this looks like some kind of alien calendar you'd see on a backwater planet
somewhere in the Y'tton'u System, but...

Then you notice the little "key" and... oooooooh...

THAT'S BRILLIANT!!! :D
Thanks for your comment!

hahahaha ... maybe it could be similar to the message sent into space a long time ago to
possible aliens .. see at this link:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arecibo_message
Yeah, I see how that'd come to mind - it's reminiscent of some kind of "universal language" or
"pure knowledge" - but it just looks like dots and lines if you don't know what it's supposed to
represent.
Me encanto!!! Excelente idea!! Gracias por compartir!!

Thanks a lot!
Cheers
FWIW you could do this without a CNC router, if you have a little patience and a steady hand.

If you print out the vector graphics on a piece of paper, you can use a glue stick and stick it to
your wood, then use a dremel or even hand tools to carve out the shapes.
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It may not be as precise as a CNC router, but you can get pretty darn good. You could then create
the key with a simple piece of wood glued together at the corners.
Thanks for your comments. As you say, there could be other alternatives for those who do not
have a CNC or a 3D PRINTER.

Yes !! Your proposal is valid and it is what many artisans do even today with patience, good hand,
practice and skill :)

There are also others like these:

a) The wood could be printed in black with xerigraphy technique (without carving).

b) A sheet of brown paper printed with the symbols could be pasted on any wood.

c) The whole assembly could be made directly on cardboard, the symbols printed on a white
sheet, stick the sheet on the cardboard and make the secret piece with a black cardboard.

Finally, both the CNC and the 3D PRINTERs do not replace the possibility of man making art. Art
must be created first, and these new tools make it possible to speed up production processes
either on a personal or commercial level.

Best regards
nice

Thanks !

I like the layout and the coding! I may use a variation of it on my own Perpetual Puzzle Calendar
here on the site.
Hello! I'm glad you like it and that it can be useful to make a modification of your
cool project:

https://www.instructables.com/id/Perpetual-Puzzle-Calendar/

Good luck!
What a cool project this on is going on the CNC and printer tonight. I will update with images once
finished! I'm going to do hardwood with a epoxy inlay thank you very much for shareing.
Hi! Those are really good news! i'll be looking forward your pictures. cheers

Very cool project, great job explaining it too the picture in step 1 is perfect!

Thank you very much for your comment! I thought a lot about how to explain how it worked and I
said to myself: "an image is worth a thousand words" :) cheers
Great design! I love it!!!
This gives me some ideas for variations. For example, printing it on cardboard and use a
cardboard slider, etc.
Maybe you can use a simplification in the proces of your wooden design: use plywood of 3mm
thick and cnc all the way trough, and use another piece of plywood 9mm thick in the same size
and paint one side black. Next glue the cnc-ed board on the black painted board and finish it with
transparent spray paint...........
Thank you very much for your comment!

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* Design with printed cardboard: yes! It is clearly possible, you can even think of some kind of
model to place on a desk :)

* Design with two 3mm + 9mm woods, it is also possible, but I think that leveling the 3mm
plywood before using the CNC can be somewhat difficult. Remember that the thickness of the
carving with the CNC is only 0.4 mm and any variation in leveling complicates the work. A variant
can be to print on the 3 mm wood with paint using xerigraphy or shops that provide this service
and then glue it to the 9 mm wood.
A greeting.
Thanks for your answer.
Clear for me.

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