Venus Mouse Trap

Well, I wouldn't actually recommend using this as a mouse trap - too many things to go wrong that might maim the mouse. However, it is a pretty fun mechanism for, say, trapping errant ping pong balls.

See it go: 

Printing

Print 5 of the petals and one each of the base, pedestal and trigger. No added supports are needed, but the petals have a small built-in support that needs to be broken away.

Assembly

First insert the tab on the pedestal into the slot in the base. Take about a 1cm length of filament and shove it through the hole in the tab to keep the two parts linked together.

Now, lift the base up so the pedestal is dangling. Rotate the trigger by 90 deg. so that the "T" fits through the vertical slot in the base, and then rotate it back so it stays loosely in place.

Next, slide each petal over the tabs on the base and hold them in the closed position. Loop a rubber band around the petals and secure in the little notches as shown in the photo. You can add a second rubber band if you want snappier action.

Operation

It's a little awkward to get the hang of, but as shown in the video, pull the petals apart and fold them back into the open position. Lift up the base by the center post and position the trigger in place so that the corner of the trigger is tucked under the lip inside the post. It's a bit of a hair-trigger, so you have to be delicate. (If the corner doesn't stay hooked on the lip, you may need to sand off any over-extrusion at the corner -- the surfaces need to be dead flat.)

Gently place the pedestal on a flat surface. The ends of the petals will also rest on the surface. Any tiny tap on the end of the trigger will cause the base to drop down, pushing the petals up over center, and they'll snap shut!

Print Settings

Printer:

UDIO

Rafts: 

No

Supports:

No

Resolution: 

0.2mm

Infill:

15%

Filament:

Inland PLA

Category: Outdoor & Garden