Final Most Annoying Gift Box

Why?

This box is for people we like, but never miss a chance to troll. Siblings, usually.
A friend of mine once used the classic "frozen gift in a block of ice" trick on his brother. I figured we could do better with 3D printing, but I wasn't happy with existing designs. This box solves two major issues:

Print-in-Place: Minimal assembly *. Most other designs require dozens of parts; this one prioritizes the maker's time.

The Grind: Opening requires ~35,000 rotations. That is 5–15 hours of manual labor. Thanks to a cyclic resistance profile, the turning is yet oddly addictive.

Use this responsibly. While ice blocks start an arms race of annoying packaging, this box is designed to end it.
*=(No assembly in the multicolor variant, but single color also available)

Manufacturing & Preparation

Get a gift size <48 mm diameter and <65 mm height. (Scaling up should work, but not tested.)
Pause the print before the top closes, insert gift, resume, automatic Pause recommended  

After the print: Apply torque at the lower rings (e.g., using two Ikea hex keys) to break the print-in-place support interfaces and free the mechanism. Remove supports.

Lubrication: Add penetrating oil in the outer 3 ring gaps and worm gear. Avoid WD-40 (film too thin); use something like Ballistol or chain oil. Also use grease for the worm stage. Apply a dab to the worm, do a few turns and repeat, until it runs smooth enough.  First few hundret revolutions will be a bit rough but should get better.

If you are in a rush: The gifted person could also do these steps

Optional: Snap the bottom cover on.

Recommended Print settings

Standard clearance is 0,2mm, make sure your printer can handle that.

0,2mm Layer Height, needed for print in Place Supports
Infill: 3% gyroid
reduce Retractions: min 5mm movement after retraction, gap filling: off
if oozing: avoid crossing perimeter: on
support: organic, angle:<30deg, only from build plate.
I would recommend to print the top loop seperately, else you need to paint on support there.
If you want to avoid support on the outer lid: You can split the model into parts and print the Lid sperately..

Multi Step annoyance

The Key: Hidden. Requires a tool (like a screw) to extract.
Direction: Counter-clockwise.
Duration: Yes.

What about power drills? The included key "accidentally" doesn't fit standard chucks. I’ve provided an adapter if you want show mercy, but don't exceed 500 RPM—friction heat will melt and warp the PLA. Even with a drill, it takes over an hour. Relentless.

Why is this perfect?

Lets look at other designs:

a) most designs rely on many parts, like 100 screws. This design is print in place, wont get much lower part count. (Lower Cover is optional!)

b) puzzle boxes rely on complexity, but they are often physically weak. Once you solve the riddle, it is rewarding. Here, the opener doesn't prove they are a genius; they just prove they can turn a handle long enough. Puzzles are also pointless, if the inner geometry is known, e.g. bc the author shares the files online.

c) more rotations? We could stack worm gears until it takes a Googol of turns—more than a drill can do in a lifetime. But then it’s just equivalent to a welded box with no real option of a non destruction opening. This design is achievable, making the frustration real because there is constant progress, but it it very very slow.

d) Things to improve: It takes a lot of filament and print time. Also it is a big box for a small gift volume.

Notes for the nerds

The Gear Train: Three-stage system: Worm Drive, Harmonic Drive and a Screw.

The Harmonic Drive Teeth are a trapezoid tooth shape modeled after Walton Musser’s original 1960 Harmonic Drive patent.

Adaptability/Improvement/Remix: Please do! For easy start it is a Parametric design (e.g., adjustable screw threads). However I would not mess with the Harmonic Drive tooth count.

Prevention of forceful opening: You can "harden" the shell by filling cavities with concrete or glitter depending on your taste.