Cathal Garvey issued a challenge on the Thingiverse list a few hours ago, "Mouse get!" The challenge is to build a humane mouse trap that can be printed on a Makerbot, and that will trap a mouse and keep him in!

Uploaded here is my attempt at designing such a trap. I'm printing it now, and will test it once it's fully printed (in a few hours.) It's not the most material efficient design, but I think it should foot the bill for a maximum security mouse trapping and storage facility. In fact, if you print it out of PLA, I'm willing to bet that this trap would stand up to a mouse wielding heavy artillery (heavy for a mouse, that is.)

The idea is that when the mouse steps on the ramp, the support will be pulled away and the trap will close quite tightly. I tried to build it myself, but the bottom piece failed part of the way through because of some issues I'm having with my bot.

1. Print one top and one bottom piece.
2. Insert a pin through the holes of the top and bottom pieces so that the top acts as a door, closing the trap.
3. Duct-tape a toothpick to the bottom of a piece of thick, noncorrugated cardboard, and tape that to the bottom of the trap so that it forms a ramp in the back of the trap. It should lie flat for now.
4. Find a piece of fairly thick, non-corrugated cardboard, cut a 1cm by 4cm strip, and fold it in half. This will be the stand that prevents the trap from closing. Prop it up under the door, so that the angle is pointing outward like the head of an arrow.
5. Place a rubber band around the entire trap. You will probably have to keep the cardboard support folded with your fingers so it doesn't collapse.
6. Tie a piece of string to the bottom of the support. Hot-glue it there if you feel like it.
7. Tie the other end, fairly tightly, to the toothpick so that the ramp is lifted.
8. Place bait on the ramp and wait.