09-Apr-2025
Today was sunny with very pleasant weather. During the day, it even felt a bit hot. The humidity dropped to around 30%, which is normally great for making puzzle boxes. However, the two types of boxes I’m currently working on are at the finishing stage, and for this step, the humidity was actually too low. When finishing and applying the base coat, it’s better if the humidity isn’t quite this low. So today, I decided to postpone that part of the work until tomorrow or later, and instead moved on to the next task.
First, I worked on assembling “the knock box”. The frame was already finished, and the next step was to attach four Aruki panels (moving panels) to the box. Three of them are attached in the same way as a standard 4-step puzzle box. However, the first Aruki panel that moves needs to be combined with an internal mechanism plate. This plate is held in place with magnets and can be released with a light knock. The most important part of this box is adjusting the “strength” of the magnetic connection—how firmly or loosely it holds. It also needs to be fine-tuned so that it comes off smoothly when knocked. Naturally, this takes more time than attaching a regular Aruki panel on a standard puzzle box. I’ve made this box two or three times in the past, but since I changed the size this time, it really feels like I’m making it for the first time again..haha..😅 I hope it works smoothly!
To move forward with an order from an overseas store, I started working on the next project—a 2.5-sun 5-steps puzzle box. This time, I plan to make around 40 boxes, including a few extras. This size may seem unusual, but it was originally designed to hold the smallest type of box, called the Mame Himitsu-bako (1-sun puzzle box). I’ve been making this box for over 20 years, ever since the early days of starting my own workshop. I designed the interior to perfectly fit the Mame Himitsu-bako, which led to the final outer dimensions being 2.5 sun. It features a rather unique 5-step mechanism. The box uses three Aruki panels and includes one sliding key as well.
There are several types of Mame Himitsu-bako, and actually, each one is slightly different in size. The 4-step to 14-step versions all have the same outer dimensions. The 18-step version is slightly taller than those, and the 22-step version is even taller. This 2.5-sun box was designed based on the size of the 22-step box, so that all of the Mame Himitsu-bako types can fit inside. The 22-step box fits just barely—it’s a perfect fit.
The box itself has thin parts and may appear delicate, but because of its small size, it’s actually quite sturdy. Its small size can make the work a bit tricky, but the mechanism is relatively easy to make. This box is often sold together with the Mame Himitsu-bako as a nested set, with one box fitting inside the other. Originally, this design came about when a local merchant suggested, “Wouldn’t it be interesting to make a box to hold the Mame Himitsu-bako?” So I gave it a try. That merchant has since stopped selling them, so now I’m the only one who continues to make and sell this box.
I haven’t decided on tomorrow’s work yet, but I’ll make the plan while keeping an eye on the weather.
