06-Feb-2025
Today, I made some progress on the 4.2-sun and 3-sun Japanese puzzle boxes.
First, I attached the top and bottom panels to the 4.2-sun box, using two different solid wood designs. When attaching solid wood panels, if the top and bottom move independently, each side must be attached separately. Additionally, they need to be held in place for a longer time compared to models with Yosegi sheets. This is because solid wood tends to warp easily, and if it is not fixed for long enough, it will start to warp again.
If this process is done in the evening, I usually attach one side and leave it overnight, then attach the other side the next day. However, since I attached the first panel in the morning today, I was able to attach the second panel in the evening of the same day.
This time, there are two types of top panels, as shown in the photo. The two-tone design uses rare Mahogany wood, with a pattern featuring purple-heart wood in between the mahogany.
The work on the 4.2-sun box, which had been on hold for a while, has finally resumed. Since yesterday, the weather has been very dry again, so I believe the condition of the wood is excellent.
Next is the 3-sun box.
Since the top and bottom panels have already been attached, I am now at the stage of making the side panels. After some consideration, I decided to use a Yosegi sheet with a checkered pattern (Ichimatsu) for the side panels. Initially, I was planning to use Agathis wood with a framed border of magnolia wood. However, considering my current stock of materials, I have decided to be more selective in using my solid wood stock from now on.
I intend to use my current stock of magnolia, mizuki, and urushi wood for the rest of my life, meaning I will no longer purchase these from lumber suppliers. Moving forward, I plan to primarily use these woods for making Yosegi sheets. With that in mind, today I worked on attaching the checkered Yosegi sheet I made the other day to Agathis wood panels.
Some types of wood are widely available, while others are not. In particular, the wood used for Yosegi marquetry is often difficult to obtain. For example, the beautiful Red – Rengas wood is no longer imported into Japan. On the other hand, woods like walnut and nyatoh wood are still widely sold and can be easily sourced. I believe that planning the use of such readily available woods will become increasingly important in the future.
