06-Dec-2024
I have several projects running simultaneously, but it’s time to start working on the 14-step Mame puzzle box. I began production today, aiming to complete and deliver it by the end of next week.
Recently, I’ve been making fewer Mame puzzle boxes, and this year, in particular, I haven’t produced many. The current project is the 14-step mechanism, and I found out today that the last time I made this type of box for Hakone was back in January. This time, I’ve prepared enough materials to produce about 90 boxes.
Today, I worked on constructing the box frames. The Yosegi-sheet has already been attached to the wooden boards about a week ago, and since then, I’ve been letting the material dry thoroughly. Fortunately, we’ve had a streak of sunny and dry days, so the condition looks ideal. If possible, I’d like to assemble the frame components so that I can start working on the Aruki parts as soon as tomorrow.
The second photo shows the materials for the lid of the 2-sun puzzle box, which were glued onto blocks yesterday. These have been thinly cut and shaved down to a finished thickness of 3 mm. Normally, I let the materials dry after cutting, but this time, I decided to shave them to the finished thickness and dry them immediately to have them ready for use. However, shaving the materials to their final thickness before drying requires caution, as the wood can become sunburned by the time it’s used. To prevent this, I stack the pieces in a lattice-like arrangement (though not too many) and store them in a shaded area away from direct sunlight. The walnut material for the side panels is already dried and ready for use. however, Over the next few days, I plan to prioritize working on the Mame puzzle boxes.
