Today is Sunday, but I was out all day again for some personal matters. I will be taking a break from workshop work through tomorrow. I have several packages to ship on Tuesday morning, so I plan to get to the workshop early to prepare them. Since I did not do any work today, I will write about the puzzle boxes I plan to make before the end of this year.
One popular model I have not made yet this year is the 3-sun cube puzzle box, despite receiving frequent requests for it. I have been hoping to make the 3-sun cube 18-steps model again, as it received very good feedback when I made it last year. It is difficult to fit boxes with high step counts, such as 36 steps, into my schedule, but an 18-steps model is easier to include. The 3-sun cube shape takes a little extra work, but I can use the same mechanism parts as other 18-steps models, such as the 4-sun boxes. I have been thinking of making these 3-sun cube boxes in the usual Yosegi design, along with a slightly special version.
I have made this model from time to time over the past few years, most recently last November—exactly a year ago. Alongside the Yosegi version, I made a few limited-edition boxes, which were very well received. This is that model.
This time, I would also like to add a few boxes in a different style from the Yosegi version. I have not decided on the design yet, but I may make a small number using natural wood. From next year, I will stop taking orders for natural-wood models and making them in large batches, but I hope to continue small, limited editions like these. As I have written before, the 3-sun cube is a model that allows for a stable construction, even with the thin panels used in Japanese puzzle boxes. This is because the sides of the box are taller, giving me a larger gluing area for the side panels, which can otherwise be less stable. I plan to make use of that advantage again in this batch.
