Not so long ago I blew my brains out on Christmas building. Starting in mid September then I made 21 different things for a broad range of people. It was worth it yes, but I was mentally finished by the end.
This year is wiser and lazier and lighter with only 5 types, 9 pcs. but good ones, mostly culled from my favourites at LJ.
Here are three.
As is my custom I make something for my boss each year, by way of saying thank you for letting me have free access to our shop to build my own things. I did manage some interesting builds there this year, the Mari coffee table my favourite. For his coffee table I made two puzzles.
First up is the Quick wooden puzzle, no solution provided here. Do It Yourself. ” aka Wooden X Puzzle aka X Puzzle - 3 times a charm. Thanks to all the previous posters and for the suggested refinements to this fun puzzle.
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My version uses white oak for the body with rosewood end caps and polished brass rod for the sliders. My boss solved it in a staring at it eureka moment a day later while half a dozen others were still trying to just coax it open twenty minutes on. He also suggested a different approach to building it, requiring a very different solution. (anyone interested can PM me) I used white oak for the body so that dripping tears of frustration or explosive spittle wouldn’t swell the half lap joint. I did make a minor modification, offsetting one hole slightly so that it was obvious which way to put it back together.
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Next is the Diabolical Dice Puzzle by KnotCurser.(and later as Dice Cube Puzzle)
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Now even though I had the building/solution sheet in front of me I still had to stare to get it built, still haven’t solved it without it.
My take is in Honduras mahogany with qtr-sawn maple dots. Leather is on both sides of the bottom. That makes it quieter when you angrily toss the unsolved bits back in. Made two of these.
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A nice thing about having a storage box is that maybe one day you can capture the solved!! block, invert it and run shouting to show your unbelieving one in the next room.
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Lastly there is an instant favourite that I had to build as soon as I saw it. Get me out is a game that madts posted, based on one that he remembered from some 50 yrs ago.
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Today it’s a touchscreen game on IPhone’s et all, so as I was giving my young daughter her very first mp3/video player for Xmas I thought I’d make a touch-wood alternative. Slide the real blocks around, get that big flatty piece out. You can re-arrange the blocks any way you like for the starting position.
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A whole different feel from the glass screen. My build is from zebra-wood and a decades old chunk of sapwood/heartwood rosewood. With English green leather pips in the fingertip holes.
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Watch me triumph in 30 seconds.
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The great truth is easy here. You’re never without good ideas and friendly advice at Lumberjocks. Thanks guys.
gene
Crafty Puzzles
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