Puzzle Boxes

stewart · 14 Dec 2005

Hi all
following on from the post about burr puzzles i found myself staring in awe at some of the puzzle boxes on this site http://www.yosegi.net/index-e.htm. Does anyone know of a book/website with any plans for boxes like these? I expect they're closely guarded secrets...
Cheers
Stewart

ProShop · 14 Dec 2005

Excellent link Stuart,

thank you

uwelin · 14 Dec 2005

Stewart,

maybe you can find more information here:

http://cp1237.com/puzzlebox/
http://www.cleverwood.com/about1.htm
http://www.am-wood.com/apr98/puzzle.html
http://www.go-star.com/antiquing/puzzleboxes.htm
http://www.themindblock.com/Puzzle_Boxes.html

Cheers, Uwe

StevieB · 15 Dec 2005

Very closely guarded. Puzzle boxes have fascinated me for a good few years now. There are several types available but the traditional original puzzle boxes are from Japan and made by only a handful of master craftsmen with an apprentice each and no written record of how they are produced. The decorative veneer (Yosegi) is actually made by a seperate craftsman, not the craftsman who makes the puzzle box. I bought one for SWMBO a couple of years ago (she wanted one, it wasnt to satisfy my desire!) and I have to say it is an astonishingly well made piece with incredibly fine tolerances on the joints and sliders. It actually appears to be made from a timber akin to balsa wood in parts (I dont think it is balsa as it is far harder). I have half been thinking about trying to design one myself and have an inkling of how the bought one has been manufactured but without taking it apart I cant quite be sure. The one I have is a 21 move box with two compartments. Although 21 moves sounds hard, in reality its fairly logical since there is no ambiguity in the moves so its more a case of sliding all the pieces until one moves then repeating in a stepwise fashion. Thus its more of a casual theft deterrant than a secure hiding place. Why in feudal Japan people didnt just steal the box though and smash it open later is a mystery!

I have only ever found plans for 1 puzzle box on the internet, and to be honest they were not particularly good, requiring a wax candle to be rubbed over the joints to make them slide. One day I may get round to making one but its low on the list. Cleverwood sell contempory designs but no plans, although most of the boxes you find on the internet and simple concealed hinge or push latch boxes rather than true puzzle boxes. Oh, and there are a million and one references to the film Hellraiser as well which apparently had a puzzle box in it :roll:

Steve.

WoodPecker · 15 Dec 2005

I have only ever found plans for 1 puzzle box on the internet, and to be honest they were not particularly good, requiring a wax candle to be rubbed over the joints to make them slide. One day I may get round to making one but its low on the list. Cleverwood sell contempory designs but no plans, although most of the boxes you find on the internet and simple concealed hinge or push latch boxes rather than true puzzle boxes. Oh, and there are a million and one references to the film Hellraiser as well which apparently had a puzzle box in it

If you add -hellraiser to your search query it will leave out any hits with that reference :wink: [/quote]