Hobbies And Interests
Jigsaw Puzzles
Jigsaw puzzles are one of the oldest types of wooden puzzles. They are also quite easy to make as long as you have access to a jigsaw (a type of saw that creates the rounded curves typical of jigsaw puzzle pieces). To create a good jigsaw puzzle you will want a drawing or picture to serve as your base image. As you consider your image, think of how difficult you want your puzzle to be. Difficulty level will determine how many pieces you cut and it will also determine how much contrast you use in your picture. Pictures that vary greatly in color throughout the image will be easier to assemble due to contrast.
Once you have your picture, glue it onto a piece of plywood. When the glue dries, outline the many pieces of your puzzle with a pencil. Next, take your jigsaw and cut along the lines. If you have never operated a jigsaw before, practice on sample pieces of wood before you attempt to craft a real puzzle.
3D Jigsaw Puzzles
A 3D jigsaw puzzle takes the idea of a flat jigsaw puzzle and gives it depth. In its simplest form, the 3D jigsaw puzzle is a cube. Sometimes the cube is formed as six single-panel jigsaw puzzles adjoined and other times the design incorporates more complex shapes. Some 3D jigsaw puzzles replicate famous monuments such as Notre Dame or the Lincoln Memorial.
Your basic preparation approach will be similar to a regular jigsaw puzzle. However you must account for curved and rounded edges. Special smaller "adjoiner" pieces will help you bridge angles between surfaces in a seamless manner. An adjoiner piece will have both length and width so it can occupy two sides of the puzzle at once. Look for wooden objects that already have length and width (such as an old wooden box) or glue together two small pieces in an "L" shape. Cut notches in each side so it adjoins two sides of your 3D puzzle.
Wooden Block Puzzles
Block puzzles range in complexity from simple picture block puzzles to elaborate shape puzzles. A typical picture block puzzle will have a picture on each side of a cube. Your goal in a block puzzle is to match the side of one block with pictures on other blocks. Once you connect all the blocks, the entire puzzle will form a 3-by-3 or a 4-by-4 cube. Each side of the cube will have a distinct picture. To create a block puzzle such as this, all you need are a bunch of small blocks. Decide what you want the sides of the finished large cube to look like and paste segments of the image onto each smaller cube's sides.
Block puzzles may also incorporate just a few pieces that join together to form a star or a dodecahedron. To create a puzzle of this nature, sketch up a few complicated ways that many blocks of the same size and shape can fit together in a larger shape. Once you have something that you think will work well for a puzzle, cut the appropriate number of pieces in that given shape. Assemble the pieces according to your diagram and then give the blocks to a friend to solve.