Hobbies And Interests
Cube Puzzle
A good place to begin do-it-yourself wooden puzzles is with a block of wood and a band saw. The band saw is the essential tool for making wooden puzzles. Quagmire Puzzle Box shop also uses measuring calipers, jigs, sleds, a drill press, a belt sander, a board planer, and more. But for the projects outlined here you'll need nothing more than a band saw, spare wood, and sand paper. For the band saw, use a small blade like 1/8 inch or even 1/16 inch. You'll be making an interlocking wooden cube puzzle, without any straight inner edges, so you won't need a metal or graphite guide. Mill a cube to start off with. Any material will do, but balsa wood is particularly good for beginners because it's soft and cheap. And it's easy to find at many hobby stores. The size of the cube, too, depends on your preference: 3 inches x 3 inches is a standard size. Position the cube so that your blade cuts against the grain. Turn on the band saw and gently push the cube through, creating a curving cut from one end of the wood to the other. A few simple curves will do. When the block is cut in two, pull it out of the band saw, blow off the wood dust, and wrap it back together with duct tape or masking tape. Now position a new, uncut face of the cube vertically in the band saw and repeat the process. Cutting through each new face makes the internal geometry of the cube more complex, interesting, and a puzzle to fit together.