Triangle 7 steps box (2)
I've been working since this morning!😄 Today, I’m making the shaft for the triangular puzzle box I finished the side frame panels recently. Since it’s a different shape than usual, getting the exact dimensions right on the first try has been challenging. I’m gradually shaving it down to the perfect size. However, as a structure, this triangular box is sturdier than the usual square ones because the two axes intersect, so I’m using a shaft plate that’s 6mm thick—similar to what I’d use for the 3-sun puzzle box. This thickness might be considered a bit thin for a box of this size, though.
and Using the shaft and frame panels, I assembled the frame of this box (photo). I applied glue and added pressure to bond the parts. Since it’s triangular, I couldn’t secure it with rubber bands like usual. Instead, I used a woodworking clamp to apply pressure from above, which might even make the bond stronger than usual!😂
I used to use this woodworking clamps instead of rubber bands for square puzzle boxes too, but they apply strong pressure, and adjusting them is tricky. That’s why I went back to the original method with rubber bands. However, for hexagonal or triangular puzzle boxes like this one, which can’t be secured with rubber bands, I still use the clamp method.
After finishing that work today, a shipment of Agathis wood I ordered several months ago arrived. There’s so much of it that my small workshop is completely filled with Agathis wood! The wood came dried and, as shown in the photo, cut to about 34mm in thickness. However, each piece is around 2.5 meters long, so just moving this load from the delivery truck into the workshop wore me out. I’ll have to reorganize it all into the proper storage area in the coming days, but I left that for later since I was already exhausted today!😅
before, Agathis wood used to be available in its original log form. When ordered, the sawmill would cut it to the preferred thickness before delivering it. However, logs of Agathis wood stopped being imported to Japan several years ago. This change isn’t due to a shortage of Agathis trees. Instead, it’s because Southeast Asian countries have banned exports of the raw logs. Only pre-dried, board-shaped Agathis wood is imported now—such as these 34mm boards. This shift created new jobs locally for cutting and drying the wood in the country of origin, which is why things are as they are now. Naturally, these pre-dried Agathis boards are more expensive than the raw logs used to be...😂
and Using the shaft and frame panels, I assembled the frame of this box (photo). I applied glue and added pressure to bond the parts. Since it’s triangular, I couldn’t secure it with rubber bands like usual. Instead, I used a woodworking clamp to apply pressure from above, which might even make the bond stronger than usual!😂
I used to use this woodworking clamps instead of rubber bands for square puzzle boxes too, but they apply strong pressure, and adjusting them is tricky. That’s why I went back to the original method with rubber bands. However, for hexagonal or triangular puzzle boxes like this one, which can’t be secured with rubber bands, I still use the clamp method.
After finishing that work today, a shipment of Agathis wood I ordered several months ago arrived. There’s so much of it that my small workshop is completely filled with Agathis wood! The wood came dried and, as shown in the photo, cut to about 34mm in thickness. However, each piece is around 2.5 meters long, so just moving this load from the delivery truck into the workshop wore me out. I’ll have to reorganize it all into the proper storage area in the coming days, but I left that for later since I was already exhausted today!😅
before, Agathis wood used to be available in its original log form. When ordered, the sawmill would cut it to the preferred thickness before delivering it. However, logs of Agathis wood stopped being imported to Japan several years ago. This change isn’t due to a shortage of Agathis trees. Instead, it’s because Southeast Asian countries have banned exports of the raw logs. Only pre-dried, board-shaped Agathis wood is imported now—such as these 34mm boards. This shift created new jobs locally for cutting and drying the wood in the country of origin, which is why things are as they are now. Naturally, these pre-dried Agathis boards are more expensive than the raw logs used to be...😂
