Coating of box
Well, well, today I was finally (!) able to do the base coating for two types of puzzle boxes. The 2-sun cube boxes were already finished yesterday, so this morning, I completed the finishing process for the 4-sun 18-step box, and in the afternoon, I started the base coating.
All of this painting is done using a spray-type tool called "spray coating." Since there are many pieces, using a brush would take too much time. Another reason for using spray coating is that it helps prevent the paint from seeping into the mechanisms.
For Japanese puzzle boxes and karakuri boxes, which have moving parts, the seams of the mechanisms are not glued. If I were to paint using a brush, pressing the paint into the surface, the paint could seep into these seams. As you may know, paint can cause the mechanisms to stick together, making them unable to move. Spray coating is better because it applies the paint lightly to the surface, reducing the risk of seepage and preventing the mechanism from sticking.
That being said, since paint is a liquid, a small amount can still seep into the seams and make the mechanism harder to move. That’s why, after each coating, I have to move the mechanism to break any adhesion and ensure smooth operation.
After that, I prepared the top panels for the 4.2-sun 21-step boxes, which I have just started making. Due to some requests, most of these boxes will have solid wood top and bottom panels.
As usual, I will laminate four types of natural wood to create the lid panels (and bottom panels as well). After laminating, I will leave them overnight and cut them to about 5mm thick tomorrow. Once they are fully dried, I will shave them down to about 3mm. The top panels of most Japanese puzzle boxes are generally around 3mm thick.
Tomorrow, I will do the final coating for one of the two types of boxes I base-coated today. If possible, I also plan to start making the Aruki(moving panels) for the 4.2-sun boxes.
All of this painting is done using a spray-type tool called "spray coating." Since there are many pieces, using a brush would take too much time. Another reason for using spray coating is that it helps prevent the paint from seeping into the mechanisms.
For Japanese puzzle boxes and karakuri boxes, which have moving parts, the seams of the mechanisms are not glued. If I were to paint using a brush, pressing the paint into the surface, the paint could seep into these seams. As you may know, paint can cause the mechanisms to stick together, making them unable to move. Spray coating is better because it applies the paint lightly to the surface, reducing the risk of seepage and preventing the mechanism from sticking.
That being said, since paint is a liquid, a small amount can still seep into the seams and make the mechanism harder to move. That’s why, after each coating, I have to move the mechanism to break any adhesion and ensure smooth operation.
After that, I prepared the top panels for the 4.2-sun 21-step boxes, which I have just started making. Due to some requests, most of these boxes will have solid wood top and bottom panels.
As usual, I will laminate four types of natural wood to create the lid panels (and bottom panels as well). After laminating, I will leave them overnight and cut them to about 5mm thick tomorrow. Once they are fully dried, I will shave them down to about 3mm. The top panels of most Japanese puzzle boxes are generally around 3mm thick.
Tomorrow, I will do the final coating for one of the two types of boxes I base-coated today. If possible, I also plan to start making the Aruki(moving panels) for the 4.2-sun boxes.
