Aruki of 6-sun box
As planned, today I worked on making the Aruki panels (moving panels) for the 6-sun 27-steps puzzle box and attached the yosegi panels to the top and bottom. Additionally, I prepared the solid wood materials for the side panels.
As I mentioned yesterday, I have made the frame slightly thicker this time. This has made the frame sturdier and seems to allow the Aruki panels to move more smoothly. Just looking at this box alone, it might not be noticeable, but when compared to previous versions, I can definitely feel that it is more stable. Ideally, the frame should be made thicker for better durability. However, there are various constraints on achieving this ideal. These include weight, internal space, material costs, and also the way the wood needs to be cut and arranged.
The Agathis wood used in the Japanese puzzle boxes I make is actually imported from Southeast Asia. Originally, Himitsu-bako were made from "Katsura", a type of Japanese wood. However, Katsura has become a rare material and is no longer sold in large enough quantities to produce these boxes. Its price has also risen significantly. Therefore, I started using Agathis wood from Southeast Asia, as it has similar properties to Katsura. This wood is widely available and can be stably sourced—for now. Agathis is harvested in Southeast Asia, processed into boards, and then imported to Japan. It is not imported as raw logs. By the time I purchase it, it has already been cut into boards with a thickness of about 3 to 4 cm and a length of around 2 to 4 meters. In other words, it arrives as large boards, which I then cut into smaller pieces for use in making the boxes.
Here, I have a choice to make—how many pieces to cut from the Agathis wood. To create parts for the puzzle box, I first cut the Agathis wood and then plane it to smooth the surface and achieve the desired thickness. For example, if I want a panel to be 6mm thick, I roughly cut the wood to about 7–8mm thick. Then, I shave off 1–2mm to smooth it and bring it down to exactly 6mm. Simply cutting the wood leaves a rough surface, and the thickness is not uniform. So, to make 6mm panels, I divide the 3–4cm thick Agathis wood into four pieces. If I want the panels to be 8mm thick instead, I would cut the wood to about 10mm and then plane it down to 8mm. Since the original Agathis wood has a fixed thickness, there are certain constraints when efficiently cutting panels from it. If I cut it randomly, too much wood would go to waste. This time, instead of making the usual 7.5mm-thick side panels, I decided to keep them at 8mm. For example, when making 4-sun frame panels, I cut them to 6mm and then shave them down to 4.5mm. This allows me to divide the Agathis wood into five pieces instead of four. This explanation got a bit long, but this is how I determine the thickness of puzzle box parts while balancing different constraints.
As shown in the photo, the materials for the outer side panels have also been prepared, so I believe I can continue this work next week.
Have a great weekend!😄
As I mentioned yesterday, I have made the frame slightly thicker this time. This has made the frame sturdier and seems to allow the Aruki panels to move more smoothly. Just looking at this box alone, it might not be noticeable, but when compared to previous versions, I can definitely feel that it is more stable. Ideally, the frame should be made thicker for better durability. However, there are various constraints on achieving this ideal. These include weight, internal space, material costs, and also the way the wood needs to be cut and arranged.
The Agathis wood used in the Japanese puzzle boxes I make is actually imported from Southeast Asia. Originally, Himitsu-bako were made from "Katsura", a type of Japanese wood. However, Katsura has become a rare material and is no longer sold in large enough quantities to produce these boxes. Its price has also risen significantly. Therefore, I started using Agathis wood from Southeast Asia, as it has similar properties to Katsura. This wood is widely available and can be stably sourced—for now. Agathis is harvested in Southeast Asia, processed into boards, and then imported to Japan. It is not imported as raw logs. By the time I purchase it, it has already been cut into boards with a thickness of about 3 to 4 cm and a length of around 2 to 4 meters. In other words, it arrives as large boards, which I then cut into smaller pieces for use in making the boxes.
Here, I have a choice to make—how many pieces to cut from the Agathis wood. To create parts for the puzzle box, I first cut the Agathis wood and then plane it to smooth the surface and achieve the desired thickness. For example, if I want a panel to be 6mm thick, I roughly cut the wood to about 7–8mm thick. Then, I shave off 1–2mm to smooth it and bring it down to exactly 6mm. Simply cutting the wood leaves a rough surface, and the thickness is not uniform. So, to make 6mm panels, I divide the 3–4cm thick Agathis wood into four pieces. If I want the panels to be 8mm thick instead, I would cut the wood to about 10mm and then plane it down to 8mm. Since the original Agathis wood has a fixed thickness, there are certain constraints when efficiently cutting panels from it. If I cut it randomly, too much wood would go to waste. This time, instead of making the usual 7.5mm-thick side panels, I decided to keep them at 8mm. For example, when making 4-sun frame panels, I cut them to 6mm and then shave them down to 4.5mm. This allows me to divide the Agathis wood into five pieces instead of four. This explanation got a bit long, but this is how I determine the thickness of puzzle box parts while balancing different constraints.
As shown in the photo, the materials for the outer side panels have also been prepared, so I believe I can continue this work next week.
Have a great weekend!😄
