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3 sun 18 steps

Last week, I added the 3 sun 18 steps boxes (Ichimatsu design type) to my shop again. The 18 steps are the most for the 3 sun size boxes. I am the only one who makes this box. I feel that the 18 steps are a good match for the 3 sun size. At first glance, 18 steps might seem like too many for a 3 sun box (because the space inside the box becomes small), but the movement of the Aruki (moving panels) is stable and in good condition. This is probably due to the size and thickness of the Aruki. The thickness of the Aruki in this box is 6.5mm, the same as that used for 4 sun boxes, etc. Therefore, the Aruki for this box are small (for the 3-inch size) and thick. I think this balance is what makes the Aruki of this box move so smoothly.
I make many different kinds of secret boxes, but depending on the box, some are easier to make smooth Aruki movements, while others are not. For example, the 3 sun 12 steps box requires some effort to adjust the Aruki. I think this is because the 12 steps Aruki boards are thin, only 4.5mm. Why not make it thicker? This is due to production costs. Sometimes, even when the production volume of this box is high, but there is a limit to the amount of rare wood that can be used. In recent years, the price of wood has risen sharply, and the amount of wood harvested has decreased. Since the 3 sun 12 steps box is not high-priced product, I cannot spend a lot of cost on it. However, that doesn't mean the movement is bad 😅. Various ingenuity has been put into making the movement smooth.
For the 18 steps box, the selling price was slightly increased, and the amount of wood used was increased (thickening the Aruki), which resulted in better movement. however The storage space inside the box is small...😂