6 sun box
I'm making the 14 steps 6 sun (18 cm / 7 inch) Japanese puzzle box. This box is intended for the Hakone market, so unfortunately, it is not available for sale here. Additionally, since it is a special order, I cannot display the design here. Sorry😅 Therefore, this time I will only show the frame part and the moving panel (Aruki) part.
The 6 sun box is larger and its manufacturing process differs from the usual size boxes (3, 4 or 5 sun size). I wish my hands were much bigger 😂, as this work requires quite a bit of effort. The thickness of the side panels of the frame for the 6 sun box I made this time is approximately 8mm. Additionally, the thickness of the axis is about 14mm. As expected, it is somewhat heavier compared to the boxes up to 5 sun size.
However, because of its thick and large structure, it is very sturdy and has "stability." A box with high stability has smooth-moving panels. Weak and fragile frames result in unstable panel movements. Therefore, it is impossible to make a large box with thin structural materials.
I have tried various dimensions for these structural materials, and so far, a side panel thickness of about 8mm and a shaft thickness of about 14mm seem to work best. If the side panel thickness is less than that, the board, which is about 170mm (17cm) long, will warp (bend). I also posted a photo of the movable panel, which is also 8mm thick. This box has 14 steps, so it moves in the same way as other 14 steps boxes, but since the moving panels (top panel's Aruki) of other boxes are 6.5mm thick, the dimension it moves in one step (the dimension the moving panel shifts) of this ox is larger.
Thus, while the 6 sun box requires a bit more effort, it's worth it 😁, as the finished product is very impressive! Typically, I also make 6 sun boxes with 18 steps, 27 steps, and 54 steps mechanisms.
The 6 sun box is larger and its manufacturing process differs from the usual size boxes (3, 4 or 5 sun size). I wish my hands were much bigger 😂, as this work requires quite a bit of effort. The thickness of the side panels of the frame for the 6 sun box I made this time is approximately 8mm. Additionally, the thickness of the axis is about 14mm. As expected, it is somewhat heavier compared to the boxes up to 5 sun size.
However, because of its thick and large structure, it is very sturdy and has "stability." A box with high stability has smooth-moving panels. Weak and fragile frames result in unstable panel movements. Therefore, it is impossible to make a large box with thin structural materials.
I have tried various dimensions for these structural materials, and so far, a side panel thickness of about 8mm and a shaft thickness of about 14mm seem to work best. If the side panel thickness is less than that, the board, which is about 170mm (17cm) long, will warp (bend). I also posted a photo of the movable panel, which is also 8mm thick. This box has 14 steps, so it moves in the same way as other 14 steps boxes, but since the moving panels (top panel's Aruki) of other boxes are 6.5mm thick, the dimension it moves in one step (the dimension the moving panel shifts) of this ox is larger.
Thus, while the 6 sun box requires a bit more effort, it's worth it 😁, as the finished product is very impressive! Typically, I also make 6 sun boxes with 18 steps, 27 steps, and 54 steps mechanisms.
