Finish coating 2
I've finished the painting (finish coating) process. At this point, I need to open the puzzle box to check the movement of the mechanism. However, there's a tricky issue here always. The mechanisms inside the box are stuck due to the paint. The box appears as a solid block, and none of the mechanisms are moving. The paint has turned almost like glue, sticking the moving parts of the mechanism together. Since the paint is liquid, it seeped into the joints of the box panels during application, gluing together panels that aren't supposed to be adhered.
So, how do I get the mechanism to move in this condition? The answer is to "hit it!" Yes, I strike the box to give it an impact. Unlike glue, paint sticks the panels together, but once it hardens, it becomes like plastic and can come apart with a shock. Glue seeps deep into the wood fibers, bonding the wood more firmly, but paint only sticks to the surface. Therefore, when I hit it, the mechanism start moving.
However, a light tap won't do the trick. Simply pressing with my hands doesn't move it at all, and forcing the mechanism might cause the wood to split. So, I give the box a slightly stronger impact. This can involve striking the box against a metal surface as shown in the picture, or placing a wooden cushion and hitting it with a mallet, depending on the part of the box. Of course, this requires skill to avoid damaging the box. If the paint doesn't come off, hitting it too hard could break the puzzle box. It needs to be done carefully.
So, how do I get the mechanism to move in this condition? The answer is to "hit it!" Yes, I strike the box to give it an impact. Unlike glue, paint sticks the panels together, but once it hardens, it becomes like plastic and can come apart with a shock. Glue seeps deep into the wood fibers, bonding the wood more firmly, but paint only sticks to the surface. Therefore, when I hit it, the mechanism start moving.
However, a light tap won't do the trick. Simply pressing with my hands doesn't move it at all, and forcing the mechanism might cause the wood to split. So, I give the box a slightly stronger impact. This can involve striking the box against a metal surface as shown in the picture, or placing a wooden cushion and hitting it with a mallet, depending on the part of the box. Of course, this requires skill to avoid damaging the box. If the paint doesn't come off, hitting it too hard could break the puzzle box. It needs to be done carefully.
