The Puzzling World of Polyhedral Dissections

[Stuey]

Hello loungers,

The Puzzling World of Polyhedral Dissections is a book that discusses various geometric puzzles. I have always loved puzzles. After finding this book and learning more about these types of puzzles I wanted to make some. I am also interested in woodworking and the two seem to go hand in hand.

The problem is I have been putting it off and need something to spur me on to get down to it. I have decided to try and craft several of these puzzles and give them as Christmas gifts this year.

This will be a big project for me as I am not a very skilled woodworker yet. Plus I prefer to only use hand tools when possible. So in the weeks that follow I plan to share my adventure with you with various photos as I progress. This should be funny as I really don't know what I am doing.

I would welcome others to chime in with advice on the woodworking techniques required. What types of wood would make for an interesting finish? Stuff like that. If you like the idea please join me in making some and we can work though them together.

And of course ideas about which puzzles I should be attempting. Unlimited possibilities here. Which do you think are the most appealing and perhaps you can offer interesting ways to present them. I was thinking of making a fact sheet to include with them that outlines the history of the puzzle and details of how to solve it if it is a tricky one. These puzzles all have a mathematical basis and perhaps some here could explore that and even discover new puzzles.

So here are my thoughts for puzzle number one.

The six-piece burr looks like a good place to start. Classic traditional puzzle and seems to be one of the simpler designs. Here is a more in depth look at the six-piece burr for those interested.

Here is what one looks like in action.



Here is a look at the parts.



Here is a look at a wooden finished version.



Here is a quote regarding six piece burrs from the book I mentioned earlier.

<font color="brown"> By far the most familiar of all burr puzzles, and probably of three-dimensional puzzles in general, is the so-called six-piece burr. Its origin is unknown, but it has been traced back to at least 1803 in Germany, where it appears in a catalogue of G. H. Bestelmeier. Some persons know it as the Chinese Puzzle or Chinese Cross, probably because it has been mass-produced in the Orient since the early 1900s, but there does not appear to be any evidence that the idea originated there. </font>

If some dude made this back in 1803 surely I can do it using the simplest of tools similar to what he had. I hope so, we will see soon enough. This could be quite humbling. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Step one buy some wood! But what type? Wood choices.

[theBruiser500]

This project is beyond me joining in but gl and I'll read the updates.

[Phat Mack]

[ QUOTE ]
Step one buy some wood! But what type?

[/ QUOTE ]

I'd start with basswood. It's not the prettiest, but it's easy to work as it has minimal grain--good for a beginner.

[FortunaMaximus]

Soft woods first, mess around with the designs a bit.

final product should be a hardwood that comes out with a variety of great stains.

GL and keep us posted.

K.

[Stuey]

Well I finally got working on the puzzles! I took the advice of PhatMack and FortunaMaximus and used basswood for the test puzzles. Here is the raw wood delivered by my helper cheeko. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]



One thing that slowed me down was the fact that I could not find a place to buy the wood I was looking for in the proper thickness and length. I needed to make 1"X1"X18" wooden sticks. And since I wanted to only use hand tools for this project that raises the difficulty level.

So this forced me to learned how to dimension a board by hand. Something I have been avoiding as it sounded hard to do. It ended up being the most enjoyable part of the project. Below I have cut off a piece from the block and am working it down to 1"X1"X18".



It is harder than it sounds. It must be perfectly flat and the opposing side must be parallel to each other or else the puzzle will not fit together. I got it done somehow here are my final measurements.






It might seem silly but I am pretty proud of this part. I really don’t know much about woodworking. I just started trying to teach myself and it is rare that things go this smooth for me. lol So anyone that sees me doing things wrong please speak up. I left out most of the details involved in this step as it is pretty boring stuff but if you are interested in the details just ask and I will go through the steps required to flatten and square up rough timber.

[Stuey]

So I worked so hard to get this 18" long stick nice and square but then I go and cut it up! The reason I did it this way is it ensures that the pieces are very very close to being identical. Interlocking puzzles are fussy. [img]/images/graemlins/crazy.gif[/img]

Any way I cut them a little longer than the 3" requirement and used my shooting board to bring them to the perfect length.



So now I have the 6 required puzzle pieces.




Last step is to saw and chisel out the notches that make this puzzle tick.

Mark the part to be removed.



That is a marking knife and they are handy. When you mark with a cut it helps prevent you going past the line and it helps you find the perfect spot to register your chisel for the perfect cut. But first things first I needed to saw as much as I could.






Ok now I got on the chisel. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]



One part of the six-piece burr done!



Seems like a crazy amount of fussing for such a boring result. Just my style. [img]/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img]

[Stuey]

For my first puzzle I tried to make burr#306.





I picked it because it is a solid burr. It has no voids in the middle when it is put together. And I picked it because I read it was an interesting puzzle.

So after a little more chiseling I got all 6 pieces ready and somehow it fit together!



Lots of little mistakes in it though. But I am happy enough with it for my first try. I don't like my chances of getting good enough at this by xmas to be able to make a gift though. Oh well lots of fun and I learned some basic woodworking skills. I just need lots of practice! [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Not sure yet what is next but I will defiantly make more. I love puzzles and these are a classic. I find it near impossible to put it together without cheating and looking in the book.

[kitaristi0]

Looks fun. Nice thread with all the pictures and the enthusiasm.

[MrWookie]

Great post Stuey. I can't tell, though, have you thought about staining your pieces?

[piradical]

Very impressive, beautiful. I also do woodworking mostly using green wood and hand tools. I scrounge local felled trees.
For dried woods you might try the ads in the back of Fine Woodworking Magazine. Butternut, of the walnut family is nice; many of the tropicals are very hard and need a while to come to stability in a drier climate.
By the way beautiful bench and I also use Lee Valley, good stuff.