I love the building blocks that make up the game :-)

Hey Guys, thought I would share a fun little trick with you. While I am capable of adding nice little brass hinges to a box lid, I tend to try to find alternatives if I can. Same goes for little parts inside of a box. I recently needed a part to flex easily so the long end could engage with a post for locking sake. So, I used a fine hand saw to cut thin dados in the stock to receive the hinge plate. A little instant glue and they are held permanent for ever. As you can see, I didn't exactly get the dado in as squarely as I would like, but luckily it still works as intended. This might even work for a door, more experimenting is required. No matter the project, enjoy what is on your bench!

Hey Folks, let me know if you would like to see a module of this mechanism. It is fairly easy and won't stump anyone for long. However, like with other builds, we can certainly add more to add complexity. I do believe there was more work to creating the top glue-up from my offcuts, lol This design was about making a locking system that was influenced by the dowel pin attached to the side trim. Strong magnets hold it in, so its not super easy, or fall out by accident. This was a box swap I did with some other fellas. I think he was a happy guy at the end of the day.

It can be challenging when making puzzle boxes as there always seems to be more that you can add if there is still a lot of space inside the box. Here are two simple methods that can be used in a variety of ways. Here, on the left end of the Push Button Combination box I added a Brass Rod that easily slips one way or another, well, unless the Brass Rod is not aligned with the notch in the dial assembly poking through the back. I could have weighted this dial and dropped the knob on the outside, but that might have been too much that is hidden with no clues. By adding the Knob on the outside it definitely makes it easier to see that there is a step here. The role of the Brass Rod here is to block the Drawer from opening on the Left Side. At the right end, I used a simple Gravity Pin, but made to suit this particular situation of blocking the drawer from coming out. There is a small Pin and block that allows the Gravity Pin to rotate. By turning the box upside down and tapping, it will release. Getting the just right setting takes a bit on adjustment during final assembly. Pushing the magnet deeper into its setting can help make it not too strong. I used 5/32" here, probably would have been fine with an 1/8" magnet. Knowing what direction to go and what directions to not go is also a well served lesson. Enjoy the shop time!

Over time we all find what works for us. For me, puzzle making represented a different way to produce and finish puzzles. Often times parts are pre-finished before permanent assembly, so having a bit of a convenient set up helps us flow with the process. What does your set up look like?