I originally had the goal of creating 10 different yardstick themed puzzle boxes. This one is the 4th. I am sure the other three must be posted somewhere back there.
Why? ...just because I see so many of them out there that I couldn't resist.
This design used approximately 4 1/2 yardsticks, and when you compare that to the cost of exotic wood, this was certainly a more expensive route.
The yardstick on top was from the 1953 International Plowing Match held in nearby Coburg, ON.
I often design in a way where I decide how I want it to look on the outside, then I figure out how to use what I created to build a locking system around on the inside.
There is looking like a lot going on here, and such a challenge to build. The shafts of each button need to reach into the middle and assembling this created a situation where I had to have the middle section cut into two pieces so that the shafts could all fit into the installation.
I had some fun by adding a simple barn quilt on the inside of the lid from the off cuts of the yardsticks. The year 1953 didn't get to be fully visible on the front, so I cut out the other time it was printed on the yardstick and added inside beside my hallmark.
Sometimes puzzles can challenge you as a designer, especially when you glue something in prematurely, lol. In my case I inadvertently glued in my lid tabs on the wrong side as I intended. This forced me to flow with the river once again to see what I could do now. I did come up with a novel mechanism that required the implementation of the brass handled lock pin. Inside the end of the Lock Pin is an Amethyst stone.
Its not enough to build a puzzle box, it needs fine calibrations to make it work perfectly, a little sanding here, a little sanding there, ...then it works like a charm. Getting the lid end to tuck under the Lid Tabs inside the box took some sanding, and more sanding until it fit just right. This kind of lid can be damaged if set too tight, and can feel sloppy if too loose. Its something you sneak up on I reckon.
I added the bottom and top, but I didn't want to keep it all square, so diagonal it was. It was pretty easy getting the size right by gluing up the panel oversize, then marking the size by placing the box on it and tracing its shape.
