wonders in wood by edwin mather wyatt

8/20/2019 Wonders in Wood by Edwin Mather Wyatt

1/38

W O N D E R S

W O O D

E DWIN MATHE R WY ATT, B .S . , M .S .

Architect, and Instructor of Engineer ing Drawing

for

A. M. College of Texas

LINDEN PUBLISHING INC.

336 w. BEDFORD, SUITE 107 ¯ FRES NO, CA 93711


2/38


3/38

Chestnut Burr

Toy Chair

Enchanted Dice

Cross-Barred Bal l Cage

Concentr ic Spheres

Wooden Pl ie rs

Scissors

E Puzzle

Wooden Valentine

Draftsman’s Dream

Six-Piece Ba l l Puzz le

The Cocklebur

The Floating Magnet

The Mysterious Block

The Lie D e t e c t o r

Fake Pop Gun

Plugged Bottle

Disappearing Coin Device

ounterfeitMachine

D o m i n o e s

String Puzzle

Built-Up Turned Work .

gope B o r d e r

Marquetry

Geometrical or Chip Carving

Index

[61

37

37

39

40

41

43

47

48

49

51

51

53

54

57

58

59

60

61

62

64

65

67

68

69

72

75

W O N D F .R S I N W O O D

by Edw in Mather Wyat t

I n t r o d u c t io n t o 1 9 9 7 P r i n t in g

In th is b ook , Edw in Wyat t pre sen ts a se lection of fa scina t ing

puzzles , cur iosities and wo odwo rking projects . These c lassic designs

originated in an era when simple amusements were more commonly

embraced. Perhaps the inv~entors sought to stimulate a child’s

develop ing prob lem so lv ing ab i l it ies , amu se the fami~ .y , o r s im ply

m yst i fy a f r i end. Bu t whatever the o r ig ina l in tent , they have le f t a

last ing legacy for all of us to enjoy. And a number of these designs

went on to becom e com merc ia l successes , provid ing en te rta inment

for m il lions.

Why is it that puzzles have held such universal appeal for so

many years? Doesn’t day to day life pose enough challenges,

m ysteries and frustration? Possibly the answ er to the f irst question is

contained in the second. Just as p hysical activity and exercise tones

our muscles and makes our bodies more fi t for our dai ly act ivi t ies,

so lving pu zz le s sharpens our m ental processes and he lps us deve lop

s t ruc tured approaches to the many prob lems , la rge and smal l , we

encounter in our l ives .

Puzz les o f fer us the chance to achieve a g ra t i fying "AHA " ex -

per ience; we fee l c lever , p roud, and even su per ior when we so lve

them. Yet, because they are only toys, after all, we can readily handle

the less- than-crashing letdown o f having to lay them aside w hen the

s o lu t io n e l u d e s u s . S i m p ly , f o r m o s t o f u s , p u z z l e s a r e e n jo y a b le

mental cal isthenics:

And fo r those wi th som e basic tool s and an in te rest in wo od-

working , these pages conta in m uch m ore - dozens o f "one evening"

projects, ideas for gifts that will please nearly anyone, a great use for

those l itt le wood scraps or off cu ts in the shop that are somehow too

goo d to d isca rd, and a wonder fu l way to r e fine woodw orking ski l l s .

"Wonders in W ood" w as o r ig ina lly pub l i shed jus t as t e lev i s ion

m ade i ts appearance as the newest rage in hom e entertainment . I t i s

hoped that th i s repub l i ca t ion , som e f i f ty years la ter , wi l l awaken a

dormant interest, anesthetized by TV, in the s imple pleasures of mak -

ing and so lving c la s s ic w ooden pu zz le s .

A l la n J . B o a r d m a n

Wo odland Hill s , CA

April , 1997


4/38

I N T R O D U C T I O N

In the introduction to the author’s book PUZZLES IN

WOOD, he invited contributions from readers £or a possible

future revision of the work. The response has been so generous

as to fiarnish most of the material for another booklet that

should prove even more generously received than the first.

The first book PUZZLES was written mainly for industrial

arts instructors but it has been found that many thousands of

its users have been home craftsmen, lNith these individuals in

mind, many projects have been included in WONDERS IN

1NOOD that may be new to such craftsmen.

Puzzles also have become interesting pastime for convalescents

and have been used as a standard prescription for many both

for solving and for constructing.

It is hoped that WONDERS IN WOOD will be found equally

as stimulating as its predecessor, and that the users of this

booklet will get as much pleasure out of solving and construc-

ing the projects as the author has had.

Although Erequently the same idea for a project has been

contributed by several readers, or someone has called attention

to well-known material with no claim as its originator, credit

is given to the contributor of a project, wherever it seems

justified, as follows:

Built.Up Square by A. W. Phillips, Sequoia North Park,

California.

Cut-Up Checkerboard and Enchanted Dice by Dr. L. K.

Hallock, Jacksonville, Illinois.

Double Cross Double-Double Dovetail Joint and

Tetra-

hedron or Triangular Pyrarnid by Mortimer H. O’Connor,

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

~Eighteen-Piece Double Cross Floating Magnet and Quad-

ruple Burr by Thomas Thomason, Astoria, Oregon.

E Puzzle

by Harold J. Kittsley, Cedarburg, Wisconsin.

Lost Area

by E. B. Escott, Oak Park, Illinois.

Mysterious Block

by Robert E. Rice, Houston, Texas.

Snowflake by Clyde E. Wilson, Ft. Morgan, Colorado.

T H E T E T R A H E D R O N O R T R I A N G ULA R PY R A M ID

A fit-together puzzle o~ but two like pieces would seem too

simple to challenge the interest of anyone but a child. The ap-

parent simplicity o~ this puzzle, however, is quickly destroyed

after many minutes have been spent by self-confident individuals

J

2. R~qui ~’ed

Tetrahedron or T riangular Pyramid

[9]


5/38

Nest of Toys

[10]

in seeking the solu tion. It is a safe b et that i t will no t be assem -

bled in seconds nor w ithout many trials and errors. There seems

to be so m e sugg est ion in the grain of the w ood that leads to the

assum pt ion that thi s gra in should no t be crossed to bu i ld such

a mathematically perfect figure as the tetrahedron.

The craftsman who takes pride in having his work fit snugly,

with mathematical accuracy, will find quite a challenge to his

skill when he tries to make two of these little blocks that measure

up to his ideals. All the necessary dimensions and angles are

given in the working drawing.

The author has seen a four-piece modification of this project

by cutting the piece as. drawn here on the center line. It is good

either way.

NEST OF TOYS

This is a nest of thirteen pieces of doll-ho use fu rniture band-

sawed f rom a rec tangular b lock o f woo d. I t m akes a s tr ik ing

demo nst ra t ion of w hat can be done on a sm al l band saw, or a

j ig saw , mo unted with a f ine b lade, and can be cou nted on to

hold anyone’s a t tention unt i l every piece has b een sawed o ut .

The dimensions m ay have to be m odi f ied to f i t the saw b lade

avai lable . 0f course , a f irm , c lose-grained woo d, l ike cherry,

m agnolia , or bi rch, should be used.

A T H R E E - D IM E N S I O N J I GS A W P UZ ZL E

This is an interest ing v ar ia tion of the co nventiona l j igsaw

puzzle. I t is made by jig-sawing a cube from two directions with

weaving k erfs which hold the pieces together even after the ker~s

have been cut.

The f ou r k e r fs a re s aw ed be f o re remov ing any par t o f the

cub e. I f the ker~s hold the parts dovetai led, the cub e can be

assem bled only b y pu t ting i t tog ether in three grou ps o f three

parts as show n in the low er il lustration. It cannot be assem bled,

[11]


6/38

Three-Dimension Jigsaw Puzzle

like the ordinary jigsaw puzzle, by placing any pieces that fit as

they come to hand.

The size of the cube to be cut will be determined by the kind

of saw used to cut the curves. If it is to be cut by a fine jeweler’s

saw, the cube might be ~ in., but if a large band saw is to be

used, the cube may be 3 in. in size A litde experimenting on a

scrap of wood will determine the minimum size of cube.

[12]

C U T -U P C H E C K E R B O A R D

Cut-up checkerboards are old puzzles, but this one has more

than the usual number of solutions. The author l~as been as-

sured that there are at least a hundred known solutions, enough

to [urnish many hours of entertainment.

The most satisfactory checkerboards, especially those which

are to be cut up as this one is, are constructed of plywood. Boards

made of plywood will not s~hrink or swell like boards built up of

squares cut from solid lumber.

The squares should be cut from three-ply and the base from

five-ply plywood. If contrasting colored plywood is not available

[or the squares, half o[ them can be stained before gluing.

~ECTION ON ~

Cut-up Checkerboard

[131


7/38


8/38

The easiest way to make this puzzle is with the use of card-

board templates. First, a square should be drawn on cardboard

and then the parts should be laid out according to the formula

included with the drawings. The square then should be cut up

into the several parts and each part used as a pattern for planing

or sawing out the wooden parts.

B U I L T - U P T R A P E Z O I D

People who like built-up puzzles will like this one which is

made up of four identical

trapezoids to be built up into a

larger

one of the same shape and propo rt ions. The solution of this

puzz le is s im ple enough

if the draw ing

is on hand,

but it will

take time and effort

to

find the

correct

answer without this

illustration.

B U I L T - U P S Q U A R E

Without the help of the solution shown in the drawing,

most readers will find it takes many attempts befo~-e a squa.re

can be built of the ten pieces called for in the detail drawings.

Try it on someone who has not seen the solution and become

convinced.

A variation of this puzzle can be made by building the same

square from twenty of thee triangular pieces. That it can be

done with only the triangles is evident from the fact that the

larger piece in the detail drawing has the shape of three triangles

combined.

Built-Up Trapezoid

EAC~ Rr.au~ R I~D

Built-Up Square

[ 6] [17]


9/38

L O S T A R E A

If the 13 by 13-inch piece of plywood in the upper drawing

is cut into four pieces as shown, it is quite evident that these

pieces can be rearranged into the 8 by El-inch rectangle in the

lower drawing. Sure? But the areas do not agree, for 13 by 13

equals 169; and 8 by 21 equals 168. Maybe the author’s arith-

metic is wrong.

A similar puzzle appeared in the author’s

Puzzles in Wood

in

which an 8 by 8-inch block is cut in the same manner and is

rearranged to 5 by 1 ] inches, thereby gaining a square inch of

area.

J

Lost Area

[ 8]

S O LI T A IR E M A R B L E GA M E B O A R D

The object ive in th is gam e is to jum p and remove the jump ed

m arbles , as in checkers , u nt il bu t one m arble i s le f t and it i s in

the center hole . I t i s a mo di f ica t ion of the qui te com m on p eg-

bo ard. Marbles used in the fami l iar Chinese check er game are

suitable, because it is not necessary that the m arbles are al l of one

color. The size of the holes and, in fact , the entire dimensions

of the board will depend on the size of the marbles available.

If the holes are placed 1 inch on center, a convenient over-all

s ize for the board w i l l be 9~ by 9 ~ inches .

To prove that the objective can be attained, a solution is

given on the drawing worked out step by step.

Solitaire Marble Game Board

[19]


10/38

Marbles

in a Maze

[20]

M A R B L E S IN A MAZE

W hen s om eone ex p la ined to a physician how the maze

board is tipped in different

ways until the four marbles in

the center are rolled into the holes at the corners, he exp ressed

professional interest in i ts suitabili ty for entertainment of con-

valescent pat ients . Bu t when he t r ied the m edic ine on himself

he exc laim ed, "No, this would o nly t ransfer pat ients f rom the

convalescent ward to the psychopathic ward " So, unless you can

s tand m ental s t rai~a, t ry this only on the other fe l low.

The w al ls be tween the rol lways are w ooden st r ips which are

glued and b radded to a p lyw ood b ase. An inf inite variety of

mazes can be worked out on a sheet of section-ruled paper, but

the one il lustrated is go od.

S O L I T A I R E C H E C K E R B O A R D

The shut-in or convalescent who must entertain himself will

find the solitaire checkerboard quite a friend. The rules for

playing the game are simple:

is

1 . The dockw ise a rr a nge me nt o f the numb e r e d che cke r s

t o be cha nge d to co un t erc lockwi se by m ove s a nd jum ps a s

checkers.

2. Jum ps o r mo ves can b e in e ither di rect ion.

3. Mo ves c an be only to the adjacent vacant hole .

4. Jumps can be on ly over one checker .

5. Jumped checkers are not rem oved.

6. The few er the plays the better the score.

I f you f in i sh the gam e the f i rs t t im e in l e ss than 100 p lays you

have done very well, but it can be done in less than half that

number.

If the board is made of wood, as called for in the drawing, a

Fors tner b i t hav ing no sp ur i s the too l t o u se fo r bor ing the ho les .

A se t o f num era l s tam ping dies i s idea l fo r mark ing the checkers .

The depressions from these stamps can be filled with paint or

white lead. The checkers can be cut from a circular dowel. If

the numbers are stamped on the end of the dowel before the

checkers a re cut of f , i t wi l l save breaking m any of them.

[21]


11/38

Solitaire C heckerboard

Dim ensions for the board and the holes for the checkers w il l

depend upon the size of the checkers. If ~-inch dowel is avail-

able , the diameter of the holes should be ~ inch and the board

a bout 7~ i nches .

I f wo od i s not o bta inable , there is no reason why the bo ard

and checkers cannot be m ade of cardboard. Cardboard, penci

L

and shears are really all that are necessary to m ake m any enter-

taining games of checker solitaire.

FORE AND AFT

This puzzle can be wo rked in severa l ways. The best game,

how ever, is the one with the fewest m oves . M ost individuals

w i l l p lay i t m any t imes b e f o re f inding the q u i c kes t s o lu t i on ,

and then that m ay not be the b est .

[22]

Fore and

Aft

Following are the rules for playing the game:

1. The positions of light and dark marbles should be trans-

pose d wi t h as f e w m ove s o r j um p s a s po s s i b l e .

2. Marbles should be moved, one at a time, in diagonal

m o v e s f o r w a r d s i m i l a r to c h e c k e r s , an d n o b a c k i n g u p o r s t ra i g h t

forward or straight crossways moves are permitted.

3. Moves or jumps need not be alternately black and white.

4. Jumping of a single man, as in checkers, is considered a

move and may be over the same or a different colored man.

The first part of the puzzle is to make as many moves as

possible without getting cornered or violating the rules.

After the player learns to keep out of corners, he should see

how few moves are essential for the transposition. Anyone

can learn to play the game in less than a hundred moves and

jumps, but it can be .done with less than half that number.

The dimensions for the board and holes are not given, for

they will depend upon the size of marbles that are available.

The board sometimes is made with small holes for pegs in-

stead of holes to f it marbles .

[23]


12/38

S H U F F LE B O X N UM B E R O N E

This game of solitaire will take hours to work the first time

because so many wrong moves are possible. The game is to

shuffle the blocks about without removing them fi:om the box

so that a large corner block is moved fi’om one corner to the

opposite one. The author has recorded the steps of moving

block 14 to the corner occupied by 12 but is not sure that he

has worked out the fewest moves. He merely records his pro-

cedure to show i t can be done .

Place the blocks in the box so that the blank space is at the

.bottom in the center. The letters R, L, U, and D in the follow-"

ing solution indicate respectively right le[t up

and

down.

Thus 1 D and R indicates that block 1 should be moved down

and right, and 3 and 4 L indicates that blocks 3 and 4 are

moved together to the left. The moves should be read down the

several co lum ns a s fo l lows :

[24]

1 D and R

ll-R

5D

6, 3, and 4 L

2ahd 1 U

11 -and 5 R

6D

3 and 4 L

1 L and U

3R

4 ~ind 14 D

10 L

9,1,2~and3U

4R

14 and 10 D

9L

2 U and L

13L

8U

7, 3, and 4 R

1 and 2 D

13 and 8 L

7U

~

3, 4, ,1, 2, and 14 R

6U

5 and 11 L

1 and 2 D

14 and 6 R

"11 L

2 L andD

14D

4 and 12 U

1 and 2 R

14D

3D-

4L.~

12U

2 U and R

1 1 a n d 1 4 ,D

6, 3, ’E and 12 R

1 and 2 U

14R

S H U F F LE B O X N U M B E R T W O

This i s a nother shuf f l e box , bu t wi th on ly e le ve n b l ock s .

In th is , t he p rob lem i s t o m ove the la rge s q uare b loc k t o the

diagonal ly opp osi te corner, without remov ing any b locks

f i om

the box . Do n’t wri te the author for the answer for he hasn’t

found it yet, but he has been assured that it is an old well-

know n entertainer .

Shuffle Box No. 2

[ 5] -


13/38

[ 26]

~)

o

D O UB LE - D O UB L E D O VE T A I L JO I N T

Those who are familiar with the author’s Puzzles in Wood

can likely explain how to assemble a single dovetail that is

larger on two outside Faces than the spaces through which the

tenon must pass in going into place. Knowing the right answer

to that puzzling construction, however, only adds to one’s

bewilderment when trying to figure out how to put together a

dovetail joint with a duplicate tenon on the opposite side. This

second tenon makes impossible the diagonal sliding together

used on the double dovetail. Yet how simple it all is when one

studies the detail drawing.

Enough dimensions have been given to help plan a joint to

suit material on hand. There is some advantage in making the

sloping sides of the dovetail at an angle of 60 deg., or pitch of

2:1, instead of 45 deg. as shown- it widens the angle one has

to work into. Of course, the connecting bar of the mortise must

be made thin enough to be able to stand considerable bending

when the mortise is spread open for the insertion of the tenon.

The mortise may be steamed to increase its flexibility, if

necessary-.

This is more a puzzle novelty joint than a rival for the old

tried and true mortise and tenon or simple dovetail. Its maker

will not lose in reputation, however, just because it is

imprac t i ca l .

[27]


14/38

T R I P L E D O V E T A I L P U Z Z L E

If one does not believe that in this puzzle one piece of wood

extends through another so that it shows on three faces and is

held in by impossible dovetailing from all sides, he should

feel of the combined piece and find that the two pieces can

be moved slightly. The fact that the pieces can be m oved,

however, may only add to his confusion. If the maker of the

dovetail places a mark on both pieces, and then later proves

that both pieces have been reversed, it will confuse the one

who is trying to solve the puzzle even more.

Study of the working drawing will show that the dovetail is"

unusual only in that it is curved and not straight, and that the

I

Trip le Dovetail Puzzle

[ 8]

tenon slides into the mortise or groove with a rocking movement

instead of a straight one, as usual.

In making this puzzle, the most careful workmanship is re-

quired and strict adherence to dimensions as given in the draw-

ing or as worked out on a drawing board.

Both the mortise and the tenon should be laid out from

carefully scribed center lines on wood longer than the dimen-

sions given. Carefully laid Out templates should be used for the

2:3 pitch dovetails and for the 6~-inch radii. The tenon should

be made first and used for testing as the mortise is being carved

out. The bored holes for the peg should be carefully centered

so that the pieces will fit by placing the tenon into the mortise

either way. The grain direction shown in the perspective should

be observed. Contrasting colored woods make the apparently

impossible dovetailin~ all the more striking.

The idea for this construction cam e from a puzzle joint

published in theIndustrial Arts and Vocational Education

magazine by A. B. Cutler, January, 1930. The little peg that

locks the joint in place when it is held dovetail-side up and

drops back to release the pieces when turned over has been

added by the author.

[29]


15/38


16/38

As a help in putting this puzzle together, each piece has

been located in the assembly by its identifying letter turned

exactly as it has been drawn on the detail o[ the piece. It

will be diffcult enough to put together even with this help.

Q U A D R U P LE B U R R

Fundamentally, this consists of four simple six-piece burrs.

It is possible to combine these by making a number of the pieces

double length. The puzzle could be built of most of the score or

more known designs for such burrs. However, this project is .a,

little complicated, for a real problem arises in assembling the

[ourth burr. In the detailed drawing, this assembly problem is

solved as follows. A burr design with a blank key is used as

the final piece, and the order of building up is so arranged

that the final piece to be put in at each corner burr is a plain

uncut piece. Assembling the pieces with a planned place for

this final key will be a great help in building up the complete

burr.

The pieces should be assembled in the 1, 2, 3 order, as

numbered. The I, II, III, and IV ends should be observed

and placed into corresponding burrs. The pieces and corners

should be chalked to keep them in order the first time. Assem-

bling the burr will be difficult enough without getting the

corners mixed up.

The author suggests that the short pieces also could be made

double in length and an eight-burr assembly then could be built

by an adventurous puzzler.

[ ]

~ TZT zrzTZT

zl-

~-rz ~

Quadruple

Burr

[33]


17/38

[34]

T H E S N O W F L A KE

Anyone Familiar with the crystalline form o f

a s now f lake

will recognize the propriety o f the name selected for this

beaut i fu l burr . I t is real ly a bui ld-up o f seven s ix -piece bu rrs .

Many of the burrs in the author’s Puzzles in Wood could be

used for this projec t . The snowf lake i s m ade up of fou r each

of p ieces 1 to 6 inc lus ive, and one each o f p ieces 1-1 to 5-5 ,

with a plain key piece ~ by ~ by 7~ inches, not illustrated,

which wou ld be piece 6-6 .

Learning to assem ble the s ix-piece bu rr shown a t the le f t in

the drawing w il l help one to assemb le the snowflake. I t is m ade

up o f one piece each of 1 to 6 , and i t i s assem bled in 1 , 2 , 3

order, as show n in the small assemb ly. Detailed steps for assem -

bling this burr are shown in Puzzles in Wood, but why spo i l

the tun. Find the answer. It is advisable to number each piece,

bec aus e i t w i l l be d if f ic u l t enough to w ork ou t the a s s emb ly

without t rying to keep each p iece in mind. A f ter the s ix -piece

bur r ha s be e n com bi ne d, t he snow f la ke ca n be a s se m ble d by

keeping corresponding pieces in each sub-assembly parallel .

[35]


18/38

[36]

C H E S T N U T B U R R

This i s as s t r ik ing a bu rr as has ever com e to the. author’s

attention, and i t is riva led only b y the great pago da in

Puzzle

in Wood. It is much more attractive than an artist’s pen can

depic t for i t exposes no less than 144 t r iangular facets on i t s

exterior.

It is made up of 24 pieces as shown in the drawing. The

pieces are not dim ensioned as they are a l l obviously b ased on

the diagonal of the squ are s tock used. Al l cu t s are m ade a t 45

degrees to the ax is - not wi th the corners .

This cons t r uc t ion re qu i r e s such a ccu r a cy be ca use o f the

necessity of interchangeability, that it is impractical to m ake the

pieces with essentia l exactness without the use of p recis ion m a-

chinery. Therefore, it is . suggested that unless one has u nlimited

t ime, ski ll , and patience, the making ot~ the burr should not be

undertaken w i th hand tools . A nyway, i t i s advisable to test out

the sm all burr in Figure 2 , f i rs t .

This burr is being manufactured and sold by the Puzzle

Shop, 808 Twentieth Street, Denver, Colorado, under the

appropriate trade-marked name of Gem Cut-Puzzle.

TOY CHAIR

Yes, i t com es apar t. How c onvenient i t wo uld be on m oving

day if all furniture could be taken apart, piec

e

by piece, for

packing--unless one forgot how to put it together againl

Better practice a lit t le on this toy chair on p age 38 befo re start-

ing a knock dow n furni ture factory.

The trick in assembling this chair is shown in the lower

drawing. The fro nt ra il i s inser ted in an up side-down p osi t ion

before the side rails are attached. Then, after these are in place,

the front rai l i s revolved a ha lf turn into the po si t ion s how n in

the assembly drawing. The two lower back rai ls are inserted in

the same m anner. It is very necessary that these two back rai ls

are tapered on two sides a t the ends, as wi l l becom e apparent

when the arm rests are being swung into place.

[37]


19/38

~

po~il ior~.

T o y C h a ir

[38]

E N C H A N T E D D IC E

Study o£ thi s row of dice w i l l show that the numbers one to

six w hich occur on each die are to b e found o n a l l s ides of the

lined-up dice; thus, one to six app ear on the top s, on the right°

front faces, and on the le f t -front Faces. By turning them over ,

these numb ers a lso are found on each of the other three faces

as well , bu t on only one Fac e in num erical order. The originator

o f th i s puz z le has f i gu red~ou t tha t the re a re 16 ,75 5 w ays o f

arranging the spo ts on the dice to produce the described arrange-

m ent , bu t the author , a f ter som e experiment ing, surm ises that

there mu st be a m i l l ion arrangem ents that are not qui te r ight .

The dice are not s tandard as to spot t ing , but m ust be la id

out according to the lower stretchout drawings.

A good way of making these dice is to first shape thewooden

cub es, spot them with brass-headed tacks, paint the entire cub e,

and then polish the spots o ff throug h the paint.

A v ar ia t ion o f this wo nderful puzzle by the sam e or iginator

is given in

Puzzles in Wood.

Either of these puzzles will pro-

vide hours of past ime for anyone who wi l l shuff le the dice and

then try to find the answ er without a c hart.

Enchanted Dice

[39]


20/38

CROSS-BARRED BALL CAGE

This is a nice idle-time busy-work project. No tools are

necessary except a sharp po cketkni fe , a penci l, and a piece of

soft w hite pine. A brace and bit and a carving chisel can be used

to advantage , but they are far f rom necessary. Dimensions are

not g iven s ince these m ust be su i ted to the m ateria l avai lable .

A diam eter of from 1 to 2 inches, however, is a convenient size.

To insure a sa t is factory resul t , i t is imp or tant to k eep the

layout sym m etrica l . This i s achieved b y shaping the p roject in

C ross-B arred B all Cage

[40]

steps that can be measured and checked for reasonable

geom et ri c a l ac c u rac y , a s s how n in the draw ing f o r the F i r s t

Steps.

Mter the elliptical shape has been worked out, the center

l ines of the bars shou ld be laid out as show n in the Later Steps

draw ing , u s ing f ou r eq ua l ly s pac ed po in t s a t the c ente r and

fou r intermediate points halfway to each end. The w idth of the

bars can be drawn on the ~e l l ipse by using a convenient width

strip of wo od. The bars should be o utlined with a knife or carv-

ing-tool point. If an auger is available, four crossing holes

should b e bored through the e l l ipse as sho wn, a l though a k ni fe

can be used to do a l l the cut ting wo rk. From now on the eye

m ust be depended on ent i re ly in working o ut the bars , under-

cutting them, and fin.ally cutt ing out the ball inside and round-

ing it up. A little sandpaper and a small file are useful in

sm ooth ing the construct ion in to w orkm anl ike f in ished form.

C O N C E N T R IC S PH E R E S

A fav ori te oriental evidence of craf tsm anship cons is ts of a

number of ivory-ball cages made concentric so that the smallest

is within all the others and the largest covers all of them. Each

i s a perfec t sphere and is cut c lear of i t s neighb ors . Any one

with imagination and Familiar with how the task must have

be e n done w i ll be su r e to a ppr e c ia te the sk i l l such a c l us te r

shows (page 42) .

Most anyone will be content to make a sphere of inexpensive

wo od w i th a s ingle b a l l wi thin as evidence of hi s pa t ience and

ski l l m a t least as a b eginner.

The f i rs t s tep i s to m ake the outs ide bal l by chuck ing i t on

a la the , which proc edure i s fam i l iar to a l l wo od turners . I f the

chuck is made co m paratively shallow and the tailpiece is used to

hold i t in with a pad, as sho w n in Figure 3 , i t w il l he lp la ter

in laying o ut .

A~ ter the bal l has been prov ed t ru ly spherical by tes ting i t

in various locations in the chuck, the ends of the three mutually

r ight-angled axes m ust be carefu l ly located by drawing three

great c irc les tha t intersect a t right angles . This c an be do ne

[41 ]


21/38

Concentric Spheres

with a penci l com pass o r perhaps easier by mo unt ing the ba l l

in the chuck as show n in Figure 3 . Measur ing equal ly each s ide

of the three great circles, the bou ndaries of the eight triangu lar

openings should b e la id out as show n in F igure 2 , which is the

top, front, or side view, since all three would be alike.

[42]

The chuc k sho uld be deepened so that the tai ls tock wi l l not

be nec essary, and then the center of eac h of the eight triangles

should b e bored ou t almo st to the surface of the "inner sphere."

The c huc k then s hou ld be rem oved to u s e on the benc h a s a

vise because the res t of the wo rk m ust be done on the bench

with hand tools . The t r iangles then should be w orked ou t to

their t r iangular .out l ines .

Tw o s pec ia l t ou te rs w i l l be needed to c o m p le te the hand-

work . T he y ca n be m a de by bor i ng ou t a se cond wood chuck

in which the sphere f it s loose ly . The chu ck then should be re-

m oved f rom the Faceplate and cut exact ly in halves . A bottom -

cutting router bit should be fitted in one o[ the halves as in

Figure 4, and an under-cutting bit in the other. With these

two special tools, a sharp p aring chisel, and lots of p atience and

care , the inner sphe’i ’e can be wo rked ou t as sm oo th and true

as the outer one.

W O O D E N P LI E R S

No product of a pocketknife will attract more pleasant

com ment than a pa i r of pl iers cut f rom a s ingle piece of wo od,

nor need the m aker hes i tate to exhibi t his handiwork for i t is

real proof of craf tsmanship (page 44) .

Mak ing pl iers shou ld not be a ttemp ted unless one has sof t ,

corky w hite pine such as is occasionally found in packing box es.

Ev en the ordinary patternmaker’s white pine may not be spo ngy

enough fo r the purpose . The blade of the pocketkni fe mu st be

grou nd to a m ore s lender point than ordinari ly manu factured,

as show n in F igure 3, or a specia l smal l chise l can be m ade of

a razor blade or of a watch spr ing as show n in F igure 4 . Both

the knife and the chisel may be necessary as well as a num ber of

pieces of p ine before an unb roken pai r of pl iers i s made.

A g ood w ay to begin is by splitting the woo d to a rectangular

shape of abo ut the proportions of Figu re 2. The splitting insures

the grain being s t raight . A conv enient s ize wo uld be abo ut ~

by ]~ inch o r a l i tt le larger . I t should be w hitt led smo oth and

perfect ly rectangular . Dimensions are imm ateria l, but prop or-

tions and accuracy are the essentials for success .

[43]


22/38

~?

Wooden Pliers

First , the p i ece s hould be scored part way through the two

cen ter l ines m arked a in F igure 2 . These sh ould be scored on

both s ides and ends , omi t t ing the hexagonal space show n that

should be a t l eas t tw i ce the w idth o f the p i ece .

The two 45-degree lines marked b should be located next.

One line turns upward fl’om the center, the other downward.

If care is taken, the angle can be made accurately enough by

eye. These lines should be scored lightly, and two more made

exactly opposite

on the back of the piece. These four lines should

be scored to a scant third of the thickness of the piece, and these

cuts must join the cuts a without leaving any shreds of uncut

wood between. ~

The lines c should be laid o~E on the two narrow edges. The

middle space should be slightly wider than the others m barely

over a third of the thickness of the piece. The end d should be

exactly opposite

the end of the cut b. The opposite edge of

line d is shown in the drawing as d’. These lines should be

scored in so that en.ds d and d’ angle in at 45 degrees toward

the intersection of a and b.

This is the step where the entire piece can be ruined if not

done carefully. All lines gradually should be worked deeper.

Line a should be cut until the opposite lines meet; cc until

they meet at the center and at the junctions of a and b, and d

until it meets the junction of a and b. The little chisel will be

very helpful, but the author uses only a pointed knife for such

work.

When all wood has been cut Eree, the pliers will open very

easily. The handles can be pared, and the jaw shaped, and an

imaginary hinge pin can be inserted as shown in Figure 1.

The real skill, however, is shown in cutting the pliers apart with-

out breaking. The author has seen a real expert cut a pair of

pliers with eight cuts of his knife in almost as many seconds,

but eight minutes would be too fast for the author, and he

would not bet on his work at that speed.

[45]


23/38

p

S c i s s o r s

~OTTO M

S C I S S O R S

A p air of sc issors that can be opened and c losed , cut f rom a

single piece o f w oo d, w i l l a tt ract the a t tent ion and adm ira t ion

of any ho bbyist , even thoug h he thinks tha t a l l other hobbies ,

excep t his , a re s inful wasters of t ime. The sci sso rs , howev er ,

shou ld not b e se lected as a f i rs t project in the ar t of w hi tt l ing.

A.f ter the mak ing of the p l iers has b een m astered, and a l i t tle

chisel suitable for cutting the box joint has been made, the

wo rker may t ry to whit t le the sc issors . Abi l i ty to m ake a neat

unbroken pa i r ought t o m ake one e l i g ib le f o r m em bers hip in

the most exclusive whi t t l ing club.

Soft , corky w hi te pine is the mo st sa ti sfactory wo od to us e

for the sc issors , but i t must be very corky . Balsa is an excel len t

wo od to use w hen learn ing, but i t i s too sp ongy to m ake a n ice

f inished piece even with the keenes t too ls . Ab ou t s~ by ~ . /4

inch i s a goo d size for the body of the sci ssors . However , the

size to be m ade will depend o n the width of the chisel that is at

hand wi th which to cu t the box joint through. T he cent ra l par t

of the joint shou ld be slightly ov er a third of the total thickness.

The diago nal l ines and cuts should b e as near 45 degrees as

can be m easured by the eye. The bo x jo int should be a l i tt le

wider than the width of the piece; that is, the two lines m arked

cut 1/3 through in the top and bottom views should be a

litde farther apart than the piece is wide at the joint. Other-

wise, there wi l l be no spac e for the pieces to c lear in turning.

All cut s shou ld be uni form in depth throug hout and should be

cut safely past all intersections o f cuts, fo r not even a shred of

uncut w ood shou ld remain or the h inge wil l surely break When

an attem pt is made to open the scissors.

[47]


24/38

E PUZZLE

The strange things that are possib le with wo od that has been

s team ed unti l i t i s sof t and m ushy are w el l i l lus tra ted in this

wo oden le t ter E w hich project s throug h holes sm al ler than the

ends of the arms of the le t ter . The layout drawing sho ws that

the ends of the E are first m ade long and tapered, so that after

be ing s o f t ened by . s team they may be c row ded throug h the

sm all holes . Forc ing them through the holes wi l l f la tten them ,

bu t a li tde squeezing on the s ides in a vise wil l correct this .

The ends are sawed of f af ter they have served their purpo se.

After the wood has dried out and hardened, few people can tell

how the pieces were assemb led. The E piece shou ld be made

o f a s o f t w ood l i ke bas s w ood o r w hi te p ine, w hi le the o ther

piece should be m ade of hard, f irm w ood l ike m aple or bi rch.

Dim ensions are unimp ortant , but i t i s well to know that a 7~

by ~ - inch p ie ce ca n be f o r ce d q u i te e a s ily thr ough a 5~ by

5~-inch hole.

E P uzz l e

[48]

WOODEN VALENTINE

An examination of this wooden valentine will prove that

the cupid’s dart cannot be removed from the heart it has

pierced, unless the sender reveals how he was able to get the

arrow through the opening in the heart. A variation of this

valentine would be to have the arrow pierce two hearts.

The heart and the arrow are made of thin pieces of wood,

about 1~ inch thick, and preferably of contrasting colored woods.

The arrow should be of a soft wood like basswood or white

pine to be the more easily worked. The secret of getting the

large arrowhead through the smaller hole in the heart is to

thoroughly steam the arrow, which will make it so soft and

pliable that it can be rolled up, put through, and unrolled to

dry hard.

Wooden

Valentine

[49]


25/38

Fig. 8

Draftsman s Dream

[ ]

D R A F T S M A N S D R E A M

I f you do ubt that this i s som ething that none b ut a dra~ts -

man could build--and only on paper--just start figuring

how to take i t apart . Begin anywhere, for all six pieces are alike

and are held in p lace ident ical ly. Of cou rse , i t.cannot even b e

put to gether in the first place

Wait. Supp ose the six pieces w ere first laid inner face dow n

in a little water until they warped and expanded a little.

Wo uldn’t they go tog ether then? So easy, i t a lmost spo i ls the

fun,

Another way to make the puzzle is to have the grain run

lengthwise of the pieces and not crosswise as show n in Figure 1.

Mak e the 2¼-inch dimension a l i t tle scant by shaving, off o ne

piece after another unti l the six pieces can be forced together.

This will m ake qu ite a rickety assem bly sugg estive of a dried-out

wag on w heel wi th a l l fel l ies and spok es loose . No w t rea t your

"dream" like farmers treat their loose wagon wheels by swelling

them in hot linseed oil until all pieces swell tight. The oil

w il l oxidize and leave a l l pieces e nlarged and f i t t ing as t ight

as the draftsman drew them.

How to get it apart? The draftsman awoke before he got that

far.

SIX-PIECE BALL PUZZLE

This is a o ne-way puzzle, for there is no w ay of taking it apart

onc e i t has been p rop er ly c ons t ruc ted , ex c ep t t o des t roy i t .

But, that makes i t a l l the more of a chal lenge to o ne who th inks

he know s a l l a bou t how t o pu t wo od p i e ce s t oge the r. He ca n

see how to put the f ir s t f ive p ieces together but not how to add

the sixth piece. But, there is a way, and such a sim ple one as to

a lmo st spoi l the cha l lenge to m ake i t. The solu t ion i s one that

those who see the finished article will be very slow to sugg est as

the means by w hich i t was p ut together (page 59) .

The p ieces are not ful l ha l f c i rc les s ince 1/16 inch has been

shaved off the chord side. This leaves enough play so that the

pieces can all be forced into place, but it does leave the assembly

[51 ]


26/38

Six-Piece Ball

Puzzle

so loose that it can be taken apart and seems crudely made. The

assembled piece then should be soaked in linseed oil, pre£erably

hot, until it all swells tight--just the way farmers tighten

loose wagon wheels- and it will never come apart without

being cut apart. It is just as well i~ it has a little play because

that proves that it must have been put together some way.

This is the author’s contribution to the proper disciplining

o[ those who think they know all that there is to know about

assembling several pieces o[ wood.

[ 5 ]

T H E C O C K L E B UR

This creation o~ the author’s is quite a stunt to p ut together.

The no ta t ion in the drawing that but s ix p ieces are required

doesn’t include the number of pieces broken in trying to spring

them into place, nor does it include those strips of w ood b roken

whi le experiment ing o n the amo unt of bending each wi l l s tand.

Of c ou rse, the fun is.in spr, inging them all they will stand ~or.

The au tho r has long w anted t o m ake a c oc k lebu r o£ g reen

sa pwood ba sswood t o se e wha t a thorough ly be n t one would

l ook l ike , bu t he ha s ha d on ly d r y ma te r ia l a t ha nd . a s m os t

The

C o ckleb u r


27/38

readers will have. No dimensions are given, as it will be neces-

sary for each craftsman to adapt the size of the pieces to the

material he has on hand. The cocklebur shown in the illustra-

tion was made of ~-inch wood. The width and length were

made as large as possible while still permitting the pieces to be

bent without breaking.

T H E F LO A T I N G M A GN E T

Yes , i t f loa ts on the a i r w i th th e grea te s t of ea se ,

Like the lauded young man o n the f ly ing t rapeze .

A p iece of metal that def ies al l the laws of gravi ty and persists

i n f l o a t in g , t o a l l ap p earan c e s , u n su p p o r t ed in th e a i r , w i l l

at t rac t t h e a t t en t i on o f an yon e . It w i l l qu i te l i k e ly l eave t h e

s pec t a t or s uns a t i s fi ed a s t o how an d w hy , excep t a f ew w ho

reme mb er t h a t mag ne t s do no t a lw ays a t trac t i ron and s t e e l

Float ing M agnet

[54]

but always

repel

like poles of another magnet as powerfully as

they attract its unlike poles. To those, it will be evident that

there is a magnet, similar to the floating one, buried unseen in the

wood. The answer is so simple, when explained, as to almost

destroy one’s interest, but not every spectator has had a course in

physics and most o£ those who did, have forgotten most of it.

Not many people will know why the metal bar floats if the

workmanship is good enoug~h to conceal the buried magnet.

If this novelty is made as in Figure 1, the top of the wood piece

rather naturally covers the recess for the buried bar and adds a

slight puzzle as to how the bar was inserted in the recesses in

the ends of the upper piece of wood. It is, of course, done by

bending the flexible middle part of the wood and snapping the

bar into place before the piece is fastened in place on the base.

Figure 2 is a simpler construction. It was made by Thomas

Thomason of Astoria, Oregon, who sent the project to the

author. The wires shown in the drawing are of copper or brass;

therefore, they will not become magnetized by being in the

magnetic field.

]


28/38

M ysterious Blodc

[56]

T H E M Y S T E R I O U S B L O C K

This simple looking block of wood has the mysterious quality

of either sliding freely on the tight line, as shown in Figure 1, or

of stopping anywhere its owner wants it to on its downward glide.

Quite evidently the control is by the tension on the line, but it

won’t stop, as it evidently should, in the hands of others, like

it does for the owner

Figure 2 shows that the block isn’t a simple solid piece as

it appears, but is made up of three pieces glued together. The

middle piece has a large hole bored through it, and the other

two have small holes just large enough [or the string to sllde

through freely, as the drawing should make clear. A small nail

sticks through a side into the central chamber or hole in the

middle piece. This nail enters the hole a little past the center

of the block and a little to one side of the center. The nail is

the secret of what makes the block stop when the cord is held

tight. That is, the block will stop when the cord zig-zags behind

the nail; it doesn’t when the cord goes straight through.

Now, the secret is revealed on what stops the block, the

next question is, "how to get the cord behind or free of the

nail." Figure 3 shows how this is done, as follows. The left

forefinger holds the cord from moving at one side of the block.

On the other side the right finger and thumb grasp the cord a

little from the block and push it inward, making it bow inside

the block. Then the thumb and finger twist the cord and throw

the bow over (or off) the nail. Of course, it all has to be done

apparently casually and without focusing attention by looki.ng

while detracting attention by patter.

These are helpful suggestions: Have some. mark, like a

dubbed-off corner to feel the most advantageous position of the

block for throwing the loop on or off. Paint the block to cover

the joints so that its construction may not be revealed. Use a

braided rather than a twisted cord to prevent its kinking.

This mysterious block is the invention

Houston, Texas, who makes puzzling things like this when he

gets bored at opening locks for people who lose their keys or

forget combinations.

[57]


29/38

T H E L IE D E T E C T O R

This little project can contribute quite a bit oF entertainment

to a group iF the operator knows the secret oF making it work.

The rod sho u ld be he ld so that the f i rs t two f ingers oF the r ight

hand straddle the notched stick. By letting first one finger, then

the other, rub along a side oF the notched stick when the rod

is stroked up and. down, it will be discovered that the propeller

will spin in different directions depending upon which finger

rubs the s t i ck .

The entertainer can now ask the members oF his audience to

answer questions. He can make the propeller spin to the right

For truthful answers. But, iF he wants to make it appear that

the answer is a falsehood, he can reverse the action oF the pro-

peller by using the other finger.

The Lie Detector

[ ]

F KE POP GUN

No, this isn’t a pop gun, although it does go "pop" when

I pull the plunger out and let it fly back. When I pull it clear

out, you see that there is a little hook on the inner end; also

that a rubber band goes through the barrel. You simply insert

the plunger and hook it onto the rubber. Then, when you pull

it out and let it go, the rub, bet pulls in with a pop. You want

t o t ry f ishing Fo r the band? Go ahead

What, you cannot make it work Must be you are using the

wr on g ba i t . Wa t ch m e . It is so e a sy. "P op , P op P op ~ "

Nothing makes one Feel quite so Foolish as inability to do

something that looks too simple to challenge an infant. But,

the rubber band and hook are camouflage. The plunger pops in

because the wedge on its outer end is squeezed between the

thumb and finger until it flies out and pops against the other

piece. The rod oF the plunger is too short to even reach the

rubber[ The plunger must be so entirely free in the barrel that

the re i s no po ssibi l i ty oF i t b ind ing.

Dimensions are unimportant, but the wedge-shaped handle

must be sloped enough so that it will slip from between the

fingers when squeezed tightly. It can be shaped by trial, or even

be g reased a li t t le.

Fake Pop Gun

J

[59]


30/38

PLUGGED OTTL

All chair builders are familiar with the method of spreading

the end of a rung in the bottom of a dovetailed hole. This is

done by starting a wedge in the end of the rung, letting the bot-

tom of the hole force the wedge into the rung, and spread it as

it is driven home. However, this worth-while joint does not

seem to be very well known to other woodworkers. This method

is used in plugging the bottle shown here. If the turned plug

were left long enough to reach the bottom of the bottle, the

method of driving the wedge into place would occur to most

CO~[ ~TP-UCTION

Plugged

Bottle

[60]

people, so, to cover one’s tracks, it is expedient to cut the plug

off short and seat the knob close to the bottle. The plug could

be fastened into the knob by a chair-builder’s joint after gouging

the hole in the knob larger at the bottom. But, trial will prove

it to be easier to glue the knob in place, since it would be diffi-

cult to get enough pressure in seating the knob to spread the

wedged end.

D I S A P PE A R I N G C O I N D E V I C E

This innocent appearing turned piece that looks like a furni-

ture finial has infinite possibilities to confound and chagrin any-

one who will contribute a coin to help illustrate how it works.

Study of the section view will show that it is turned in three

pieces. These pieces ~ire loose fitting on the inside but look tight

about the outside.

Disappearing Coin Device

r61 ]


31/38

The entertainer grasps the device at the middle and lifts o f [

the two up per pieces, disclosing an op ening in which he asks

s om eone t o p lac e a c o in . He rep lac es the tw o upp er p iec es

.withou t revealing that there are m ore than two p ieces to the

dev i c e . A f te r s om e hoc us -po c us , pe rhaps c over ing i t w i th a

handkerchief, someone is asking to li ft off the lid which he will

naturally do by taking ho ld of the knob. O nly the top p iece lifts,

leaving the coin between the two bottom pieces. Ap parently the

coin has disappeared.

C O UN T E R F E IT M A C H IN E

The wonder of this machine is not that it makes nickles out

of lead, but that it apparently changes the good dimes of an

inquisitive acquaintance into nothing; or, if you feel better

abou t pocket ing hi s d imes , i t w i l l change them into you r pennies .

Even though you do not keep his dimes, you can have fun by

making him hunt or ask for them.

Part A is a simple box, open at one end, and part B slides

into it, either end first. There is a coin-shaped hole in the top

at the center in B. If a coin is placed in this hole, and the two

parts are slid together and then pulled out again, the coin

disappears o r chang es to a di f ferent co in . I f , how ever , the s l ide is

reversed and put through the same operations, the original

coin reappears.

The answer to this trick is that the slide B is hollow and has

inside of it a piece with two holes in it, shown as C in the draw-

ing. This inner piece C can be slid back and forth so either hole

is directly under the one hole in B. As shown in the drawing of

B, there is a small hole in each end of it. A wire is inside of

piece A . Wl~ en B i s s l id inside of A , the wire en te rs the hole in

B and pushes the piece C along so that it places a different hole

under the hole in B. It is this sliding motion that changes the

dime to a penny, o r s imply m akes i t d i sappear .

[62]

C ounterfeit M achine

[63]


32/38

D O M I N O E S

There isn’t a nicer woodworking project for a rea l cra f ts-

m an than a se t of dom inoes wi th dots and divi sion bars made

of b i t s of wo od that contras t wi th the body pieces . The co n-

tras t m ust be m arked for ease in p laying; howev er, the body

Ficj. I

Dominoes

[64.1

parts should not have so much grain marking as to permit

identification of different p ieces.

Dark ebo ny body and w hi te hol ly dots make idea l dominoes

when such w oods can be ob tained . I f mu ch grain or sap m arks

the body wo od, how ever , pieces shou ld be s ta ined black, and

even if this is not needed to obliterate marking, it helps to

heighten the contras t wi th the l ight-colored do ts . Of co urse .

the staining should be do n~e befo re gluing in the dots.

The b loc k s s hou ld be c u t , ke rf ed , and bo red a s s how n in

Figure 2 . The bar for the kerr may be o f less cont rasting wo od

than that used for the dots. The l~oles for the dots can be

bored in a bor ing j ig , as show n in F igure 3. The blocks can be

m ade with 18 holes instead of 9 as show n and so save reversing

the dominoes w hen key are be ing b ored.

I f dowel rod of l ight -colored wo od can be o bta ined for the

dots , exce l lent dom inoes can be m ade. The author a lways had

to m ake h is dowels in a dowel p late , or by turning out f rus tums

of cones in a dri ll chuck in a lathe. Colorless shellac or varnish

shou ld be used fo r f inishing so as no t to darken the dots for ,

being end grain, they will soak up considerable finishing

material.

When the dom inoes have been made, a doveta i led box wi th

inlaid or carved exterior should be made to keep them in. This

se t wi l l then qua l i fy to som e day becom e a va luable heir loom .

S T R I N G P U ZZ LE

Show a friend how the string pu lls back and forth as you pull

f i rs t one end, then the other . Place a knife b lade b etween the

sticks, and cut the string (your friend won’t notice that it had

been cut before). After cutting (?), the string-will still pull

back and for th as before , in you r hands. After saying "hocus-

pocu s," however, and passing the puzzle behind your back, you r

friend will be su rprised to find that the string will not p ull either

way in his hands

[65]


33/38

The working drawing shows that the string does not go

directly through the sticks as it appears to, but down a hole

in the center of one stick to where it crosses next to the screw and

comes up the center of the other stick to the exit hole. A glued-in

bit of string in each piece is left to be cut (?). The other piece of

hocus-pocus is that as you pass the puzzle behind your back,

you completely revolve one stick about the screw, which

winds the string about the screw.

String Puzzle

[66]

B U I LT - UP T U R N E D W O R K

Many amateur craftsmen who have learned to do. wood turn-

ing are not aware of the striking effects that can be produced

by turning stock glued up from contrasting colored woods.

This vase is an example of the result of turning a piece made

up of three kinds of wood. Alternating pieces of walnut and

holly were first glued toge, ther, then ripped in two places and

oak set in, and all reglued as shown in the lower illustration.

An odd number of alternating pieces were used. This is quite

important and likely to be overlooked the first time one tries

the stunt. It insures the stripes producing a symmetrical pattern

on the f in i shed ar ti c le . Ob vious ly , unu sua l care mu st be observed

in centering such a piece of stock in the lathe. No matter how

careful one is, he is quite sure to wish he had been even more

careful when he watches the piece shape up.

Built-up Turned Work

[67]


34/38

R O P E B O R D E R

Amateur woodworkers often admire parquetry, try to estimate

the number of pieces of which it consists, and marvel at the

patience of anyone who would glue so many little blocks to-

gether. But, they do not realize that it is a matter of knowing

how, more than minute accuracy and patience, that accom-

plishes the results they admire.

Explanation of one of the most common parquetry borders,

the rope, will show that, though it will take time, it is not a

Ro pe B o rder

[68]

highly skilled operation, and anyone with reasonable skill and

tools can use it in his cabinetwork.

The rope is usually made of alternating diamonds of light

and dark wood, as shown in a corner of a table top in Figure 1.

It can, however, be made up of several kinds of wood repeating

themselves in a series as illustrated in Figure 2.

The first step is to glue an equal number of alternating kinds

of strips of wood together

~

as in Figure 3. After the glue has

hardened, this assemblage of strips is cut to 45 degrees in a miter

box, as shown in Figure 4. To insure their being cut to a

uniform size, a stop block must be used in the miter box.

Then these blocks, all alike, yet made up of several blocks

themselves, are glued in place. If the article is made with the

parquetry extending ,.through as in Figure 1, each assembled

block can be bradded and glued in place and the mitered out-

side piece glued on still later. Sometimes this rope border is

inlaid in a groove or the whole built-up work is glued onto a

plywood base. The making of the rope is the same, no matter

how it is applied.

M A R Q U E T R Y

Every woodworker who dares to attempt the new is sure some

day to try his hand at marquetry, or pictures in wood. With

enough assortment of different kinds of woods, most convenient

if in veneers, he can produce some striking effects. Following

are some helpful suggestions for doing this work, yet they are

not so complete as to spoil the fun by telling all.

The shrinkage and expansion that take place in different

kinds of wood should not be overlooked, other~,~ise the finished

product may become badly warped. A thick plywood backing

is one solution against warping, and a heavy frame built around

the marquetry picture is another solution.

In building up the picture, first one piece can be cut out

and then its neighbor scribed to fit it, but it usually is better

to cut both pieces, or perhaps several at a time, as shown in

Figure 3, even though it wastes material. Thus, the three diE-

[69]


35/38

[erent pieces of veneer being cut in Figure S may be for the

two doves and the background shown in Figure 2. After the

three different kinds of wood had been copesawed alike, to the

M arq uetry

[70]

correct outlines of the different parts of the picture except the

perch, a piece of one veneer would be selected for one dove,

another from the second kind of veneer for the other dove, and

the piece for the background from the third piece of veneer.

After the several parts had been glued to a plywood back, the

piece for the perch could be cut out by scribing. The feathers

could be suggested by knife-scored lines or with saw kerfs.

Often expensive plywood c~tn be saved by making parts not

to be used of some of the layers of cheaper plywood or even

cardboard of the same thickness.

The most satisfactory cutting can be done with a fine jeweler’s

saw, because it cuts a very narrow kerr. Also,. a jeweler’s saw

has no loop or pin on its end and, therefore, can be started

through a small awl or drilled hole. Where a coarse coping saw

has to be used, the piec6s can be cut with a taper as suggested in

Figure 4. This is especially easy where the stock is thick and

the worker must saw his own veneer.

Sometimes it is practical to make wide saw kerfs a part of

the design as in the monogram in Figure 1. Parts of these letters

are wide sawed lines which are filled with lamp black and paste

filler after the pieces have been glued on, giving an effect such

as artists often achieve by outlining colored elements of a

conventional picture with heavily inked lines.

Where thin veneer is used, the pieces should be assembled by

sticking them on the [ace side to a sheet of paper, and then

gluing the whole assembly at one time to the backing, using cold

glue and a veneer press or its equivalent.

Where unusual colors are required by the design, minor parts

can be stained after gluing, scraping, and sanding.

Sand paper should not be used for leveling the surface, be-

cause the softer woods will cut faster than the harder, and the

glue joints will cut very little, if at’ all. A cabinet scraper should

be used very carefully, and sanding should be done very lightly

with paper glued to a carefully leveled block. The entire

surface should be touched up by stroking each piece lengthways

of the grain with a roiled piece of the finest sandpaper.

[71 ]


36/38

Wonde~ ’ful texture effects often can be produ ced by selecting

pieces fo r their texture and grain.

Occasionally foreground figures are overlaid, making a relief

the thickness of the veneer. It gives perspective and is easy to

do, by sim ply gluing the pieces ov er the inlaid backg round.

The frontispiece in this book is a fine exam ple of w hat can be

done in marqu et ry .

GEOMETRICAL OR CHIP CARVING

When m anual t ra ining had deve loped in our scho ols b eyond

the joint stage to inclu de interest and art co nsiderations , every

young craftsman learned to ornament his work with geometrical

carving. Now , howev er, the author learns with som e surprise

that many students and m ost hom e craf tsm en know nothing of

the possibilities of ornamenting wo od by this interesting m ethod.

In the accom panying drawing enough designs are shown to

give a beginner a variety from which to make his choice for his

first efforts. With a s heet of cross-sectioned pap er, or a drawing

board, endless variations can be worked out.

A really striking effect can be produced by sealing and

paint ing the wood and then carving throu gh the painted sur-

face . The woo d m ust be w el l sea led and the pa int worked thin

and then shellacked or v arnished over all . How ever, i t is better

to begin carving on unfinished wood.

The designs shou ld be laid out on the wo od with a pencil and

a T beve l o r dra f ting t r iang le s . C are m us t be t aken t o ins u re

that the corners wo rk out evenly, or can be turned at all without

changing the design.

The carving can be done w i th a pock et or bench kni fe , bu t

i t is m uch easier wi th a carver’s skew c hise l or a regular chip-

carving knife. The author has made a very acceptable knife by

grinding a broken ki tchen knife to a chisel end skew ed abou t

30 degrees from the normal cutting edge of a chisel.

The cuts are all made triangular, from ¼ to ~ inch on a

side. First, two sides are cut dow n as show n in the Typical Cu t

in the drawing, and then the bo t tom i s pared out w i th a s ingle

cu t; three cuts to a triangle.

[72]

Geom etr ical or C hi p C arving

[73]


37/38

I N D E X

Author s inventions. 14,

42. 43, 49, 5

°,

5

t,

52. 53, 6o, 64, 65

Ball puzzle, six-piece, 51, 52

B a n d s a w p r o b l e m s , 1 o , 5

o,

5

t,

52, 69, 7

o,

7

t

Built-up square 17

Built-up trapezoid 16

Built-up turned work 67

Burrs . 3

°

. 3

t,

32, 33. 34, 35, 36’ 37

Carl~enter’s knots, 3o. 3

t.

32. 33, 34, 35,

38 . 37

Carving. 72. 73

Checker boards and similar g-ames, 13, ~9,

2~.

22. 23, 64, 65

Chestnut Burr 36, 37

Cocklebur, 53, 54

Concentric spheres 41, 42. 43

Counter[eit machine

62. 63

Cross-barred ball cage, 4

o,

4~

Cross, double, 30; eighteen-piece, 3

t,

32

Cutler, A. B.. 29

Cut-up checherboard 13

Dice , enchanted . 39

Disappearing coin device 61 6

~-

Dominoes, 64. 65

Doable cross 3

°

Double-dooble dovetail ~oint 26 ~7

Dra[tsman s dream, 5

o,

5

t

Eighteen-piece double cross 3

t

32

Enchanted dice 39

E pa==le, 48

F.scott. E. B.. contributions b~’, 8, 18

Fake pop gun.

59

Fit-together puzzles, 9, 1o, 11. ~3, 14, 15,

16, ~7, 18. 26. 27, 28, 29, 3

°

, 3

t,

32,

33. 34, 35, 43, 44. 45, 46’ 47, 48’ 49.

5

°.

51, 52, 53, 68, 69, 7

°

. 7

l

Fhmting magnet

54

Fore and a[t °.2. 23

Furniture, miniature, to. at. 37, 38

Gained-area problem, ~8

Quadruplc burr

32, 33

Rice, Robert E., contributimas by, 8, 56,

57

Rope border 68, 69

Games for two or more, 19, 64, 65

Games. solitaire. 19, 2~. 22, 23, 24. -05

Geomet~qcal or chip carving 72, 73

Hallock, Dr. L. K., contributions by, 7,

~3, 3 9

Hoaxes, 54, 58’ 59. 61, 62. 63, 65, 66

J ig saw prob lems . ~o . 5

o,

51, 5

~

69, 7

o

7

t

Jigsaw puzzle, three-dimension, it, 12

Joints, 26. 27. ...8. 29. 3

°

. 31. 32, 33, 34,

35, 48, 49. 5

°.

5

t,

52, 6o. 61, 68, 69, 7

t

Kittsley, Harold J., contributions by, 8, 48

Knife problems, 4

°

, 41. 43, 44, 4:3, 46,

47, 48. 49. 50, 51, 52. 53, 54, 58. 72 ̄73

Lie Detector

58

Lost area

18

Marble game hoard, solitaire, ~9

Marbles in a nmze ~.o 21

Marqueto , fi9, 7

O,

7

t

Mathematical problem. ~8

Miter-box problems. 14, 15, 16. 17, 18

Mvsterioas block, .56, 57

Nest o[ toys to. ~1

O’Connor . Mort imer . H. , contr ib t t t ions by ,

7. 9, 26. ~7,

30

Oil-soaked wood prohlems. 5o, 51, 5a

Phillips. A.. W., contributions by, 7, 17

Plugged bottle. 60 61

l’lw~’ood problems, ~3, 14, ~5, 16, t

7,

18

Pdp gun. fake, 59.

Puzzling constructtoos, ’,6, 27. 28, 29, 41,

42. 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 5

°

51,

52, 54, 55, 56 57, 58, 6o, 65, 66, 68,

Pyrantid, 9


38/38

Scissors 46. 47

Shuffle box number,

one , ,0 -

4.

-05

Shuffle box number two 0.

5

Six-piece ball puzzle 51. 5

o.

Six-pointed star ~4

Snowflake. 34. 35

Solitaire checkerboard, 0.~, -00.

Solitaire games, ~9, 0.~, 0.2. 0.3. 0.4- -°5

Solitaire marble game board. ~9

Squaring triangles t

5

Star, six-pointed. ~4

Steamed-wood construction, 48

String puz:le

65 . 66

Tetrahedron or triangular pyramid. 9

Three-dimension jigsaw puz.~le 3 ~ t2

Thomason, Thomas. contributions by, 8,

3~, 3

-0.

33. 54. 5:5

[76 J

Toy chair 37, 38

Toy furniture, to

Trapezoid, built-up. ~6

Triangles. squaring. ~5

Triaflgular pyranfid. 9

Triple dm~etail puzzle 0.8. -09

Turned problems. -0~. 4~. 4-0. 43- 5~. 5-0-

6o , 61 , 6-0 . 67

Whittling problems, 4

o.

4~. 43, 44. 45,

46, 47,

48, 49, 5

°.

5~, 5-0. 53, 54. 58,

70., 73

Wilson, Clyde E., contributions by, 8.

34, "35

Wooden pliers 43. 44, 45

49

Wright, H. H.. contribution by. -0. 8

wonders in wood by edwin mather wyatt

Documents