# Making puzzles, looking for a jig idea



## kweinert (Jun 29, 2009)

Well, actually, I *have* a jig idea, just wondering if it's a good idea or not.

I was lucky enough to pick up some wood over the weekend and since some of it is too thin for the puzzles I've done so far, I was going to try my hand at making one of these:

http://www.mathematische-basteleien.de/cube_its.htm

(sorry, you'll have to copy/paste that URL yourself - I've not posted quite enough yet 

I'll be using 1/2" oak.

Here's my thought on this. Eventually, if this works OK and looks good (and the guy lets me make them) I'll want to be making more than one at a time. I planned on making blanks (2 1/2" square) and double face taping them together. Then I'll use a dado set to just under 1/2" (how much under?) to do the majority of the hogging out of material, then run them over the router to finish them up and get clean edges.

Now, for repeatability: My thought was to set the fence 2 1/4 inches from the center of the blade/bit and then use 1/2" spacers against the fence to push the pieces out and align with the next position that material will be removed from.

A couple of questions:

1) should I set up with a set of 1/2" spacers and "stack" them or have an individual spacer for each distance?
2) as you can see from piece #1, at some point I end up with just the center 1/2" touching the table. This seems like an opportunity to get some tipping and material removed from the wrong place. I thought that if I made my spacers 1/2" wide but 3" tall then there's always be at least 2 points of contact.

Does any of this seem reasonable?

Other thoughts from people with more experience? Any advice is greatly appreciated.


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## jennofarc (Apr 21, 2005)

"2) as you can see from piece #1, at some point I end up with just the center 1/2" touching the table. This seems like an opportunity to get some tipping and material removed from the wrong place."

you could always double stick tape a spacer to one of the areas previously removed when you make your final passes.


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## dirkost (Jul 8, 2009)

Hi Ho Ken: What a cool puzzle....and complete with mathematical solutions. I think the only way to produce any quantity of these things is with a set of jigs that will hold them in place. Now the question is how to produce the fixtures.

It is also cool that the inventer is also a Dirk (my name). He is undoubedly Dutch even if the web site is German. Haben Sie schon Gelegenheit gehapt diese Figuren herzustellen?

Schoene Gruesse, Dirk


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## kweinert (Jun 29, 2009)

That does bring up a question about tape - as in, what tape is good tape.

I know that scotch double stick isn't any good (not strong enough) but the carpet tape I've seen seems to leave a residue.

So, is there some other tape or do I just need to sort out how to clean off the residue? 

Thanks.


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