4-steps aruki panels
This morning, the weather was clear and the humidity had dropped, so I worked on making the Aruki panels (moving panels) for the square Knock box.
For today, I focused on the section starting from the second move, which is almost the same as the standard 4-steps mechanism.In this box's mechanism, an extra step is added at what would normally be the first move, making it a total of five steps. Finding that first move is a bit tricky. After that, it opens just like a standard 4-steps mechanism.
The 4-steps mechanism has a relatively simple structure, but building it requires some technique. Since the mechanism works by panels sliding against each other, getting the fit between those panels just right takes experience.
Of course, a precise fit is important, but if the fit is too tight, the movement won’t be smooth. While not every part needs it, a very small amount of clearance is necessary in certain areas. It's the balance between those slightly loose-fitting areas and the tightly fitting ones that allows the mechanism to move smoothly.
This is especially important for mechanisms built inside the box, like in this case. If there’s too much clearance, the parts become wobbly, so getting the balance just right is crucial. In Japanese, we sometimes refer to this small amount of clearance as “asobi" in our area. If translated directly into English, it means "play". In this box, there are two areas where I’ve intentionally added this asobi. And to help the sliding parts move more easily, I also chamfer the edges where needed.
Although the mechanism may look simple, if you just build it by measuring and cutting to exact dimensions, it won’t function well. After all, wood is not a naturally slippery material.
After that, I attached a magnet to one of the completed Aruki panels. This magnet is fixed to the wood using a special adhesive, but since the glue takes time to dry, it needs to be left overnight. Once it’s fully set, the panel will be attached to the box body. The other internal panel (The panel that connects with the magnet) will be made after these Aruki panels are in place.
Wishing you a great weekend!
For today, I focused on the section starting from the second move, which is almost the same as the standard 4-steps mechanism.In this box's mechanism, an extra step is added at what would normally be the first move, making it a total of five steps. Finding that first move is a bit tricky. After that, it opens just like a standard 4-steps mechanism.
The 4-steps mechanism has a relatively simple structure, but building it requires some technique. Since the mechanism works by panels sliding against each other, getting the fit between those panels just right takes experience.
Of course, a precise fit is important, but if the fit is too tight, the movement won’t be smooth. While not every part needs it, a very small amount of clearance is necessary in certain areas. It's the balance between those slightly loose-fitting areas and the tightly fitting ones that allows the mechanism to move smoothly.
This is especially important for mechanisms built inside the box, like in this case. If there’s too much clearance, the parts become wobbly, so getting the balance just right is crucial. In Japanese, we sometimes refer to this small amount of clearance as “asobi" in our area. If translated directly into English, it means "play". In this box, there are two areas where I’ve intentionally added this asobi. And to help the sliding parts move more easily, I also chamfer the edges where needed.
Although the mechanism may look simple, if you just build it by measuring and cutting to exact dimensions, it won’t function well. After all, wood is not a naturally slippery material.
After that, I attached a magnet to one of the completed Aruki panels. This magnet is fixed to the wood using a special adhesive, but since the glue takes time to dry, it needs to be left overnight. Once it’s fully set, the panel will be attached to the box body. The other internal panel (The panel that connects with the magnet) will be made after these Aruki panels are in place.
Wishing you a great weekend!
