Top panels of cube box
Today, the weather was unusual, with a mix of sun and clouds. It rained for a short while in the afternoon, probably due to the typhoon. The temperature is high (around 34°C), but because it’s mostly cloudy, it feels a little easier to spend the day.
Today, I finished the final steps of the Mame puzzle boxes I’ve been working on throughout the week. Next, I will move on to painting them. This time, I’m making 14-step boxes, and I expect to finish about 90 of them. All of these are orders from the Hakone market.
For small boxes like the Mame puzzle box, which have thin outer panels, I apply a thinner coat of paint. If I paint them as thickly as I would with larger boxes, the mechanism can stick together and even break when trying to unstick it. The structure is more delicate, so I cannot handle them the same way as other boxes. Still, painting is very important to protect the box from humidity and dryness, so I have to be careful to apply it properly. Finding the right balance is quite difficult.
After that, I made and attached the top and bottom panels of the 2-sun cube 7-step puzzle boxes. I plan to add these boxes to my overseas retail and wholesale lineup as well. I made a larger number of traditional yosegi-style panels this time for that reason. However, I also made around 10 pieces with natural solid-wood panels, like the ones in the photos. Once they are painted, the colors will stand out beautifully.
Recently, the production of traditional yosegi has slowed down a lot, and the available quantity is decreasing. I spoke with the craftsman today, and he told me that the pace is even slower than before. At this rate, I may have to stop wholesaling my 5-sun yosegi boxes (which are covered with traditional yosegi on all sides). There simply won’t be enough yosegi sheets to supply for wholesale. I might have to sell them only at retail in the future, and the price might go up a bit. I’ll do my best to keep making them as much as possible.
Wishing you a nice weekend!
Today, I finished the final steps of the Mame puzzle boxes I’ve been working on throughout the week. Next, I will move on to painting them. This time, I’m making 14-step boxes, and I expect to finish about 90 of them. All of these are orders from the Hakone market.
For small boxes like the Mame puzzle box, which have thin outer panels, I apply a thinner coat of paint. If I paint them as thickly as I would with larger boxes, the mechanism can stick together and even break when trying to unstick it. The structure is more delicate, so I cannot handle them the same way as other boxes. Still, painting is very important to protect the box from humidity and dryness, so I have to be careful to apply it properly. Finding the right balance is quite difficult.
After that, I made and attached the top and bottom panels of the 2-sun cube 7-step puzzle boxes. I plan to add these boxes to my overseas retail and wholesale lineup as well. I made a larger number of traditional yosegi-style panels this time for that reason. However, I also made around 10 pieces with natural solid-wood panels, like the ones in the photos. Once they are painted, the colors will stand out beautifully.
Recently, the production of traditional yosegi has slowed down a lot, and the available quantity is decreasing. I spoke with the craftsman today, and he told me that the pace is even slower than before. At this rate, I may have to stop wholesaling my 5-sun yosegi boxes (which are covered with traditional yosegi on all sides). There simply won’t be enough yosegi sheets to supply for wholesale. I might have to sell them only at retail in the future, and the price might go up a bit. I’ll do my best to keep making them as much as possible.
Wishing you a nice weekend!
