Integrated structure
The heat is getting more intense day by day. Today, it's around 36 degrees in our area. Some places in Japan are already reaching about 40 degrees. According to the weather forecast, this week is going to be especially hot.
Today, I'm continuing the work on the 3-sun 18-steps puzzle boxes, which is an order from an overseas shop. I'm also working on making the 2-sun cube boxes.
This 2-sun cube is made a little differently from usual. The difference is that the side panels of the internal structure and the outer panels (which in this case are made of natural Agathis wood, though sometimes I use panels with yosegi marquetry sheets) are already attached from the beginning — it's an integrated structure. However, not the whole box is integrated, only the side panels. So I'm not sure if "integrated" is the perfect word to describe it... haha😅
Why is it made this way? There are two main reasons: one is that it improves the precision of the box, and the other — which is also very important — is that it helps reduce production steps. Attaching the outer panels to the inner structure afterward takes a lot of time. But if they’re already attached from the start, that whole step can be skipped.
Also, as I mentioned, precision is a big factor. Since every step of making the box is done by hand, it's impossible to match the exact precision of machines. Sometimes, there can be tiny shifts or angles that aren’t perfectly straight. But when it comes to these integrated side panels, those issues disappear. I can apply the outer panels in exactly the same way for every box. It's hard to explain in words, but when holding or working on the box during the process, I can really feel the difference in precision.
I came up with this method about 15 years ago. At that time, I was making far more boxes than I do now, so I was trying to find more efficient ways to build them. Later on, as I started making fewer boxes, I stopped using this method and went back to the step-by-step approach. But this time, to produce this box at a lower cost, I'm using the integrated method again. I also plan to use it for a few more products in the future. It works best for smaller boxes, so I’ll probably use it for 3-sun and 2-sun boxes.
Oh — that reminds me — the Mame puzzle box (1-sun/mini) has always been made using this method. In the very beginning, I used to attach each side panel by hand, one by one. But since I always produce a lot of mame boxes, I’ve continued using the integrated structure for them ever since.
Today, I'm continuing the work on the 3-sun 18-steps puzzle boxes, which is an order from an overseas shop. I'm also working on making the 2-sun cube boxes.
This 2-sun cube is made a little differently from usual. The difference is that the side panels of the internal structure and the outer panels (which in this case are made of natural Agathis wood, though sometimes I use panels with yosegi marquetry sheets) are already attached from the beginning — it's an integrated structure. However, not the whole box is integrated, only the side panels. So I'm not sure if "integrated" is the perfect word to describe it... haha😅
Why is it made this way? There are two main reasons: one is that it improves the precision of the box, and the other — which is also very important — is that it helps reduce production steps. Attaching the outer panels to the inner structure afterward takes a lot of time. But if they’re already attached from the start, that whole step can be skipped.
Also, as I mentioned, precision is a big factor. Since every step of making the box is done by hand, it's impossible to match the exact precision of machines. Sometimes, there can be tiny shifts or angles that aren’t perfectly straight. But when it comes to these integrated side panels, those issues disappear. I can apply the outer panels in exactly the same way for every box. It's hard to explain in words, but when holding or working on the box during the process, I can really feel the difference in precision.
I came up with this method about 15 years ago. At that time, I was making far more boxes than I do now, so I was trying to find more efficient ways to build them. Later on, as I started making fewer boxes, I stopped using this method and went back to the step-by-step approach. But this time, to produce this box at a lower cost, I'm using the integrated method again. I also plan to use it for a few more products in the future. It works best for smaller boxes, so I’ll probably use it for 3-sun and 2-sun boxes.
Oh — that reminds me — the Mame puzzle box (1-sun/mini) has always been made using this method. In the very beginning, I used to attach each side panel by hand, one by one. But since I always produce a lot of mame boxes, I’ve continued using the integrated structure for them ever since.
