Small kannuki panels
It’s Friday today, but in Japan many companies will begin their Obon holiday tomorrow. During this period, many people return to their hometowns or go on trips. While Obon is a traditional event in Japan, this time of year is also the peak of the summer heat, so for many, it’s also a chance to take a break from work and rest. Starting tonight, trains and highways will begin to get crowded as people head out, and then again late next week when everyone returns home.
Today, I mainly worked on making the 2-sun boxes with the 7-step mechanism. I made the Aruki panels, attached them, and then glued on the top and bottom panels. For this batch, all the top and bottom panels are made with traditional yosegi designs. The overseas shop order is for a combination of traditional yosegi and walnut wood, but I’m also making a few extra for myself using Agathis wood for the side panels. The photo shows me attaching the top and bottom panels.
The gluing process here is a little different from the usual method, so the way I apply the glue is also different. Instead of holding them in place with rubber bands as I usually do, I use a jig made to fit the 2-sun size and lightly press them together with a clamp.
It’s been a while since I last made a 2-sun box, but the challenge comes next — attaching the Kannuki panels (slide keys). The 2-sun box has a low height, second only to the Mame puzzle box (about 1-sun), which means the gluing surface area is quite small. Since the Kannuki panels are divided into three parts, the glue must be applied in a thin line to avoid the pieces sticking together. This makes the work a bit tricky and requires careful attention.
Even without the Obon holiday, starting tomorrow we have a three-day weekend in Japan, thanks to a public holiday on Monday. I’ll probably continue some work during this time, including making these Kannuki panels.
Wishing you a great weekend!
Today, I mainly worked on making the 2-sun boxes with the 7-step mechanism. I made the Aruki panels, attached them, and then glued on the top and bottom panels. For this batch, all the top and bottom panels are made with traditional yosegi designs. The overseas shop order is for a combination of traditional yosegi and walnut wood, but I’m also making a few extra for myself using Agathis wood for the side panels. The photo shows me attaching the top and bottom panels.
The gluing process here is a little different from the usual method, so the way I apply the glue is also different. Instead of holding them in place with rubber bands as I usually do, I use a jig made to fit the 2-sun size and lightly press them together with a clamp.
It’s been a while since I last made a 2-sun box, but the challenge comes next — attaching the Kannuki panels (slide keys). The 2-sun box has a low height, second only to the Mame puzzle box (about 1-sun), which means the gluing surface area is quite small. Since the Kannuki panels are divided into three parts, the glue must be applied in a thin line to avoid the pieces sticking together. This makes the work a bit tricky and requires careful attention.
Even without the Obon holiday, starting tomorrow we have a three-day weekend in Japan, thanks to a public holiday on Monday. I’ll probably continue some work during this time, including making these Kannuki panels.
Wishing you a great weekend!
