Mame 14-step box
A new week starts today. Until yesterday, it was extremely hot again, with record-breaking temperatures day after day. The forecast says the weather will finally start to cool down this week, and I’m really hoping for that. But today is still very hot 😂
Today, I worked on finishing 3-sun puzzle boxes that I’ve been making since last week. Next, I will add decorations to the box with lettering, so I can’t send it for painting yet. That will probably be tomorrow.
This time, I decided to use only lettering for the design. The box features the always-popular characters “Zen” and “Shinobi,” along with the word “Himitsubako,” arranged in a more random pattern. I’m not sure how customers will feel about the “Himitsubako” lettering, but maybe it can be seen as a little experimental attempt.
Besides that, today I also worked on making Mame puzzle boxes. This one is a 14-steps puzzle box, so I prepared the Aruki panels (moving panels) for it. This box uses standard Aruki panels with a thickness of 4.3 mm. The same 4.3 mm panels are also used for the 4-steps and 10-steps versions, but the shapes of the Aruki are different. For the 14-steps version, the 4.3 mm panel is cut into three layers to create a staircase-like mechanism. By the way, the 10-steps version has two layers.
This time, I applied some traditional yosegi marquetry, so the top and bottom panels will both be finished in the traditional yosegi style. For the side panels, there will be two variations: one using traditional yosegi, and the other using solid wood (Ho). I plan to sell them as nested sets as well.
By the way, I realized that I’m running short of gift boxes for the mame puzzle boxes, so I’ll need to place an order. The decorative boxes are made by only a few small workshops in this region, which have long specialized in making souvenir boxes. Most of them are family-run, almost like cottage industries. They always produce beautiful boxes quickly and efficiently, and I’m truly grateful for their work.
Today, I worked on finishing 3-sun puzzle boxes that I’ve been making since last week. Next, I will add decorations to the box with lettering, so I can’t send it for painting yet. That will probably be tomorrow.
This time, I decided to use only lettering for the design. The box features the always-popular characters “Zen” and “Shinobi,” along with the word “Himitsubako,” arranged in a more random pattern. I’m not sure how customers will feel about the “Himitsubako” lettering, but maybe it can be seen as a little experimental attempt.
Besides that, today I also worked on making Mame puzzle boxes. This one is a 14-steps puzzle box, so I prepared the Aruki panels (moving panels) for it. This box uses standard Aruki panels with a thickness of 4.3 mm. The same 4.3 mm panels are also used for the 4-steps and 10-steps versions, but the shapes of the Aruki are different. For the 14-steps version, the 4.3 mm panel is cut into three layers to create a staircase-like mechanism. By the way, the 10-steps version has two layers.
This time, I applied some traditional yosegi marquetry, so the top and bottom panels will both be finished in the traditional yosegi style. For the side panels, there will be two variations: one using traditional yosegi, and the other using solid wood (Ho). I plan to sell them as nested sets as well.
By the way, I realized that I’m running short of gift boxes for the mame puzzle boxes, so I’ll need to place an order. The decorative boxes are made by only a few small workshops in this region, which have long specialized in making souvenir boxes. Most of them are family-run, almost like cottage industries. They always produce beautiful boxes quickly and efficiently, and I’m truly grateful for their work.
