next »

[Canuck]

Here's a sneak peak at Robert's next puzzlebox

[Robert Yarger]

OK, I am definately not good at taking pictures, and I even had to have John's help just to figure out how reduce thier size to post them.  The pictures are "washed out" and I have not even lacquered or waxed the box in the picutre yet.  I figure that everyone will have to wait until they are posted for sale to get any decent pics.  Still, it has been so long since I have shown any of you guys what I have been working on, that I figured the time had come.

I finally see the light at the end of the tunnel on this project, and I will never again make 60 of any complex puzzle again.  Just too much of a hassle and too many days between paychecks.  I also feel a bit rushed and don't do under such circumstances.

These have approx 50 moves in order to get into 2 drawers.   I have about 1/2 assembled and a few completely finished.  I was going to name them the "tri-not" or the "try-knot", but have not decided if any of you have an opinion. 

From the pictures you can see how it works.  Each drawer is blocked by 2 frames.  In order to move the frames and open the drawers, you have to follow the maze patterns on the outside.  When you progress forward in any one maze panel, you mess up your progress on other maze panels.  (A bit like the Beast Box in application, but still different enough to call unique). 

Oh and they are made from wenge, yellowheart, bloodwood - and a choice of either leopardwood or cocobolo.

[Canuck]

I never got a chance to tell you Robert, those look FANTASTIC, and can't wait to see them on the website   Very well done brother!!!!
By the way what size are they?

[Robert Yarger]

Thanks for the compliments.  I am not 100% satisfied with them, but I suppose that I have yet to make a box that I feel is entirely perfect.  Still, they work quite well, seem to be rugged, blance perfectly in thier closed position, and acheive the the basic concept that I originally envisioned.

By the way, thanks for putting the pics on for me.

5.5" x 4.5" x 3.5"

[Matthew Dawson]

Robert,

  Very nice 

  Can one "program" the box to a different setting once the puzzle is solved?

Have any major issues with the cocobolo?

Looks like that carve wright machine helped a lot with the grooves. 

No inlays or decoration , perhaps a 3-d knot?

Other names-
 How about------
Triad Knot or Triad Entanglement... Tri entanglment
or Trefoil Knot

[Canuck]

Other names-
 How about------Trefoil Knot

That name's been used in a puzzle before, I had one made by Interlocking Puzzles designed by Wayne Daniel's daughter Laurie

Robert, you've really packed a lot of puzzlebox into a small package, WELL DONE!!  Once again you've outdone yourself, I keep thinking you'll never top your latest box and then you do it again, over and over....amazing!!!!

[Peter Wiltshire]

Incredible!!! Wow! another amazing design. Thanks for sharing the photo's, and thanks for KNOT entering this puzzle box into this years IPP competition    This looks like it could give a puzzler some serious work to getting open.  In regards to names why shorten triple to tri?  Triple Knot also works, but both forms are cool.  Great job Robert!

[Canuck]

Incredible!!! Wow! In regards to names why shorten triple to tri?

That's a good point Peter, I really had no idea Robert was reffering to 'Triple' I kinda' thought it was a play on the word 'Try'   I'll have to give the name a little more thought now

[Canuck]

How about; The 'Beast' Not   

[Robert Yarger]

I was thinking of a play on words, but in retrospect, it is something that is difficult to get unless you look at both possible names.  IF you don't have both possible names in front of you, you just assume that I miss-spelled one part or the other.

Matt, the cocobolo did give me some greif, but they were surprisingly stable after they all go glued together.

[Peter Wiltshire]

Hmmmm I assumed you meant Triple, because of the 3 Knots around the box.  Wow it works on so many levels.......

[Johan Heyns]

Very very nice Robert. 

What about "Knot³"?

[jstrayer]

Excellent work Robert (as usual).

Let's wax mathematical for a moment.  I infer from the pictures that the three trivial knots on the outside (collectively called a link) are such that, if any one were removed, the other two would remain linked.  The union of these two linked trivial knots is called a Hopf-link.  So what you have here is the Tri-Hopf-link Maze Box.

If it were the case that removal of any of the trivial knots caused the other two to be unlinked, you would have the well-known Borromean rings encircling (er, ensquaring) the box ... the Borromean Box!

Now that I have sucked all the fun out of this, I will shut up (grin).  Off to the IPP ...

[Matthew Dawson]

How about the "Stickman Non-Warped Cocobolo 50 Move with a tri thingy around the Box"   

[Johan Heyns]

Matthew

That sound like the names Salvador Dali used for his paintings!!

It does have a certain appeal though.