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[Peter Wiltshire]

Hello Ron,

One word of caution in regards to incorporating an electronic pen shocker in your puzzle box.  I have seen the pen used on several people, and there immediate reaction is to catapult the pen into the air when they receive the shock, not something you may want your puzzle box to experience    Although I love the idea 

[Robert Yarger]

Ok, even more nasty is the shocker in the lighter that Stephen recommended (Stephen, you are just playing mean now).  We played with one once for a while.  IF you touch it to your skin and push the button, it gives a nice shock, but if you press too hard and actually have that pointy tip pierce the skin just a bit prior to pressing the button, it will lay you out completely, and in one instance a guy I know pee'd his pants.  Be careful with that one.

[Ron Locke]

Peter, I quite agree with you. I can just see my box sailing through the air. My formal backgroung is in electronics. I can remember picking up a charged capacitor once and it lit me up. It was just a small one, a large one could really do some harm.
My dad was a TV technician and was working on a TV at someones house. The owner had a dog that kept growling and trying to nip him at the heals. After about 15 minuts of that, my dad charged up a small capaictor and tossed it across the floor. The dog took after it like a T-bone steak. When he picked it up he got a surprize. My dad said he let out a yelp and ran out of the room. Cruel but funny.

[Canuck]

Okay in a similar situation Ron, I once had an invisible dog fence set-up that used a charged collar that would give the dog a shock in the event they attempted to cross the barrier...well, every once in a while I'd walk through the charged fence line with the collar and get zapped!!  Needless to say the collar used to go flying, once that would happen

[Robert Yarger]

John,  Had the same exact fence.  My dog would get a running start and shoot past the underground wire, yelp with a quick burst of pain and then disappear into the woods for days.  When he would finally come back he was not as excited, and would wait outside the parameter until I came to get him.  The fence did nothing but keep my dog out.  I took it back to the store for a refund.

[Stephen Chin]

Hmmmmm, well guys, if I am going to incorporate a shocker in a puzzle, I'd tone it down just enough to get your attention, either a small cap or a variable pot. Big zaps I reserve for puzzle forum moderators and judges!

Give me 6 months till I'm  Tri'd  out (get it! ) making 100 Chinnys, I'll make one puzzle with it in it.

Was toying with 'Bing Bong!, someone at the door' with Robert, a house  box with a metal door knob  that opens after a series of movements with a brass knocker, bell ringer, bell switch etc . Right combo, turn knob , door opens with music and flashings (ofcourse) and inside message saying "well done cobber!". Wrong combo and turn knob,,,,ZAP,,,  Whatdoyoureckon??

Don't hold your breath thou, I tinker more than I do, promises, promises,,,

[Ron Locke]

Steven, I have got to agree with Peter, if you got an unsuspected shock from the device in your hands, you would likely throw the unit in the air and then it would hit the floor. I can think of a prankster friend of mine that I would like to send a shocking package to.

[Robert Yarger]

See, I was just thinking of using electronics as a relay for a magnetic lock release.  You guys are talking about making a lawsuit box.  Why not just make a coffin puzzlebox so that you can toss the dead body in once it kills them.

I will mention that although mean, we used to charge up capacitors in electronics class and toss them at people to catch.

[Ron Locke]

Robert, did I once read about you using magnets, little powerful ones in your puzzle boxes? I came across a package of magnets in Walmart that were only 3/8" dia. but would suck the chrome of a Chevy bumper. I was thinking how I might use them in a puzzle box.

[Stephen Chin]

zzzz what! magnets in puzzles??, someone mention my name<<<<

Seriously, both Football Downunder and Woo Tuck Fook incorporates magnets, differcult to explain without the puzzles in the hand. WTF has magnetic locks, NN and NS, releasing the threaded lid, also air pistons have weak magnets holding them top and bottom.Blowing dislodges the bottom and the top magnets  nowhold the pistons in place  and unlocks 2nd mechanism FD uses magnets to lock the pins and stop the sliding panels moving too much, till you  tap them loose

One day if we meet, I'll show you them. Try getting the 1/8 inch or 3 mm rods, I have a stack of 400, so makes me use them somehow , otherwise wasted

"Yankee out!!", my imaginary tooth puzzle not yet build will use  rods linked in the centres , pull correct combo various  strings / nerves, magnets will rotate n or s
will release the lid that has set magnets glued to it. If they all repels, lid will bounce out.Otherwise some of the magnet portions will attract and lid stays put. Theme is you open the tooth box lid with pulling strings, like doin  root canal.
Not a popular name to IPP comp, especally in SF this year, , maybe next year. Ofcourse it flashes!!

Yeah, I'm full of it,,,hope these ramblings helps

[Robert Yarger]

For a while, I used magnets so much that I eventually got tired of them.  Those fortunate to have one of the few magic tile lock boxes used 4 magnets embedded in removable wooden tiles, and you had to stick the tiles in the correct order on the front of the box to unlatch the box. 

The No 4 puzzlebox uses disk magnets that lift up slightly/diagonally and disengage moving panels when another magnet is in the same proximity.   

Mostly, rod magnets make perfect locks that are also easy to incorportate.  You just drill a 1/8" hole, drop in a small disc magnet, then a rod magnet going in the opposite polarity.  This works like a spring, and the bar magnet will stick out of the hole part way and can engage a hole drilled on an opposite moving panel.  You can make the bar magnet lock engage or disengage by the position of other magnets above, below, or on the side of it.  There are a million applications.

Eric also uses magnets frequently in his puzzleboxes, but with slightly different applications.  I won't mention how he uses his becasue it is not my place to give away any of his secrets, but you can be creative with magents and they are fun to play with.

I highly recommend getting some 3/4" x 1/8 diameter rod magnets to play with, as they have the most applications in locking mechanisms.  If you want to use disc magnets, you should call me as they are a bit more complex to use in applications. 

In my personal taste, I use magnets only to accent the solution to a puzzle (e.g. the puzzle can still be solved by the deduction of its moving parts.)  Eric likes to use magnets in a more pronounced way and give very little clue as to how the internal magnets work to open a puzzle.  Both methods appeal to different kinds of puzzle sleuths, so there is really no wrong way to use magnets.

Oh, Eric hates K&J magnets, but they did have a little kit for around $50 that allows a magnetic ball to float several inches in the air.  For a unique puzzle, it would be interesting to have a ball floating over the lid of a puzzle, and its removal would activate internal latches.  I never followed up on it, as I hated to spend $50 for each puzzlebox, but you might find an application for it.   

Oh, and any puzzle that uses magnets will probably stop working in a few hundred years as they do lose strength over time.  I know it sounds like overkill, but when I use magnets now, I always provide a way to have them changed out.  The checkmate puzzlebox used magnets to move chess pieces on the board, and also as the releases for the two drawers.  I went to extra lenghts to make the top and base so that they can come off and they can be replaced.  I also used hot glue to secure them so that they can be easily removed, but you have to use a glue gun on a low heat setting, as heat will kill a magnet fast.     

[Ron Locke]

After reading Steven's comments and Robert's comments I don't feel quite as nuts as I thought I was. I would love to talk to you Steven but don't have a phone number. I do have Robert's number and I will call him and pick his brain. Steven, I thought you had some very unusual ideas. Especially in the electronics area. That is my old profession. I would like to discuss this further with you.

[Robert Yarger]

We are all brother's of the electron.  I have two years training in electronics, but fell a bit short of electrical engineering degree.  Still, Stephen is the way to go for electronics, as he actively uses it in puzzles.  I think he going to be long distance however.  Stephen, if you do give out your phone number, be sure to do it by private e-mail, as you don't want just anyone to have it.

[Stephen Chin]

OK, I have zip trainning in electronics, I just tinker
Get a Gadget and somehow incorporate it into the puzzle
Somedays you get lucky, most things just evolves.
Sorry for the dissapointment,and thanks for the ego elevating jibs
but the dentist always tells the tooth

Little things amuses little minds, and mines the smallest as they come.. Thats why I like them puzzles to flash. Primodial instinct to attract and follow the light ie it gets your attention first

Ron, you have my email address, best we talk this way
9 out of 10 you won't find me available in Aussie land
My nurse screens all calls, and leaves me alone in the backroom playing puzzles
No doublt we will meet one day and yakka

Robert, you sure know your magnets, make one that levitates then opens, and make breakfast. Now thats a winner

[Eric Fuller]

Heh, I find it hard *not* to use magnets in a puzzle box.  So much easier to use magnetic force instead of physical linkage.  Keeps prices down on puzzle boxes too...if I can achieve the same thing with a magnet and save a couple days work, it reflects in a lower retail price for our customers.  Also finding/buying the correct strength spring is a real PITA.