next »

[tomjolly]

Well, after blabbing about it forever, I finally finished building it. For everyone's info, apparently if you dry out poison oak trunk for a year before working it, it's essentially harmless (I'm not dead, it must be true). I've been working it bare-handed without a mask for awhile now without any trouble, and I DO get poison oak rash from touching leaves.

Anyway, it was a learning experience (just bought a jointer, and built a sled for the table saw), so it isn't absolutely perfect, but it does fit nicely together. I used the design of my "Empty Box #2" on Ishino's site, and used Watco Danish Oil as a finish. The wood is fairly light and chips a little too easily, but sawing really slowly with a very sharp table saw blade helped.

So assuming my upload works, you can take a look at the ONLY poison-oak puzzle (a P.O. Box) in the world. Unless some other idiot did it first.

Tom Jolly

[Peter Wiltshire]

Wow  Poison oak, Fantastic! It's too bad playing with the puzzle doesn't cause a rash, think of the extra challenge if it did  Great work Tom!

[George Bell]

Wow, cool!  Is this your "exchange puzzle"? 

It's hollow, right?  Just hand someone the "poison oak box", after hiding a bottle of Tecnu inside.  Tell them they MUST open to obtain the "antidote".  For those of you lucky enough to be immune to urushiol (I used to be), Tecnu minimizes the allergic reaction.

What's next, a poison ivy disentanglement puzzle?

[tomjolly]

Yeah, the box is hollow, but only level 2. Couldn't figure out how to get a level 3 out of the hollow design. Funny you should mention poison ivy...I was just wondering yesterday where I could get a large enough piece. It would make an amusing exchange puzzle - but not enough material. Pity. There are apparently very few 3" wide poison oak trunks, even on our property.

Technu is great stuff...there's some other product now that you can apply AFTER you get the rash, can't remember the name, but it's flippin' expensive, and works really well.

[George Bell]

I wouldn't be so sure it's harmless, as sensitivity to poison oak/ivy varies greatly.  My wife is very sensitive, and I have transferred the oil to her unknowingly after going hiking.  I used to be immune, but I now have a (pretty mild) reaction to it.  It's an immune response, supposedly every time you are exposed to it your reaction is worse.

But who knows, maybe there is no urishiol oil in the wood?