THE PUZZLE TOWER
BY FAR THE MOST AMBITIOUS PROJECT I HAVE EVER UNDERTAKEN
This crazy, eclectic creation is the combination of sixteen completely unrelated and unusual gimmicks, latches, gadgets, and other contrivances that I saw on the internet, or that I invented in my head (usually in the middle of the night, when I couldn't sleep.) I decided to merge them all together as "The Puzzle Tower," a fun challenge for our grandchildren.
** DETAILS **
HOW LONG TO MAKE: Approximately 75+ days — roughly 600 hours
HARDEST PART(s): Too many to list. Re-work is always a bummer. (I had to redo several parts more than 5 times to get them to work correctly.)
MAJOR MATERIALS: Baltic Birch Plywood – several thicknesses, numerous other species, detailed below, wood glue, CA glue and accelerator, shellac, lacquer, tons of sandpaper of all sizes and kinds.
A LISTING OF ALL THE SECTIONS:
THE OVERALL GENERAL CONCEPT of THE PUZZLE TOWER
Inspiration: I created it.
NOTE: Several of the specific sections were inspired over the years by photos and videos on internet websites. If I received any inspiration from another person, I have given them attribution below. Nonetheless, even when I list an inspiration, I still didn’t have any plans or templates to follow and had to invent all the details of each creation. In each section where I noted an inspiration, I still believe that my final product was an upgrade from the one I first saw.
1. THE ORIGAMI DOORS
Baltic Birch Plywood, Walnut, Oak, Magnets.
Inspiration Website: • woodworking folding door idea! / kinetic d...
2. THE 8-BALL, THE POCKET, AND THE CHUTE and mechanism.
Baltic Birch Plywood, Oak , Paduck, Pine, 8-Ball.
Inspiration: I created it.
3. A WARM AUDIO WELCOME TO THE TOWER and mechanism.
Baltic Birch Plywood, Sound Card from China by way of Amazon, Oak, Maple.
Inspiration: I created it.
4. THE DIAL-THE-KNOBS DOOR (Left)
Baltic Birch Plywood, Bloodwood, Pine, Cherry, Tulip Wood, Magnets, Springs.
Inspiration Websites: • Video
• Amazing Secret Lock Mechanism Ideas You Ca...
5. THE SLIDING-NUMBERS-PUZZLE DOOR (Right)
Baltic Birch Plywood, Bloodwood, Paduck, Boxwood.
Inspiration Website: • 자력과 자연 낙하를 이용한 7종류의 잠금장치와 숨기기
6. THE MYSTERY BEHIND THE INNER DOORS and mechanism. (Right)
Baltic Birch Plywood, Tulipwood, Oak, Pine, Walnut, Springs, Leather.
Inspiration: I created it.
7. THE KEY(S) TO THE CAR and mechanism. (Right)
Baltic Birch Plywood, Tulipwood, Oak, Pine, Walnut, Maple, Springs, Magnets, Felt
Inspiration: I created it.
8. THE FLOWER-SHAPED KEYHOLE and mechanism. (Left)
Baltic Birch Plywood, Tulipwood, Oak, Walnut, Maple, Magnets, Springs, Felt.
Inspiration: I created it.
9. THE DECOY BUTTONS and mechanism.
Baltic Birch Plywood, Walnut, Maple, Felt, Magnets, Springs.
Inspiration: I created it.
10. THE SQUARAROUND KEY AND THE HIDDEN DRAWER
Baltic Birch Plywood, Walnut, Maple, Felt, Magnets, Springs.
Inspiration for the key: I created it.
Hidden Drawer: Inspiration Website: • Spring Open Drawer Pt1
11. THE OLD EGYPTIAN TUMBLER KEY AND LOCK
Baltic Birch Plywood, Oak, Pine, Bloodwood, Brass.
Inspiration Website: • Making An Ancient Wooden Lock (Replica)
12. THE GRIND-A-POUND-OF-GEARS-FOR-ME DOORS
Baltic Birch Plywood, Redwood, Leather.
Inspiration Website: / sl7ven_de
13. THE LAUNCH-CODE KEYS and mechanism.
Cabinet Keys from Amazon, 1 Triangle, 1 Square.
Inspiration: I created it.
14. THE FORT KNOX SAFE
Baltic Birch Plywood, Maple.
Automatic lights – From Amazon.
Inspiration Website: https://stephansiepermann.com/furnitu...
NOTE: I contacted Stephan and asked if I could buy plans from him for his Safe. He declined.
So, I made my own iteration. As far as I know, he is the original author of the idea.
15. THE MYSTERIOUS RED BUTTON and mechanism.
Baltic Birch Plywood, Maple, Walnut, Paduck, Red Paint.
Inspiration: I created it. (“Terrific” is one of my Catchphrases.)
16. THE PERSONALIZED SAFE DEPOSIT BOXES and mechanism.
Baltic Birch Plywood, Maple, Poplar, Velcro, Velvet for the box floors.
Inspiration: I created it.
COMMENTS: The companion video to this briefing sheet contains additional information, as well as an entertaining editing of each section, as our grandchildren “solved” each challenge on Christmas Eve. (This was important, seeing as how they were the intended audience for the project in the first place.) [RDH. December 2023]