[Kagen Sound] is a woodworker and artist who gives a great behind-the-scenes look at his amazingly high-quality puzzle boxes (video). Not only do his varied puzzle box designs show his math background, but they are all made entirely of wood. There are no nails or fasteners; just intricately-fitted wood and some glue.
There’s a lot of variety in his designs, and while it’s all fantastic from beginning to end, two things stood out to us as being of particular interest. One is the “Plus Box” which makes a clicking sound when the pieces are moved (at 2:47) thanks to a clever wooden spring. [Kagen] shows an example of the concept, where a flat wood piece with slots cut from the sides acts as a spring and clicks into notches when moved, providing audible and tactile feedback without anything other than wood.
The other is a patterned puzzle box (at 7:10) whose geometric designs change as the user moves the pieces. A reminder that [Kagen]’s devices are made entirely of wood and glue, so the design comes from two different types of wood assembled and cut at an angle to create the patterns seen. [Kagen] shaves thin layers of veneer from this block to attach to the puzzle pieces as needed to create the patterns without resorting to ink, paint, or decals.
[Kagen] has a math degree but is entirely self-taught as a woodworker, so don’t let lack of formal training stop you from experimenting. You can watch him give a tour of his work in the video, embedded below.
Feeling the urge to make your own puzzle boxes? Take a look at some we’ve seen over the years, and we even have a collection of single-line cryptex fonts to make laser-engraving puzzle bits a little easier.
I was lucky enough to have a semi-personal connection to Kagen many years back, and got to chat with him and have a tour of his shop when he was still in Portland. These are really amazing to hold and manipulate in person – the fit and finish is just spot on, and they’re beautiful (to me) to boot. He’s developed quite a reputation among puzzle box collectors (yep, that’s a thing), and IMHO, rightly so. Happy to see him get some press!
Fascinating! This guy is both incredibly smart and skilled. This video was really pleasing to watch.
If there was ever a person who embodies a Zen persona Kagen is it.
That is so brilliant !
Woodworking at such a skilled level is fabulous.
No wonder that this woodwork-wizard looks like a happy and mischievous smart kid.
Every so often you happen to have the good fortune to come across a video like this one, that show someone who has found their passion in life and are doing it. I take a personal joy in seeing what can be done when someone as talented as this man is able to unfold what is in his unconvensional intellect and is also kind enough to share the results with the rest of us. Any one of those boxes could be considered a work of art of the highest level, but the fact that he has made so many, and with so many different mechanisms is a tribute to him, and to all those that have influenced him in his life. Simply amazing, in the true sense of the word.
+1 to everything you wrote. My thoughts exactly.
I explored his “Cafe wall pattern” a little more, see http://iivq.net/cafe-wall-pattern/. I love how such a simple building block can create such intricate patterns!