Gallery Page 1
Sliding Panel Boxes
In the pipeline:
Double Two
The Bridge
Cyrus Redblock
Zodiac Box
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info and links to Plans: Solutions: Videos
Medieval Casket“He’s a witch. Away to the village pond with him.”
This puzzle box is a miniature version of a 16th century linen chest-those very dark heavy wood chests, about two or three feet long, with overhanging lids and usually heavily, sometimes roughly, carved faces. Some had iron bands with stout padlocks, to hold valuables. This little box could hold smaller "valuables", but it doesn't have carved faces. Instead, it has fretwork panels on the front, back and side faces, and lion head "reliefs" in the centre of these panels. These lion heads actually move, and form the locking mechanism that holds the lid shut. These moves are made in a certain order, to release the lid. Apart from the lion heads, there are no moving parts visible.If you know how, takes only 14 moves to open.
If you don’t know , it’s fairly difficult!
The box size is 6" x 4" x 2-1/2", made from 1/8" plywood and 1/4" stripwood. Fretwork pattern and lion head images are included in the plans.
The box size is 6" x 4" x 2-
The 14-
“Sounds like a night-club.”
“You’d have a better time there, than trying to open this.”
This puzzle box resembles very closely the traditional Japanese puzzle box, in that all the moves are controlled by only two sliders, one at each end. These sliders allow the end panels to move vertically, and allows the top and bottom panels to move horizontally. All the moves on this box are very similar to the customary moves on the Japanese style boxes. In this version however, you can decide to make a 14 move, or a 19 move box, the difference being only a couple of extra pieces of wood.
Box size is 4" x 2-1/2" x 2", made from 1/8" and 1/4" plywood.
Easy to make, moderately difficult to open. There is a pattern included, but you can put any kind of finish on.
Box size is 4" x 2-
The Knight’s Tomb“May you rot in hell forever more.”
Verily I say unto thee good person, do not be tempted to touch this, for ‘tis the work of the Devil himself, may the saints preserve us. It is but a tomb, worthy of good King Richard himself, indeed, his shield and cross adorn all around. These shields have to be moved to open the fiendish thing. Aye, some shields be going up and down, and some be going side to side, but they all have to be moved before the lid can be slid off. Forsooth, I say again, do not be tempted by the this toy of Satan, for thee will doomed to spend the rest of thy life trying to open this terrible, devilish thing.
Looking like the Medieval Casket, this puzzle box works quite differently, and is much easier to make. The box size is 5-1/2” x 3” x 3”, made of 1/8” and 1/4” plywood. It looks just as good without the knight’s figure: it’s up to you. 16 moves to open, if you know them. Otherwise, very difficult to open. Cutting list supplied by Ron Locke.
Looking like the Medieval Casket, this puzzle box works quite differently, and is much easier to make. The box size is 5-
The 25 move“I’d rather move house,
than try this.”
This is another puzzle box that resembles closely the traditional Japanese puzzle box, with all the moves are controlled by only two sliders, one at each end. These sliders allow the end panels to move vertically, and allows the top and bottom panels to move horizontally. All the moves on this box are very similar to the 14-19 box, but in this version there are four more "secret" sliders, that don't seem to do anything. To start with, they won’t move at all! They only come into play at different times during the sequence of moves. Which makes it a bit irritating trying to get the box open...
Box size is 4" x 2-1/2" x 2", made from 1/8" and 1/4" plywood.
Easy to make. Difficult to open. A pattern is included in plans, but you can use your preferred finish.
Grey Squares“If I put white circles on it, would
it be any easier to open?”
My first sliding panel box. Four of the panels have one or two “secret” sliders that must be moved before that panel will move. That will unlock another panel, eventually coming to the last panel. But that also seems to be locked! With what?
The answer is there, if you think backwards. Fairly easy to make, using ⅛” and ¼” plywood. Covered in paper, the grey squares printed from computer. Grey squares pattern included in plans.
Difficult to take solve; minimum 13 moves.
The answer is there, if you think backwards. Fairly easy to make, using ⅛” and ¼” plywood. Covered in paper, the grey squares printed from computer. Grey squares pattern included in plans.
Difficult to take solve; minimum 13 moves.
Black Nightmare“You think you’re really clever,
don’t you?”
A 3” cube, with a panel on each side. On two sides, this panel is split in two, both pieces moving independently. Whatever moves you do on this side, you must also do on the other side. By moving these four half-panels in unison, you can move the other sides, and eventually remove them altogether.
Not too hard to make, using 4mm plywood. Very difficult to solve. Minimum 13 moves.
Chinese Torture
“Confucius say: ‘Wisdom is knowledge.’
If he’s so wise, let him open this box, then.”
If he’s so wise, let him open this box, then.”
The red box is 2 ½” square, with two green panels on each side. Every outer panel can move, but none of the inner panels can move at first. By moving all of these pairs of panels, you can eventually remove one pair of panels, opening the box.. There is no obvious starting point, and if you move the wrong panels first, the box will lock. Even if you find the correct panels first, you can still lock the box, but you won’t know this, because everything seems to be working! 13 moves to open, if you know how. Extremely difficult to solve!
Cutting: easy. Assembly: tricky. Made of ¼” and ⅛” plywood.
Cutting: easy. Assembly: tricky. Made of ¼” and ⅛” plywood.
Cubey“This is more like it. Something I can get my teeth into.”
“You’re not supposed to eat it.”
The smallest and simplest of the puzzle boxes-the box is only 2” x 2” x 2”, with a little sliding panel on each side. Only one panel will move, simply find this, then another panel will move, and so on, like “follow my leader”, until one side can be removed. But halfway through, you discover that more than one panel can be moved. What do I do now? Panic?
Easy to make, using ⅛” plywood. The little panels are covered with a Celtic pattern; these are included in the plans.
Easy to open, takes only seven moves.
Easy to open, takes only seven moves.
Double Two“Sounds like a name for a shirt.”
Looking vaguely like a die, a black box with two discs on two faces. Both sets of discs can be turned, but only one set can be turned and moved, before the other set can be moved. When all four discs have been turned and moved, then the lid can be opened. Not too difficult really. But if you weren’t told anything else, would you think you’ve solved the puzzle?
If you think you’re finished, you’re wrong, because there is a secret drawer yet to open.
The box mechanism is hidden inside the side panels, so you could keep trinkets and stuff inside, and the drawer is just the right size to hide folded banknotes. You may not find it so easy to find...
The box measures 4” x 4” x 3”, made entirely from 1/8” plywood.
If you think you’re finished, you’re wrong, because there is a secret drawer yet to open.
The box mechanism is hidden inside the side panels, so you could keep trinkets and stuff inside, and the drawer is just the right size to hide folded banknotes. You may not find it so easy to find...
The box measures 4” x 4” x 3”, made entirely from 1/8” plywood.
SORRY, PLANS NOT READY YET
Cubey 2
“I got this open just once.
With a big hammer.”
Same size as Cubey: 2” each way. Same single panel on each side. So what’s different? Look at the edges-
The box is made from 1/8” and 1/4” plywood. Easy to cut, assembly is a little tricky. Very hard to open...
The Jail Cell"Either open this box,
or spend 30 days in jail."
"I'll take the 30 days, Judge."
Aw, c’mon, Sheriff. A man's gotta right to defend hisself. He said Ah wus takin' his gal, but that wuz a lie-she's a saloon gal. Anyway, Ah only shot him in the arm..an’ the leg....an' the hand...an' his foot...an' his...well, he won't be sitting on his horse for a while, that's fer sure......Ah’ll be out of here afore he’s riding agin....
This little box looks like a model of a jail cell. It isn't just a model; this is another "sliding panel" puzzle box, where the aim is to open the cell door. This is one of those puzzles where you have to think "outside the box", as it were.
The box measures 5” x 3-3/8” x 3-5/8”, and is made from 1/8" plwood and 1/8” dowel rods. Easy to make.
Fairly difficult to open, using four sliders to release the cell door.
The box measures 5” x 3-
Cyrus Redblock
Looking rather like a solid block of wood, this is another sliding panel puzzle box. Moving three of the side panels will allow you to get the lid off, thinking that you’ve done the puzzle. But there is a secret drawer hidden in the bottom, and you have to move all four of the side panels to get the drawer out. There are more moves to get the drawer out, than there are to release the lid, and the box is deep enough to disguise the fact that there is a drawer there at all.
The box size is 4-1/2” x 4-1/2” x 3-1/2”, made of 1/8” plywood, with no inside cuts.
The box size is 4-
SORRY, PLANS NOT READY YET