How to Cut Puzzle Joints
A puzzle joint is the central joint of a Chinese puzzle. The center joint itself makes an interesting toy, and it's also a good way to keep three pieces of wood joined at their centers without cutting them apart.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Choose a long piece of wood. It needs to be long enough to cut into three pieces of equal length, but also square along the height and width.
-
2
Measure the height of your wood, and divide it into nine equal measurements from the top to the bottom. Measure the length of the wood and divide by two to find the center. Four and one-half of your equal measurements on either side of the center, draw lines with a pencil. Repeat on the other two pieces.
-
-
3
Saw one-ninth of the way into your first piece of wood, leave two-ninths and then saw the last six-ninths away. On the second piece, saw the top three-ninth measurements and the bottom four-ninths off. Saw off the top seven-ninths of the third piece. Make your cuts only between the center lines you drew in Step 2.
-
4
Cut away notches in the first two pieces of wood to fit inside the third piece.
-
5
Hold the third piece of wood upright and place the notch of the second piece of wood inside the notch on the third piece so they're perpendicular. Slide the notch of the first piece of wood in from the side and slide the first and second piece up so they cover the hole.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
After you've mastered the puzzle joint, try making a full Chinese puzzle. Look at Sawdust Making 101 for instructions on the pieces moving out from the puzzle joint.
