How are plywood puzzles made? Today, many of you have seen on the Internet many sculptures created using intersecting ribs. In our humble opinion, the Japanese company d-torso has been most successful in this matter. We will tell you how such masterpieces are created in this article.
There are several ways. The first and simplest is creating drawings using special software. Of the programs we know, this is Autodesk 123d make: you load a 3D model, set the parameters of the sections, and as a result you get a layout in vector format. Disadvantages of Autodesk 123d make are a section only in two selected planes (this is normal, since the algorithm cannot work otherwise) and a problem with loading many 3D models. The program is still raw and the last update was from 2014. There is also a plugin for the SketchUp program, which we will talk about later, and it is called Slice modeler. A common disadvantage of such programs is the manual modification of models and the throwing out of a huge number of unnecessary parts. It may take the same amount of time as the third method, which will be discussed later.
The second method is to create vector drawings in a graphics editor with the calculation of sections in different planes. For this method, you must have at least minimal artistic skills and good spatial thinking. The contour can be drawn in the same CorelDraw. This is where you cut with planes. Anyone who studied engineering graphics well at a university will immediately catch on. We don’t see any downsides to this method; with experience, such models can be made quite quickly. Plus there is a creative component to this. A minor minus is the inability to see the 3D model in isometry already in assembled form without preliminary cutting.
The third method is to create a puzzle from the original 3D model “by hand”. This method combines the advantages of the previous two. You can decide for yourself where to divide the model by planes, how far the contour of the element will extend into the model. You can immediately see the overall picture when creating planes. The disadvantages of this method are the mandatory presence of a 3D model, as for the first option. We will tell you about this method using the example of making an elephant's head.
The main manufacturing process is working with the SketchUp program. Moreover, there is free version this product (although this method can be modeled in almost any program for creating 3D graphics). Find a 3D model that you want to make into a puzzle and load it into SketchUp.
... we copy with a certain step in the right direction.
Next stage is the intersection of the model with planes. It is necessary to carry out such operations with parallel planes or with planes that do not intersect each other. Before doing this, be sure to create a reference point in order to correctly group elements from different planes in the future.
Select the planes and use the Intersect Faces command to intersect the model in the right place.
After executing the command, which can take quite a long time depending on the PC, you can see the outline where the plane intersects the model.
After this, remove the model along with the section planes and you should be left with the outlines of future puzzle elements. Be sure to first copy the model along with the reference point for subsequent sectioning with other planes.
We have a set closed loops, which form future puzzle pieces. In order to form sections, we close each of the contours with a line.
Some contours may lose segments after removing the model and cutting planes. In this case, you need to manually close them. All this, of course, depends on the original model.
All that remains is to remove the small “garbage” and the final picture will look like...
The next stage is similar to the previous one. We just cut the model along a different axis. If the first axis was conditionally X, then now we take Y.
Subsequent operations are repeated.
Don't forget about the anchor point. On bottom photo you can see the overlap of sections from different planes when using an anchor point.
Let's crop our future model and remove unnecessary elements.
As you can see, the lower sections of the trunk hang in the air. Let's make a section between the two previous ones and “link” the elements of the trunk into a solid structure.
All that remains is to add sections along the Z axis. The whole process is familiar to you.
Later it turned out that two sections along the Z axis would be enough and the middle ones were thrown out. We added tusks and drew the ears to scale in Corel. The vectors were imported from Corel into SketchUp and combined with our elements.
Next, using the Push/Pull command, we add volume to the sections. We pull to the thickness of the future material. If you plan to cut from 4mm plywood, then accordingly you will use this value. We advise you to immediately make the entire model on a real scale to present the overall picture in the future.
Final 3D model
Creating grooves for joining puzzle elements is done manually and this is a rather long and monotonous process compared to the previous one. Anyone familiar with SketchUp will do this without any problems. Let us demonstrate this operation using the example of two trunk parts. Important point: in the process of creating elements, even at the stage of creating sections, be sure to group each element separately.
Select one of the elements and go into editing mode. We draw the outline of the intersection of our elements.
For convenience, using the Hide command, we hide the “unnecessary” element for now and close the contour of the groove.
Using the Push/Pull command, we extrude a groove in the element.
We carry out a similar operation with another puzzle element.
Creating grooves can be done faster using the same Intersect Faces command, but you will still have to modify it manually. Next, we carry out similar operations with the remaining parts of the puzzle. And ultimately, we lay out all the elements on one plane for subsequent export to CorelDraw.
Let us immediately clarify that exporting 2D graphics from SketchUp is still poorly implemented and some files can only be exported using installed plugins. The most suitable file format for export is dxf. You can try both dwg and eps. In general, any format will do to achieve the goal. When exporting sections, be sure to make sure that they lie in the same plane and that you have selected the appropriate camera (view) mode. The camera (view) should look strictly perpendicular to the elements. Otherwise, unnecessary curves will be exported.
Actually, at this stage the creation of a model for vector cutting of a 3D puzzle is completed. Next is the actual production of the puzzle on any CNC cutting machine or manually using patterns. We also promised to talk about the “Slice modeler” plugin for SketchUp. This plugin allows you to do the above work automatically, but as with any automation process there are some drawbacks. Slice modeler works great with simple three-dimensional shapes, as well as simple 3D models. With all the models that we imported into SketchUp, it worked a bit crookedly.
When you start the plugin, it pops up a window in which you select the section step, axis direction, thickness of the final element, color and layer. For example, we will select the X axis. The plugin provides information about the number of sections and carries out the process itself.
After some time, it produces finished sections of the model and requests information about the other axis. For example, the Z axis is selected.
The result of the plugin working with this model is not very good, since many sections need to be corrected and brought to mind. At normal operation At the end of the process, Slice modeler places the puzzle elements in one plane, and also numbers each part. This plugin cuts in two planes; sections in the third plane must be completed manually or in a cunning way– carry out the process in pairs in two planes, and then superimpose them (for example, XY and XZ). The bottom line is this: Slice modeler can be used with simple 3D models or with models made on high level(example). This process can take even longer than manual cutting.
Now let's move on directly to the manufacturing process of our parts. We will cut out the puzzle elements on this beauty.
Laser engraver A3+SPLIT in tabletop version. This is already the second generation of A3+SPLIT. The working field size is 300x450, the actual engraving speed is 550 mm/s. Cutting 4mm plywood at a speed of 12-15 mm/s. After suffering with the K-40 engraver, working on this machine is a pleasure. Made here in Ukraine, the guys always have the components in stock and the support is at a high level. By the way, there is a package with a “pin” table. Anyone who has worked with plywood in large quantities knows all the “delights” of washing the edges of the knife table from soot.
The actual work process comes down to installing plywood on the desktop and launching a program for cutting contours, which is closely integrated with CorelDraw.
In total, the entire model required five sheets measuring 300 x 500 mm. This is even taking into account the base of the shield, which was already completed in CorelDraw. Be sure to check the thickness of the plywood before cutting and adjust real drawings taking into account the laser cut thickness of 0.1 mm.
Dimensions finished model amounted to 50x50x40 cm.
And finally, the finished result.
Total by time this work took one full working day. Of course, for beginners this time may be a little long, but with experience comes automation of the process. We would like to emphasize that this method manufacturing similar products don’t be the only one, and if you have the desire and time, then go for it.
No animals were harmed during the making of the 3D puzzle.
Puzzles for kids are a very exciting educational game. When putting together puzzles, the child learns to analyze, compare, and combine parts into a whole. On our website we invite you to make your own puzzles for children. To do this, you do not need to spend a lot of time, effort and it will save a lot of money.
In this section we offer colorful puzzles for children 3, 4, 5 years old from 24 parts.
Colorful puzzles for children to print for free
Colorful puzzles for children to print for free
How to make puzzles with your own hands
To make puzzles with your own hands, you need to download the archive, select a file with puzzles, print it, glue it on cardboard, cover it with tape and cut the picture into small pieces along the lines.
If the child is good with scissors, then let him cut out the puzzles himself. Even if he doesn’t cut very smoothly, the picture will still turn out well.
If your baby loves to do appliqués, then you can invite him to glue the puzzle pieces onto a sheet of paper to make a whole picture. Then the sheet with the image does not need to be glued to the cardboard, but simply cut into small pieces and let the child glue them together.
The process of making puzzles for children with your own hands is shown in the photo. Good luck to you!
Print files with puzzles
Glue the sheets onto cardboard and cover with tape on top
Let's start cutting out the puzzle pieces
Colorful puzzles for children
Colorful puzzles for children
Colorful puzzles for children
Colorful puzzles for children
Colorful puzzles for children
As we prepare, we will post new developmental material, follow our publications.
The site also offers puzzles for children of all ages:
- For very young children
- Puzzles based on folk tales
- Large puzzles for children 2, 3, 4 years old
- For children 2, 3, 4, 5 years old, puzzles from
All photos from the article
IN Lately This type of construction, such as puzzles made from plywood sheets, is becoming increasingly popular, and they can be like classic type, and in 3D execution. A very big plus is the fact that the sets can be purchased at finished form, or you can make it yourself. Next, we will look at the simplest options where you can acquire initial skills, and tell you what you will need to carry out the work.
What do you need for work?
If you decide to take up such a hobby, then to do the work yourself, you will need the following:
| Plywood | This material is best suited for the manufacture of both 2D and 3D products. The thickness can vary, for example, for small structures sheets with a thickness of 4 to 8 mm are used. |
| Jigsaw | Many craftsmen prefer to use manual option, its price is low, which allows you to work with minimal costs. Stock up on a sufficient supply of canvases in advance, because if you don’t have a lot of practice, then at first you will break them quite often; they don’t cost much, which is also important. You can also purchase a stationary one electric jigsaw, working with it is much more convenient and faster |
| Copy paper | With its help, the design will be transferred to the surface of the plywood. It is very important that the marking is done efficiently and accurately, otherwise the elements may simply not fit together. To transfer an image from paper, use either a pen or a special scriber so as not to spoil the drawing and use it several times |
| File and sandpaper | In order for all the elements to fit together well, it is necessary to clean the edges using sanding paper, and recesses are easier and best processed using a small round needle file |
| Drilling equipment | In order for all connections to be as accurate as possible, it is necessary to drill holes at the end of the grooves, the diameter of which should be equal to the width of the section being cut. This way you can achieve maximum accuracy and avoid mistakes. |
Important!
In order for the work to proceed quickly and efficiently, you need to equip a table for, it will greatly simplify the process.
Shown below simplest option, which you can make yourself and either permanently attach to the table, or install it as needed, pressing it with a clamp.
Workflow Description
Let us note right away that the instructions for carrying out the work are not complicated, and if you master at least one product, then you will be able to do subsequent ones much faster. As experience is gained, the complexity of the designs will increase.
Preparation
This stage consists of the following activities:
- First of all, you need to select drawings of plywood puzzles; they can be found on specialized resources on the Internet, as well as in specialized literature. You should not take a very complex option to begin with, since you will spend a lot of effort and time on its manufacture; it is much wiser to make a simpler design in order to gain experience;
- The picture can be printed as it is, or in an enlarged size, and the drawing is transferred from it to plywood. The instructions for carrying out the work are simple: copy paper is placed on the material, and the above diagram is placed on top; all the outlines of each element are carefully transferred by tracing them with a pen or a thin scriber. After removing the carbon paper, all lines are inspected and, if necessary, corrected with a sharpened pencil.
Main stage
The work is carried out in the following sequence:
- It is important that the desktop is located on comfortable height, a workpiece is placed on it, which is fixed with one hand, and the work is carried out with the second. Below is the diagram correct position at work;
- Cutting is done first along the outer contours. You should carefully cut along the line, trying to deviate from it as little as possible. You should not rush to avoid mistakes and spoil individual elements;
Important!
Do not forget to constantly monitor the position of the jigsaw so that the ends of the elements are perpendicular to the surface.
Often, inexperienced craftsmen make skewed cutting, which negatively affects the final result.
- Next, the connecting grooves are cut out; for this, first of all, a hole is drilled with a drill, the diameter of which must match the width of the cutout. Next, the entire section is cut out along the line, after which all distortions are corrected either with a sharp carpenter's knife or with a small needle file;
- The next step will be to process all ends of the product using sandpaper, you need to slightly round them so that they do not scratch and look more attractive and neat. The work requires thoroughness and accuracy, so there is no need to rush;
Putting together a puzzle is a very exciting activity, and it is interesting not only for children, but also for adults. In addition, collecting pictures is quite a useful activity. Puzzles develop thinking, memory and attention. This kind of entertainment is popular in all countries, but not many people think about the fact that you can make an interesting puzzle yourself. Even a child can make a game - it’s not difficult at all. Of course, the quality will be different from the store, but you won’t waste money.
What materials will you need
To make a puzzle, use Photoshop, take cardboard, you must have a printer, paper for printing and scissors.
Making a puzzle
Open Photoshop and load your favorite photo. In the program we make a copy of the Background, that is, the working layer. Give the file a name. Between the resulting layers, make another layer and also give it a name.
Fill the new layer with black, go to the topmost working layer and start drawing the puzzle. Open the Texturizer panel and select the line called Texture. A dialog box should open where you will need to load the texture of the working layer by clicking on the “Load Texture” button. Now you need to configure the options. We determine the relief of the puzzle pieces and select the desired size.
After setting up the textures, click on the well-known “OK” button and see that a texture has formed in the photo.
Now we proceed to printing the resulting image with a visible texture; we paste the printed sheet onto a cardboard sheet. Take the cardboard as tightly as possible so that the parts do not break or bend. Use high quality glue. The image should stick tightly to the cardboard and not peel off. After you have glued the sheet and tightly fastened it to the cardboard, place an even heavy weight on it, for example, a brick.
When the image is completely dry, check the adhesion. If everything is in order, you can start cutting out the parts. Take the sharpest and most comfortable scissors. The main rule in cutting is accuracy and clarity. You need to cut the pieces strictly along the lines, otherwise the puzzle will not stick together well. Entertaining game ready.
Puzzles for kids
If your kid loves to put together pictures, then you can please him and make interesting puzzles with your own hands and you won’t have to spend a lot.
All you need is: colored sheets of foam rubber and household cellulose napkins.
From sheets of rubber we cut out any figures that might attract the baby and glue them onto a napkin. Take scissors and cut the napkin into several pieces. Children's puzzles are ready. A variety of shapes will attract the baby's attention; in addition, such game puzzles will help him develop fine motor skills hands
For the youngest players, it is better to cut the puzzles into two parts, and the pieces should be of a rather large size. When your child masters the technique of folding two pieces, you can complicate his task and make a puzzle with more pieces.
This game is great because in the evenings you can get together with the whole family and have fun. As you can see, it is not at all necessary to spend money on purchasing puzzles; you can make the game yourself very quickly and without difficulty.
Everyone, probably, collected puzzles in childhood - these are pictures that have different sizes and shape. Such parts have many different squares and figures with convexities. Mostly such crafts are made for children. Puzzles very well develop a child’s thinking, logic, attentiveness and perseverance. In this article we will look at how to make a puzzle with your own hands.
Before making a paper puzzle with your own hands, you need to draw a large picture or print it on a color printer. Then cut into pieces. In addition, little material is needed and everyone should have it.
The following materials are used in creation:
- thick cardboard;
- scissors;
- White paper;
- PVA glue;
- ruler;
- simple and colored pencils;
- stationery knife.
Let's take as an example beautiful picture with a landscape – it’s nature against a backdrop of beautiful hills. Now spread PVA glue over the entire surface, without missing a centimeter. This is necessary so that the puzzle that is cut in the future has all the parts glued together.
We wait a while for the glue to dry and turn the picture over.
On back side For strength we glue thick cardboard. Wait again for it to dry.
Then we draw a grid on the glued cardboard using a pencil and ruler. We draw lines at an angle, one under the left slope, the other under the right. Thus, we get the details different sizes. Take a utility knife and cut along the lines.
The end result is a puzzle made with your own hands at minimal cost. It's very beautiful to look at you