DIY Home Projects - Geometric Shapes

Geometric Shapes

Personalised Geometric Shapes Puzzle

Contact Martin if you require a puzzle with personalised geometric shapes or lettering (here)

Use these Medium Density Fibreboard puzzle blanks to create personalised 'wooden' MDF geometric shapes puzzles. For example the Birch Plywood Gears puzzle for Ella

You will be supplied with three boards containing

1) a backboard

2) the front board with shaped cutouts

3) a board containing the geometric shapes

Before removing the pieces from the supporting 'sprue' sand the faces and backs lightly with fine sandpaper on a sandpaper block to start removing the fluffy edges.

To remove the parts from the 'sprue', cut the tabs from the face with a sharp stanley knife, use many light cuts rather than trying to cut the tabs in one go. Remember to cut away from your free hand. Try to keep the knife 'square' to the table so you don't undercut the shapes.

When all the pieces are removed, using a sand paper block lightly sand the front and backs of each piece to remove the remaining 'fluffy' edges

The geometric shapes are deliberately 'tight' in the shaped holes this to allow users to determine the amount of tolerance for each piece which of course will depend in type of finish (paint, varnish or wax) to be applied to the pieces later.

Using the sandpaper block will allow users to get the gap or tolerance to their exact needs.

Those with access to a disc sander will be in their element here tickling these shapes to their right size.

Other users with belt sanders can make a platform jig which converts the hand held sander into a bench sander.

When all the pieces fit as required the next step is to glue the back and front together.

First have a bit of a dust down, a workshop vacuum cleaner will be good here. Make sure you know how you are going to hold the two pieces together before you start to apply the glue and make sure everything is to hand.

Select a 'wet' adhesive like PVA. It is suggested that you water down the adhesive slightly to make it thin so it doesn't create a glue line between the front and back.

Also you will have to be quick, the glue soaks into the MDF really quick and will go off before you're ready if your not careful.

Use a glue brush and keep tight to the outside edges to make sure they stick well, but keep avay from the edges of the shaped holes so that the glue doesn't squeeze into the holes and mark the back board.

As long as the glue hasn't dried before you bring the two pieces together you only need to put glue on one side, but again don't make it too thick.

When you're happy that the front and back are held then you can start to consider what kind of finish you want to apply. The minimum would be a thin application of water based varnish to prevent finger marks.

In good faith, have fun

Martin Reid