Thread: Jigsaw Puzzle Table

Hi Meznuraie (you're going to have to get an easier name to type!),

At first glance, the dimensions in the second image will give you the angles. You'd just have to use a little trigonometry to work out the horizontal dimensions. Start a free hand drawing of the desk with the known dimensions then solve the rest from there on. Sorry, this doesn't give you an answer but hopefully points you in the right direction.

The problem is, I'm rather bad at maths... I can build things if I have a plan telling me how long what is where, but the maths side of things is confusing to me. I'm actually contemplating making a 10cm = 1cm model of it out of cardboard... That I can probably do.

(You can shorten it to Mez... most people I know do.)

Based on the high end being 1000mm and the low end being 635mm and 700mm in between this will give you an angle of about 28deg for the top.

The more interesting things about the design are:
1. The hinged fold over top with catches to protect the puzzle;
2. The quite clever design of the rear leg bracing and the side leg support. My guess is that the side legs would hinge towards the back and everything will fold up into itself.

A cardboard model may be a good idea!

Yeah, the idea is that you can fold it flat and store it out of the way, and then when you want to work on it again, your puzzle is still as you left it.

I was planning on getting a large sheet of dense foam stuff (it's about 3mm thick, and we use it in school for crafts), and stick that to the inside of the top cover so it presses down onto the puzzle. Just to make sure it doesn't slip around if it gets bumped while being stored.

Now I just have to wait until the friday grocery shop to get some extra cardboard from cereal boxes!

I wouldn't use the foam as the pieces will catch in it and lift up as you raise the cover. The pressure of the lid should be enough.
As far as the angles of the joints go, if you get half of a sheet of 3mm MDF or 3ply that is used as a packing / cover sheet, you do full sized drawings of a side and the front. This drawing is called a rod and its purpose is for you to easily read off and check dimensions, check angles, etc. Where the angles are not part of the drawing, eg from front on, you do not need to show the full width in the one drawing (2 part drawings will show the correct information)
The MDF packing sheets are often sold cheaply at disposal stores. Failing that, the drawings can be done on cardboard, eg the inside surface of a flattened TV box.

I don't know if the lid will hold it, since the jigsaw sits inside a recess. That's why I thought that flat plastic-y foam stuff would do the trick. Alternativelt, Bunnings has this stuff that's like plastic corrugated cardboard. I could use that instead of the foam.

I might go to ALDI or Bunnings and ask them for large cardboard pieces. They ought to have plenty lying around.