Wooden (Easter) Egg Puzzle

This is a nice project that can be completed in an evening, and it's fun to give it as a gift and let children or other people puzzle and riddle. The egg, also known as Columbus's egg, is an old riddle like the Tangram game. Here you can see how the egg can be calculated and drawn using mathematics; here's a picture of it with construction lines. Here are several possible models constructed from the Egg, drawn by CMG Lee. Here you can find beautiful birds made from pieces of the egg.

Materials you'll need for this project...

• some plywood - I used one of 0.6 mm thickness, 30.5 x 24.5 cm is the size of my piece
• knobs for shelves and cupboards - makes handling of the puzzle pieces easier
• screws - usually they come with the knobs
• linseed oil or laque for the finish
• template for the pieces
• carbon copy paper, if needed

Tools and machines to use...

• jigsaw, fretsaw or bandsaw
• drill 4 mm for the screw holes
• countersink drill
• screwdriver for the screws
• sanding paper
• pencil

There are several templates for this egg to be found in the web. A good source to me is

http://www.mathematische-basteleien.de/magisches_ei.htm

... here you can find some template images. Or you visit one of the links above. Copy one of them to the clipboard of your PC and paste it for example in writer, word or other office software where you can zoom it and print it in a bigger format. Mine had the dimensions 30.5 x 24.5 cm. Maybe you'll use two sheets of DIN A4 paper as I did and stick them together after printing, as I did. Cut out the outline of the egg.

Put the template on your piece of wood. If you have carbon copy paper, put it under the paper. Fasten it with pieces of adhesive tape. Take your pencil or ballpoint pen and trace the lines of the egg with it. So you transfer the lines of the egg onto the wood.

Now cut the wood with the saw along the lines. You'll get the egg's pieces.

Sand the sides and sawing edges of all pieces thoroughly with sandpaper until they feel smooth.

Drill holes of 4 mm diameter for the drawer knob screws in the middle of every wooden piece. Sand the rim of the holes on both sides. Using countersunk screws later on drill countersink holes for them on the bottom side of the pieces.

(Enlarge and bevel the rim of the drilled hole makes the screw being inserted flush with the surface.)

Then the parts won’t wobble later even when they’re lying on a hard surface.

Put the screws through the countersunk holes and screw the knobs on top of the pieces.

I like most a finish with linseed oil. Use whatever you like. If you use linseed oil, be careful because the rags used could spontaneously ignite! Better put them after use into a glass jar, a closed can or the rubbish outside the house.

And... done! Have fun giving it as a gift to a child, make a nice package for it or playing it on your own!