Puzzle conservation

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Splinter
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Re: Puzzle conservation

Post by Splinter » August 19th, 2013, 10:56 am

I think this aspect of discoloring isn't only related to woods, but also plastics used in puzzles (or lacquered metallic etc. etc.). Wood can certainly discolor faster as noted above.

From an expert I learned that white plastics on the one hand need some light to stay white, but also discolor from (direct) sunlight. White plastics (and coatings/paints which are in fact also plastics) easily turn yellowish over the years.

Isn't there any protective layer (wax?) that can be used to protect the looks of wooden puzzles better?

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Pio2001
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Re: Puzzle conservation

Post by Pio2001 » August 19th, 2013, 6:53 pm

That's right. My old white "impuzzable" has become much easier to solve since the external sides have turned yellow !

Here, a brand new one :

Image

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Re: Puzzle conservation

Post by Splinter » August 20th, 2013, 8:29 am

Well, this opens also the effect that you can make a puzzle that fools you.

Just expose some other sides of a puzzle to direct sunlight, and puzzle solvers will (incorrectly) think they have found a clue and try to solve it being lead by the supposed outside sides. :lol:

But, it's a serious problem if you try to keep the puzzles in brand-new shape.
(and also want to show them once in a while and not in a dark room)

Non-UV light sources might help to have good light and less risk of discolouring.

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Pio2001
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Re: Puzzle conservation

Post by Pio2001 » August 31st, 2013, 11:57 pm

I found another concern with some samples of bubinga : the smell.

When the puzzle is closed, after several days, these pieces in bubinga get a unpleasant smell, something like cheese.
Disassembling the puzzle and rubbing the pieces on all sides with the bare fingers gets rid of the smell, but if the puzzle is then stored assembled, the smell comes back.
After one year, the woods seems to stabilize, and the smell doesn't come back anymore.

It occured to me with bubinga samples that had a deep colour, and no defects, like the ones in my copy of The 36 (the bubinga is the pink wood) : http://www.puzzle-place.com/wiki/File:The_36_big.jpg

Other samples, with a lighter colour and more defects, didn't have this behaviour : http://www.puzzle-place.com/wiki/Abad%2 ... Assemblies

That other kind of bunbinga seems to come from another tree and is not concerned at all : http://www.puzzle-place.com/wiki/File:F ... pecial.jpg

Brazilian Tulipwood, that is a kind of rosewood, also seems to have the same relationship between colour and smell : the deeper the colour, the stronger the smell... except that in the case of rosewood, the smell is very nice.
Light tulipwood (orange wood), no smell : http://www.puzzle-place.com/wiki/File:S ... cial_1.jpg
Deep tulipwood, flower smell : http://www.puzzle-place.com/wiki/File:F ... violet.jpg

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Re: Puzzle conservation

Post by bluesign2k » September 2nd, 2013, 1:01 pm

This is certainly an interesting one. I generally quite like the smell of my wooden puzzles, but I think as much as anything that's to do with the waxes and varnishes used to finish them :lol:

I shall have a try at putting one or two in airtight bags for a little while to see if I can replicate this :)

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Re: Puzzle conservation

Post by Pio2001 » September 2nd, 2013, 8:21 pm

Yes, all Vincos' puzzles have a nice wax smell. And Brian Young's special edition puzzles (2011 and 2012) have a terrible varnish smell.

Do you still have the special Tiros ? I love the smell of the Saint-Martin rouge used in this puzzle.
Besides, in the same puzzle, you have pieces in wacapou that must have, in the beginning, developed a strange smell and the same kind of "white dust" inside the puzzle as on my padauk.
But, unlike the padauk, my wacapou has now completely stabilized. No more smell, no more "dust".

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Re: Puzzle conservation

Post by bluesign2k » September 4th, 2013, 10:43 am

Do you have any of Jerry McFarland's puzzles, he always sends them in air tight zip bags, and the smell is amazing :)

I do still have the Special Tiros although I *still* haven't yet managed to take it apart! :oops: It fairly regularly comes off the shelf to get played with but it's disassembly still eludes me... I'll get there one day and it'll be a tremendous moment :lol:

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jack
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Re: Puzzle conservation

Post by jack » September 4th, 2013, 4:13 pm

bluesign2k wrote:...I do still have the Special Tiros although I *still* haven't yet managed to take it apart! ...
Well, that's an other sort of puzzle conservation!
I wonder what the inside will look like when you finally succeed in disassembling! After years of darkness... :lol:

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Re: Puzzle conservation

Post by bluesign2k » September 4th, 2013, 4:40 pm

jack wrote:I wonder what the inside will look like when you finally succeed in disassembling! After years of darkness... :lol:
Based on this thread, one can only assume it'll be nice vivid colours and smell like a cheese board? :lol:

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Re: Puzzle conservation

Post by jack » September 4th, 2013, 10:45 pm

bluesign2k wrote:Based on this thread, one can only assume it'll be nice vivid colours and smell like a cheese board? :lol:
Where did you hide the "like" button???

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