Handcrafted gift
Maker & location details

Crocodiles puzzle in beech wood

Six pieces make the puzzle.

A family of crocodiles

The smaller crocs.

Description

6 individual crocodiles measuring 270mm x 92 mm x 15mm approx. when assembled. When I became a grandpa I was amazed to see the amount of plastic and chemically bonded wood used in toy production; it was this throw away culture that inspired me to make play puzzles. The contemporary design is based on the concept of traditional play puzzles providing a toy for younger children, a puzzle for older children (and adults as well!) and a display ornament for later in life. In short, a gift for life. Each animal becomes an individual toy in the mind of the child, taking on its own identity and often its own name. The individual animals do not have any graphics which means they do not have a 'front' or a 'back'. This allows the full beauty of the wood to be displayed and provides additional complexity to the puzzle, requiring more thought and reasoning to complete it. Hand cut from non-toxic European beech, stronger than oak with high resistance to impact. I offer alternative woods (eg Ash, Cherry, Dark Walnut, Tulip Wood) on request; these are popular when the puzzles are used for ornamental display. If you would like your play puzzle made from a different wood please contact me. All wood comes from certified sustainable sources. All pieces are 15mm thick, just right for small fingers. Protected with a plant-based oil providing a hard, silk-finish certified child safe. Can be displayed free standing. Suitable for 3+ years because of small parts. The product dispatched will be the same in shape and size as the image shown. The grain patterns and colour vary due to the nature of natural wood.

How this was made

Method: I hand cut the play puzzles from hardwood using a traditional scroll saw with a 0.4mm blade to produce the fine feature cuts. It may be slow, but modern laser and CNC machines cannot cut the fine detail required in wood of this thickness. Sometimes you can’t beat the original! Finishing: I sand all surfaces and remove sharp edges before applying the protective finishing coats.