Here are some more trick opening boxes from Tim Rowett's collection.
Firstly, a box that requires patience! Inside there is a small hour glass, or egg timer, and the box has to be stood in a certain position in order to allow the grains of sand to run through the hour glass. Once this has happened, the hour glass will tilt, and allow the box to open.
The next two boxes involve the use of a device or tool. Firstly, a wooden box made to look like a large box of matches. In each end there is a drawer. However one of the drawers opens easily, while the other one is locked. The drawer that opens contains a single 'match' and this wooden match contains a small magnet in the head of the match. You have to take the match and 'strike' it against the side of the box, just like striking a real match, and the magnet will move part of the hidden mechanism, so that the second drawer will now open. Secondly, the little wooden barrel contains a marble, but there is no obvious was to get it out. The wooden stick you are given will fit through the hole on the lid, but that hole is far to small to allow the marble to pass through. The answer is - as ever - simple once you know how. There is a small indentation inside the bottom of the barrel, and when the marble is positioned in this indentation, you can insert the wooden stick, which is long enough to touch the marble. By squeezing the end of the wooden stick and the bottom of the barrel, and then turning, you are able to unscrew the bottom of the barrel. A most unusual solution.
Tim then demonstrates a prototype box that a friend made, although it no longer works. Inside the lid, there was a free floating wheel containing a magnet. This wheel acted a bit like a compass, and you needed to turn the box to a particular compass direction. At this point, the wheel was in a particular position, which allowed the key to turn.
Finally, another very unusual box which has a pneumatic mechanism. You need to blow into a small hole, while simultaneously sliding the two halves of the puzzle apart.
Firstly, a box that requires patience! Inside there is a small hour glass, or egg timer, and the box has to be stood in a certain position in order to allow the grains of sand to run through the hour glass. Once this has happened, the hour glass will tilt, and allow the box to open.
The next two boxes involve the use of a device or tool. Firstly, a wooden box made to look like a large box of matches. In each end there is a drawer. However one of the drawers opens easily, while the other one is locked. The drawer that opens contains a single 'match' and this wooden match contains a small magnet in the head of the match. You have to take the match and 'strike' it against the side of the box, just like striking a real match, and the magnet will move part of the hidden mechanism, so that the second drawer will now open. Secondly, the little wooden barrel contains a marble, but there is no obvious was to get it out. The wooden stick you are given will fit through the hole on the lid, but that hole is far to small to allow the marble to pass through. The answer is - as ever - simple once you know how. There is a small indentation inside the bottom of the barrel, and when the marble is positioned in this indentation, you can insert the wooden stick, which is long enough to touch the marble. By squeezing the end of the wooden stick and the bottom of the barrel, and then turning, you are able to unscrew the bottom of the barrel. A most unusual solution.
Tim then demonstrates a prototype box that a friend made, although it no longer works. Inside the lid, there was a free floating wheel containing a magnet. This wheel acted a bit like a compass, and you needed to turn the box to a particular compass direction. At this point, the wheel was in a particular position, which allowed the key to turn.
Finally, another very unusual box which has a pneumatic mechanism. You need to blow into a small hole, while simultaneously sliding the two halves of the puzzle apart.
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