1. The document provides instructions for making simple jigsaw puzzles out of plywood. 2. It involves marking and cutting two pieces of plywood to the same size, transferring a puzzle pattern using carbon paper, cutting out the puzzle pieces with a fret saw, sanding, gluing the frame to the second plywood piece, painting the puzzle pieces, and adding handles using nails and seeds. 3. Materials needed include plywood, carbon paper, a fret saw, sandpaper, glue, paint, nails, seeds, and varnish.

1. Simple Jig-saw Puzzles
How to make them

3. Procedure for making simple puzzles
1. Mark and cut 2 plywood pieces of the same
size
2. Sand the surface and edges of the pieces
3. Transfer the pattern with a carbon paper
4. Cut with a fret saw following the lines.
5. Sand all the cuts well, especially those of
the ‘frame’
6. Glue the frame of the puzzle to the second
piece, which becomes the bottom. Press well
with a heavy item.
7. Paint the cut out puzzle pieces according to
taste, let it dry well
8. If necessary draw cutting lines and cut
around the puzzle,
9. Sand the edges well.
10. Varnish again back and front, one at a time,
let it dry before you varnish the other side.
11. Put the handles: mark the position in the
centre of a piece by making a small hole
with the nail.
12. From the back insert the nail, shorten it if
necessary.
13. Add a small drop of white glue with a tooth
pick to the nail and push and hammer a
seed with the tip downwards.
Items needed :
• Plywood
• Measuring tape, pencil
• Hand saw
• Sandpaper 60 and 100 grid
• Pattern, carbon paper, cloth pegs, pen
• Fret saw ,blades
• Pliers
• White glue, heavy stone
• Brush 1or 2 inch,
• Varnish, tin container , kerosene, rag
• Oil paint , small art brush
• Small nails, hammer
• Hard seeds, those used for curtains and
shakers in many countries in Africa
• Tooth pick

4. Measure the size of plywood boards, A4 ( 31cmx21cm) or according to your
pattern and draw cutting lines. You need 2 boards of the same size for one puzzle

5. Cut the boards with a saw

6. Sand the surfaces

7. Choose the paper pattern for the puzzle you want to make, use
one of ours from the Pattern Book, or make your own!
With a carbon paper
transfer the pattern
from the paper to the
plywood.
Make sure the carbon
side is facing the board.
Cloth pegs can help with
fixing the pattern while
tracing.
Trace the out lines. A pen
works better for tracing
than a pencil.

8. For the fret saw it is
important that the blade is
inserted with the teeth
pointing down.
You can feel the difference
when you follow the blade
with your finger. If it feels
smoother down than
when coming up. Then the
blade is inserted the right
way .
Cut with a fret saw

9. Sand all the cuts well !!
Apply white glue on the back of
the cut out frame of the
puzzle shape then
place it on another prepared
board.
Remove excess glue with a
moist cloth
Press well with a heavy stone.
Use another piece of
plywood to protect your
puzzle when pressing it. Let
it dry for a few hours.
Wash your brush with water.
Sand the sides and corners
after gluing. If necessary
cut around with the fret saw.

10. Paint the puzzle pieces
according to your pattern
and/ or liking
Varnish the puzzle board
with the frame on both
sides

11. For handles use nails and seeds. At the centre of each puzzle piece pierce with a
nail from the back. Then turn it around . Use a hammer for inserting the seed
from the pointy side. Apply a bit of white glue.