Our
specialty puzzle is a variation of an elegantly simple, but deceiving classic.
We make it in the shape of the nearby Golden Gate Bridge. What makes it truly
unique is that the material used in the puzzle is authentic original strands of
the Golden Gate itself. The part of the puzzle that must be 'disentangled' is a
heart, which makes it a perfect keepsake for those who have left a heart in San
Francisco. This puzzle is offered as a joint venture with Redwood Empire
Industries, a handicapped workshop in Santa Rosa, California which packages the
puzzles and was the
recipient of the cable from the Golden Ga
te
Bridge District after the suspender cables were replaced in 1976.
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The 'ex-Golden Gate Bridge' is piled up behind our former Bodega Bay shop to provide material for 'Our Specialty'. |
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The first step in straightening the original Golden Gate Bridge cable strands (or making rings for the ends of the puzzle) involves coiling the individual strands from the cable on a small or larger mandrel on a lathe. |
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From the lathe we move to a set of homemade rollers for a number of passes to get the kinks out of the lathe-made coils. |
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We finish the straightening process with more passes through another set of 'funky' rollers |
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Our not-yet-world famous "Bridge-go-'round"....OK, I'll wear the
dark glasses next time!!
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The rusty bridge on the left is what we've got after the brazing is done. In the middle is what comes out of the tumbler to send to the electro-plater. On the bottom right is the finished product. |
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