How we document in the workshop
Force path first
Part Tinker Puzzl is an independent workshop journal based in Singapore. We write for patient makers and mechanically curious readers who want to understand why a mechanism works, not only what it looks like.
Every article follows the same order. We describe how the mechanism stores, redirects or releases force. We then place it in a named craft context, with dates and sources where they exist. Finally we suggest a realistic modern interpretation that a reader could build with ordinary tools.
- Observe and sketch the moving parts.
- Trace the force from input to stop.
- Check printed and museum sources.
- Build or test a model where possible.
- Caption originals and reconstructions clearly.
Specific traditions, not one culture
We avoid phrases that merge many countries into a single design culture. A Kerala kitchen tool, a Joseon water clock and an Edo automaton deserve their own names, dates and contexts.
Sources and corrections
We rely on primary texts where available, such as the Yingzao Fashi, Tiangong Kaiwu, Karakuri Zui and Senbazuru Orikata, together with museum catalogues and established scholarship such as Joseph Needham’s Science and Civilisation in China. Where sources disagree, we say so. We publish measurements only when a cited source supports them.
A good caption tells you what the object is made of, when it was made, and whether it is the thing itself or someone’s careful guess.
We are not affiliated with any museum, festival or manufacturer we mention, and we accept no payment for coverage. If you find an error, please send a correction; we date and note every substantial revision.