Jigsaw puzzle accessories facts for kids
Jigsaw puzzle accessories are special tools and helpers that people who love jigsaw puzzles use. They make it easier to build, store, and even show off your puzzles!
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Handy Jigsaw Puzzle Helpers
There are many cool tools available today to help with jigsaw puzzles. Most of these helpers come in different sizes. They can fit puzzles from 500 pieces all the way up to 2,000 pieces. The most popular size is usually for 1,000-piece puzzles.
Simple Puzzle Trays
Puzzle trays are some of the most basic helpers you can get. They are flat surfaces where you build your puzzle. They come in many different materials.
Here are some common sizes for different puzzles:
- 500 pieces: About 520 mm x 395 mm (20.4" x 15.5")
- 1000 pieces: About 750 mm x 520 mm (29.5" x 20.4")
- 1500 pieces: About 915 mm x 660 mm (36.0" x 26.0")
- 2000 pieces: About 1016 mm x 711 mm (40" x 28")
The main thing about these trays is that you can't easily pack away a puzzle that's only half-finished. However, they are great for moving your puzzle around your house!
Roll-Up Mats: The Original Helper!
The first popular puzzle helper was the Jigroll, launched in 1989. You build your puzzle on a special green cloth. This cloth has a rough surface that helps the puzzle pieces stick to it. Even the pieces you haven't put together yet stay on the cloth.
When you need to clear your puzzle away, you roll the entire cloth around a tube. This keeps all the assembled and unassembled pieces safely in place. They stay put until you unroll the cloth again!
Portfolio Cases: Keep Your Puzzle Safe!
A company called Falcon Games created the Portapuzzle. This was about four years after their successful Jigroll. A portfolio case opens up like a book. Inside, it has a soft, foam-backed lining.
You build your puzzle on one side of the case. You can keep the loose pieces on the other side or on special "panels" that come with it. When you close the case, the soft lining gently presses on the puzzle. This keeps all the pieces from moving around.
Many people think this is a very safe way to store a puzzle. However, these cases use more materials and take more work to make than roll-up mats. This means they usually cost more.
Portfolio Cases with Separate Trays
Some portfolio cases come with a separate "Construction Tray." This is where you build your puzzle. They also include "Sort Trays" for your loose pieces. These sort trays often have lids that fit tightly.
To pack your puzzle away, you place the sort trays (with their lids on) inside the construction tray. Then, you zip the whole thing up inside the carrying case.
The separate construction tray is very light and easy to move. It also has a raised edge around it. This helps stop pieces from falling off and getting lost. The only downside is that having extra parts can make these cases a bit more expensive.
Nesting Boxes for Loose Pieces
Loose puzzle pieces can take up a lot of space, sometimes twice as much as a finished puzzle! Nesting boxes help you store many loose pieces in a small area. You can use these boxes to sort pieces by shape or color.
Each box has a part that you can remove. This lets you build small sections of your puzzle right in the box. Then, you can easily move these sections to your main puzzle.
Jigsaw Puzzle Frames
In the past, especially in Japan, people often glued their finished puzzles onto a board. Then, they would put the glued puzzle into a picture frame to hang on a wall. But once a puzzle is glued, you can't take it apart and build it again.
Products like the Jigframe solve this problem. They have a shallow drawer built into the frame. This allows you to frame your puzzle without using any glue. This way, you can still take it apart later if you want to!
Storage Cases for Finished Puzzles
These storage cases come with several cardboard sheets. You place your completed puzzles on these sheets. Then, you stack the puzzles and sheets on top of each other, like a multi-layered sandwich.
Straps are provided to hold this "sandwich" together. Finally, you store the whole stack inside an outer cardboard case.
This accessory is best for people who really love puzzles and want to keep many finished ones. It's also great for schools or clubs that need to store and display completed puzzles.
