Making a 18 Piece Burr Out of Scrap Wood

Hello again friends and puzzle makers/puzzle doers. Today I'm going to teach everyone how to make an awesome (medium difficulty) puzzle. Don't forget to vote for me in the wood and puzzle contests! (Tell me if something isn't clear. Sorry but I made this really late at night)

Saw+Drill

Table saw

Rubber Mallet (optional)

3/8 Dowel 14 Inches long

3/4 x 1.5 x 48 Inches (will eventually be cut down to two pieces of 1/2 x 1/2 x 33 inches)

3/8 Drill Bit

There are a total of 18 pieces for this puzzle. Each piece is 1/2 inch by 1/2 inch by 3 1/2 inches (With the scrap wood I had i had to use the table saw to cut it down to the shape and size I needed). The 3/8 diameter dowel is cut into tiny pegs a little under 1/2 an inch (about 35 pegs are needed). Each puzzle piece but one has two holes drilled into it .25 inches deep and .35 inches from the edge, the last puzzle piece only has one hole drilled at the same distance. So 17 pieces with two holes 1 piece with one hole.

Once all the holes are drilled and pegs cut, fit the pegs into each of the holes and use the rubber mallet to tap them in fully (you can glue to secure them but it is not necessary). To check that it works take five puzzle pieces and see if they fit in another puzzle piece in between the two pegs. There should be very little wiggle room.

This is a rather simple Instructable where the real challenge doesn't come from making the pieces, it comes from solving the puzzle. I hope everyone enjoys the challenge of both making and solving puzzles as much as i do, I will try posting another Instructable to teach you how to solve this puzzle soon. Don't forget to vote!