Nice work. Here's a fun little trick I use to make the day more interesting: Instead of using cutting fluid, I substitute hash oil. You can thank me later, if you remember.
A puzzle is supposed to have a solution, like a hidden disassembly system based on magnets, gravity, impact, etc... this is just a piece of welded and polished steel that doesn't actually do anything.
This was quite dumb because drilling a hole then welding it can be simply considered cheating it would be even easier not to bother with all that machining at all and simply weld this thing from 4 blocks of steel. alternatively, you can just heat it up, twist put that pin inside then twist it back. if this is mild steel it probably can be twisted even while being cold. The wooden version is more interesting because you obviously cannot weld or bend wood and it poses quite some challenge.
I worked in a steel company one summer as a teenager back in 1967, so I can appreciate all the equipment you use. My first position was to sit at a giant hole-punch machine and, after positioning a quarter-inch plate, step on a peddle that made the hole puncher come down with a bang! My next position was to use a hand crane and lift these humongous steel beams and spray paint them. One guy wasn't watching what he was doing, and a beam fell on his leg and took it right off. They allowed him to return about three months later with a prosthetic leg. His first day back, he wasn't watching what he was doing and he got a couple of fingers caught in some kind of chopping device... He never returned after that day. It was a fun summer job.
There’s a youtuber who does puzzles, his name is Chris Ramsay. Should see if he’d try to solve it on his channel. Get some people to come over here and see what else you can do.
Another way I have seen this is by heating and twisting the end of the *E* inserting pin and heating the twisting back and voila! I see a PP vid coming! Lol
Hey man, hows the business going? I want to start blacksmithing and eventually have my own shop. Any tips? (I have money and all tools except a powerhammer)