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Many people have forgotten the craze for working jigsaw puzzles which swept across the country not so long ago and then died the natural death of all fads. While everyone was buying jigsaw puzzles, large manufacturers produced them by the thousands, but as the demand fell off, available puzzles did too, until production was concentrated mainly on simple, inexpensive ones for children.

That left a small, but high priced market for the intricately cut plywood puzzles which are purchased by the experienced puzzle workers who are satisfied with nothing but the difficult and the best.

Byam himself fell into this group, and was very pleased one day when given the opportunity to work some puzzles made over fifty years ago by his son-in-law's aunt. The cut of these puzzles and the idea of someone making his own appealed to Byam so much that he and his son-in-law started talking about buying a jigsaw and seeing what they could do.

AS A retired construction engineer, Byam had time in his day for a new hobby. As a long-time power and sailboatman, he had the knowledge of machinery and mechanics which would make him proficient at this craft. So he purchased a second-hand jigsaw, set it up in his basement and started to experiment.

"It didn't have a very good motor," recalls Byam, "and that's why I say it's good to be at least a little mechanically inclined for this work. This was three or four years ago and small motors were still difficult to obtain so I took my old oil burner motor and put it on the saw."

But just a good saw isn't enough. It takes about four months of practice before you can cut a puzzle saleable in the higher bracket markets. "It's best to practice on the same wood you intend to use for sales," warns Byam. "It won't do any good to turn out professional looking cuts with a thinner, less expensive wood and then not be able to do the same thing with a thicker ply."

Byam started working with aroka, an imported African wood, but when he found he was spending too much time sanding it smooth before he ever could start to mount a print and cut a puzzle, he switched to the quarter-inch, mahogany-backed plywood he uses now.

This plywood comes in sheets of about two and a half by four feet, which is large enough for three or more puzzles, depending on the size of the prints. Selection of prints to be made into puzzles is important. Because he sells to a sporting goods store, Byam often uses prints of sailing, hunting, fishing, etc. But whatever the subject, the print should have good contrast and distribution of color, some brightness, and be an interesting picture in itself as this adds to the enjoyment of the completed puzzles.

Prints are available in numerous stores and at varying prices. The print must be in perfect condition, of course, and it is important to beware of any printing on the back which might show through when the picture is glued to the board.

Whenever possible, Byam uses the work of well-known artists, as this is always a selling point for the puzzle. Prints usually come with a monotone border which is trimmed off before the puzzle is mounted, but if there is any interest in the title or company making the print, this can be left on.

HAVING SELECTED and trimmed the prints, an operation Byam shares with his son-in-law, the next step is to paste and mount them on the large piece of plywood. This calls for a good glue or cement and careful workmanship, because the puzzle is useless if the print buckles and detaches from the wood.

After trying many things, these workers have settled on a good grade of artist's rubber cement, which when applied both to the back of the print and the surface of the board, won't stain the picture. Placing the prints on the board is a vitally important step, because careful planning can eliminate expensive waste. Once mounted, the entire board of prints is protected with cardboard or Cellophane and then pressed with heavy metal weights and left to dry for eight or twelve hours.

Though a circular saw would be easier to handle, Byam doesn't have one and cuts the prints apart with his jig saw. He uses a sanding machine to smooth edges of the board after the puzzles are separated and then is ready to cut each individual puzzle.

THE SAWS Byam uses are about five inches long and ²³/1000 inch in depth and ¹⁰/1000 inch thick. "I usually need five or six saws for each average size puzzle," he says, "but you never can tell, for the casualty rate of saws is great. Some will last for eleven hours and I've had some that break within five minutes."

As the pieces are cut they are placed in an old cigar box and later rubbed across fine sandpaper to smooth away any little roughness. Byam does this by holding the sandpaper firm on a flat surface and gently running the wood backs of the cut pieces over the paper several times.

"I do each puzzle by quarters," explains Byam, "and always try to keep the pieces uniform in size, but as interesting as possible." The number of pieces to a puzzle varies from 150 to 1,600, but even in the largest puzzle it is difficult to see two pieces alike.

The aim in good jigsaw puzzle making is to cut a puzzle which combines interest and difficulty. To achieve this, Byam pays particular attention to the separation of colors and to any distinctive lines in the print, so that each piece will give as few clues as possible to the piece to which it should be joined.

He works with the board print side up, which prevents the picture being soiled by the saw table, and also allows him to see the colors and designs as he works. Any slight tear in the print is repaired with water color paints.

Large, difficult puzzles are rarely put together at one time, so Byam makes sure all his pieces are interlocking. This means that even if an uncompleted puzzle is jiggled, the pieces will not come apart. "Once," he recalls, "I had just put a puzzle together and was getting it ready to ship when I dropped the whole thing on the floor. Not one piece fell out of place."

Assembling the puzzle before marketing it is one of Byam's selling techniques. All his puzzles are put together, placed on a backing of heavy cardboard and then completely covered with Cellophane before they are sent to the store. "I know it takes more time to put them together than it does to cut them," he says with a smile, "but it does two things: it is my proof that when delivered, every piece was there, and it also shows the customer what he is buying, which is important too."

Of course, Byam also provides a box for the puzzle, but the Cellophane covered completed puzzle makes for good display in the store as well as protection for him.

FINDING A market for hobby products is always a problem. Like every craftsman, Byam was aware of what was being done in his field. He examined puzzles from every available maker, checked where they seemed to sell best.

Having decided on one particular store as his best market, his entire sales campaign was as simple as taking in a small group of his puzzles and showing them to a buyer.

They were so well cut and made from such good wood and prints that the store accepted those he had to show, asked for more and now takes everything he will send it. What is even more satisfying is that the buyer discontinued the line of imported puzzles he had carried before, and concentrated all his efforts on the work Byam sells under the registered name of Jigtime Products.

Sending in six or eight puzzles at one delivery, Byam has sold 150 puzzles through this store in one and a half years. "Even though they may sell for as much as $55," he says, "I don't make any spectacular sum of money out of my hobby. Sometimes I work on one puzzle for thirty hours. That doesn't give me a very high rate for each hour of my time. But it does mean I have a hobby which pays for all the equipment and materials used and still gives me a financial reward for the hours I work at something I really enjoy."

Each puzzle requires a different amount of time, but Byam keeps a log on the table next to the saw and always records his time, even if it is only fifteen minutes. This helps him establish the price and is always proof that the work which fascinates him so is still on a profitable basis. "I worked on one puzzle thirty hours," he relates, "and every minute of that time is recorded. I have to do that because I have no definite hours for working."

This means that Byam never works under pressure. He has no definite number of puzzles which must be completed at any certain time. Instead he is free to treat his hobby as a hobby, and can take time to experiment with new cuts and ideas.

One of these is a four-puzzle set which is designed to be sold as a unit for $16. Each of the puzzles averages 150 pieces in size; all are nearly equal in theme and difficulty and the time required for assembling them. Because they can be worked in competition they are a good substitute for an evening of bridge. The first one of these he made sold immediately.