Review on 🧩 Mechanical Renaissance Inspired ROKR Puzzles by Mike Swanson

This was the first wooden puzzle I ever assembled. I admit that the reviews confused me before buying, but I took a chance. I'm really glad I did! This is definitely the tricky part of the build as I was very careful not to break it into pieces. I was very generous with the sanding and even had to use some of my own to finish. I only used half the wax but actually used it on each gear and kept testing it to make sure the music and gears were still working. First I had to take it apart once because the music wasn't playing. I suspect the plate was overtightened because after I loosened it the gears turned perfectly. So when purchasing, I would recommend three things: 1) Be generous with sanding when indicated. I sanded until the brown discoloration was gone and it turned easily with a quick twist. 2) Be generous with the wax. I broke it in half to make sure I had some left over. I used every broken part I could. 3) Test constantly. I tested it after each step that affected the gears/music. 4) Lightly sand down the edges of the largest gear (D1) and wax it. Grinding isn't listed in the instructions, but I feel like it definitely played a role in my success. Overall, I am very happy that I successfully graduated and even impressed my two engineering sisters! I recommend it as a gift for lovers of puzzles or construction. The only negative as I was in a hurry to finish it in 2 days my fingers hurt a lot lol. But on the other hand it's worth it!