THE MAKING GUIDE
From a flat sheet
to a little box.
Gather cardstock, scissors, a ruler, a blunt scoring tool, and paper glue or double-sided tape. Make one sample before a whole batch.
Print both pages at 100% / Actual size. Measure the 50 mm calibration line. If it is not 50 mm, fix the print settings first. Read the printing guide →
Follow the outside line.
Cut around the solid outer outline on the base and lid sheets. Keep all four shaded tabs. The dashed lines inside the shape are for folding, so leave them intact.
The angled edges on the tabs help keep corners from bunching up.
Give each fold a head start.
Use a ruler and a blunt tool to gently score all eight dashed segments: four around the centre panel and four at the tab hinges. Avoid cutting through the paper.
Pre-fold the four walls upward. Fold the tabs inward so they will sit inside the adjoining walls.
Bring the corners together.
Raise the two walls that carry the tabs. Apply a thin layer of glue to the outward-facing side of each tab. Raise the other two walls and press them against the tabs, keeping the tabs inside the box.
Square up each corner and hold it while the glue sets. Repeat for the lid, then turn the lid over and slide it onto the base after the glue dries.
Adjust the fit after your first sample.
If the lid catches, increase the clearance per side by about 0.25 mm and print a new lid. If it feels loose, reduce the clearance. Extra glue and paper thickness can change the result; this generator uses fold-to-fold measurements and does not model material thickness.
Using a cutting machine
Download both SVG pieces using the base and lid tabs. Import one at a time and check the overall dimensions against the generator. The SVG includes a 10 mm empty margin on every side, so the file canvas is 20 mm wider and taller than the pattern itself.
- cut-lines: one closed outer contour; assign it to Cut.
- fold-lines: eight open segments; assign these to Score and attach them to the cut shape.
- glue-guides: four filled guides; remove these from the machine job.
Some applications separate dashed strokes into pieces or scale an imported file. Verify in your own software and run a small trial. No physical machine compatibility test has been completed.
Make a box template ↗