CNC box prototype

Projects
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I’m working on this for my entry to the latest “level-up” challenge in the tip jar section of the forums. I’ve seen joinery like this one other time online, so I thought I’d give it a try.

Basically, this is a glue-less design for a box. The long sides have a sort of “hook” sticking through the short side that is spring loaded. I have to bend down that arm to get it into the slot cut for it, then it springs back up when it gets shoved through, and it locks the sides together like that. Can be disassembled by pinching together the spring tabs again and backing them out. Bottom is simply set in a groove/slot carved into all sides, and the top slides into a similar groove into 3 sides (the fourth side is shorter, so the top can slide out over it).

I have a few adjustments to make for my final version - close up a bit of a gap on the open side of the lid, move the holes for the spring tabs just a few thousandths of an inch. Also add some nice embellishments and engraving on the sides and top, naturally. But I’m liking this. Wood is walnut for the sides, quartersawn sycamore for the top and bottom of the box. No finish applied here, since this is just a prototype I’ve been messing with, but I’ll probably coat my final box with walnut oil and be done with the finish that way.

Comments welcome.

20160210_144430.jpg3264×2448 1.95 MB

4 Likes
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Good design for a wine bottle gift box.

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I like it. Looks similar to one that I used for inspiration to make this enclosure:

Spring Joint Box Electronics Enclosure | Inventables

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Yes, that’s the same one I used to model mine. I had to design it from scratch to make the lid slide out like this, account for using a different thickness for the top and bottom compared to the sides, and also just make the whole thing small. This is only about 6 x 3 inches, which makes it a bit tricky to get the relief slots in a place that let’s you bend the spring arms enough to get them into the joints. Hopefully I can work out the last couple of things I didn’t like about my prototype and get a nice finished version together for the contest.

1 Like
5

Did you ever finish up this design?

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Final design is at this link. There are videos and pictures, etc.

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Very cool, thanks Steven, I’ll will have a look at this project. What are your considerations for using your template to make products?

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Do whatever you want with those posted files and ideas. I make no warranty that they will work in your exact situation, but have at it, sell it, give it away, claim it as your own, whatever.

1 Like