Box Maker
A little plywood. A lot of possibility.
Assembly & laser help
A panel list and guide to dry fitting, SVG scale, kerf and engraving order. These notes are separate from the cutting file.
Geometry checks passed. Physical fit still needs a test cut using your plywood and laser.
From an idea to a real object.
Make a free laser-cut plywood box with interlocking finger joints, a 3D assembly preview and an SVG cutting file. Start with outside dimensions, measure the material, then add holes, decorative shapes and your own images to individual faces.
Designed for classroom projects
Create a keepsake box, project enclosure or storage tray. Place measured holes, draw lines and pen outlines, or add lettering in different fonts. Engrave a photo directly, or review a traced drawing before adding it for cutting or line engraving. Designs stay in this browser; download the editable file to keep a copy.
Make a test before the final cut
Laser kerf and plywood thickness affect fit. This tool creates 2D laser paths, with no machine settings or toolpaths. It does not check mechanism clearance or structural strength. Keep all labels and artwork on the intended outside face, import at 1:1 in millimetres, and engrave before cutting.
Questions before your first cut
Which Box Maker features are free?
The free editor includes one basic finger-jointed box, open or with a lift-off lid, and every artwork tool: holes, shapes, image engraving, image tracing, pen, straight lines, text, zoomable measuring and SVG download. The same thumbnail picker shows eleven extra pilot-only starting styles. Logged-in Toolbox users get the full collection, including compartments, a pencil caddy, a handled crate, a parts bin, a tray and curved living-hinge wraps, plus direct transfer to their school’s fabrication workflow.
Can I measure, draw and add text to each face?
Yes. Position artwork using millimetre centre coordinates and size fields, or click a start and end point with Measure. Measurement snaps to nearby panel and artwork edges. Drag when placing a shape to set its size, or use its corner handles afterwards. Pen draws engraving strokes that can be closed for cutting; Line makes straight engraving lines. Type offers three font families, bold, italic and letter spacing, converting letters into portable vector outlines.
Can I download a free SVG for laser cutting?
Yes. Set the outside dimensions and material thickness, then download an SVG with dimensions in millimetres. Red paths are for cutting and blue paths are for vector line engraving. Assign the operations and confirm 1:1 scale in your laser software.
Can I use Box Maker for a wind-up music box?
Yes. Add a cut circle to the face where the winding shaft will pass through, then set its diameter and centre position. The starting material thickness is 3 mm. Measure your actual plywood, shaft diameter, shaft reach and mounting positions; the example hole is not a verified fit for a particular mechanism.
Can I add my own images to the box?
Yes. Choose image engraving for photos or detailed artwork: a grayscale image is embedded in the SVG and cannot be cut. For simple drawings and logos, choose Trace to vector using the built-in Image to SVG converter, review the preview and confirm before placement. Line engraving keeps traced outlines; cutting uses closed outer silhouettes and internal islands are removed. Images are processed in your browser.
How do I get the finger joints to fit?
Measure the plywood thickness and your laser’s kerf. Use Test your material to download a calibration SVG with a 100 mm scale reference, joint-fit slots and a test tongue. Curved pilot boxes also include three flex samples. The tool applies the entered full-width kerf once; avoid applying a second compensation in your laser software. Check the samples and dry-fit one complete box before a class batch. Physical fit, bend strength and mechanism clearance still need a workshop check.