Box lid size

cjldvm · July 31, 2021, 1:41am

Hi all! I used a box generator to make an interlocking box. I now need a lid for the box. I’m using 1/8” Baltic birch. How much extra do you typically add for a lid? Is it the width of the material? Less? Thank you.

dklgood · July 31, 2021, 1:52am

Can’t you use the same box generator for the lid? Do you want it to sit flush on top?

RyanD · July 31, 2021, 3:22am

I personally play around with it. I like a fit that is tight but at the same time is loose enough that material thickness changing slightly won’t stop my lid from fitting tight.

cjldvm · July 31, 2021, 3:31am

Well…I am using the same online generator but I need to make the lid by plugging in new measurements and giving it a much smaller depth. It does not have a separate function to make a lid. So I was just wondering about how much larger to go for a nice fit.

cynd11 · July 31, 2021, 10:34am

If you use the boxes.py generator, you can have it generate a lid at the same time as the box. Even if you didn’t use this generator for your box, you can plug in the same measurements you used before and get an idea of the lid size from that.

cjldvm · July 31, 2021, 5:47pm

This is a good idea - thank you!

rbtdanforth · July 31, 2021, 8:32pm

If you are making an unhinged box, there is a need to keep the top aligned, One way is like a shoebox that the top is bigger than the bottom, Another is to have the sides higher than the front and back or other that traps the lid to stay in place, I did that in this box…

and added 1/8" dia, magnets at each corner.

kwalter33 · July 31, 2021, 9:07pm

Your box is beautiful!

Ara · August 3, 2021, 5:09am

There’s a lot of great advice on here—thanks everyone!
@ rbtdanforth that box is GORGEOUS!
I’ve seen a few different approaches to box lids:

Make it a bit bigger all around so it fits snugly like a gift box. In this case, you should add the width of the material plus a bit for clearance.
Make it exactly the same size and add a hinge.
Make it the same size and affix a piece on the inside that is the same size as the interior opening of the box, so that it fits on top of the box like a plug.

What rbtdanforth did there is yet another option, and I’m sure there are a bunch more! (Plus living hinges, which is a whole 'nother ball of wax!)

This thread has been moved to Everything Else so y’all can keep talking!