@artoftheprose Thank you SO much for sharing this! I’ve been intimidated by boxes until now because I could never get my joins / kerfs right. I needed a custom box last night and am so glad I searched the forum and found your post. This took me all of 10 mins. Thanks!
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Excellent.
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Oh good! It’s saved me MUCH heartache as well!
Is there a way to use box-o-matic (or other program) to make larger boxes that wouldn’t fit in a glowforge? For example, design two smaller halves of a larger box that fit together to make one big box?
You could make a box where the largest panel is 10.9x19.5". Then take the resulting PDF and move the individual pieces into the cut area one at a time.
Same with Festi. with a bit or work you can even use illustrator and setup glue ups. What’s your end goal?
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My end goal is to make some planter boxes. I want to make one specifically for grass for my cats. I have a space that would be perfect but need a longer size box than I can make with my Glowforge basic.
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Butt two pieces together and make longer parts… it’ll work nicely.
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Wow, I hadn’t seen that post. Those are gorgeous!
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Just started using box-o-matic and it’s definitely easy to use. My first box had came out really well except that the tabs were a little loose. Definitely not a tight fit. What drives that in the app? I thought it might be the kerf so I started shrinking that but it didn’t get me where I wanted and in the end the tabs started being too long. I’m using home depots 1/4 purebond birch that’s precut for the GF. I used my calipers and came up with a thickness of 0.1995" and a kerf of 0.006"
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It’s defiantly the kerf setting you want to play with, but I think you have the direction backwards. Imagine if you were to tell the program there were 0 kerf, when there really is one. This is equivalent to doing no kerf compensation, and you will a loose fit cause by the kerf. To tighten up the fit, you need to tell the program you have a larger kerf.
I always get this backwards too. What you have to remember is that the kerf is the kerf – that is caused by the laser and the material. What you can adjust is the kerf compensation in the various programs. I have suggested to the author that he put something about this in the program, but he hasn’t gotten to it yet.
Can anyone re-upload the file for me please?
So, I want to try this to make boxes. If I want to add artwork to the sides of the boxes do I just create the box using the app then place it in a different design software such as Affinity Designer, AI, or Inkscape? Is it really that easy?
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Create the box. Open the box in the interface. Drag your artwork onto the box in the interface. Done.
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Awesome! That’s my next project. I have a bunch of ideas that require a box. Hoping I can speed things up because trying to make those little tabs…well, I’d rather not!
Two years later and you are still the MVP. Good grief. I can’t believe I just found this post.
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This app is grand! Definitely has helped in box designing!
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Thanks this will save the time of trying to Butt joint them by eye.
I can’t get this to download. Does anyone have an updated link to box-o-matic?
Thanks so much!