Fractal top box with sliding lid

Super pleased with how this turned out. The fractal design came from an iOS program called “Frax” and I lasered it onto some birch ply. I liked it so much I built a box around it. :slight_smile:

The lid slides off along with one side of the frame. This gives you some finger purchase to open the box. The upper frame and the lower rail are glued in.

The inside is lined in old blue jean material. I tried to etch the fractal design into the material but it came out really light. I need to play with settings on that.

I have one or two things to tweak with the design, but the fractal is just so pleasing.

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I love fractals! Nice box design, too – simple and classy.

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I love that and I love fractals. Here is literally one of the first things I ever “printed” on my Glowforge.

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These are both stunning!

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Oh, very nice!

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I love the fractal engrave and the way you did the sliding lid - frame = finger pull.

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Wow that is beautiful! And I love the sliding lid. It is like a secret compartment!

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Beautiful work on both projects.

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Oh man, that’s the coolest lid ever. I’ve always loved fractals.

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Ooooooo! And the app is free, and only $4.99 for the pro version.

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Terrific engrave and box design! Nice job on that!

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Lovely box design. Did you use a box generator for that lid design or something you designed yourself?

I really like the nice frame on the top.

Also, it’s really nicely finished. Did you sand to remove the dark burnt ends of those finger joints? Then apply poly coat? Or oil or something?

I have no idea how to finish my wood projects. Trying to learn =P

That’s stunning. Is it heavily textured on top, or an optical illusion?

The texture is not very deep at all. I went dots instead of vary-power. It does have a really nice illusion of depth from the image itself.

I used the MakerCase box generator and then modified one of the ends to be slightly shorter to allow for the lid to fit on top of it. There are two rails that sit just below the frame and the lid slots in between the rails and the frame on top.

I did sand to remove the burned part of the finger joints and edges. The finish is danish oil which is my favorite as it is pretty much idiot proof and I am an idiot when it comes to finishes. :slight_smile:

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i have a giant tattoo of this :grinning:

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Very attractive box!

I’m from Missouri! Show Me! :rofl::joy:

(Missouri being the Show Me state)

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Awesome design! Can you explain a bit more how you designed the lid and rails?
TIA!

Sure. The box has an inner and outer wall to it, each wall is 1/8 material. The outer wall has the joinery while the inner is just glued to the outerwall. It’s just there to provide the ledge the box lid will rest on. Viewed from the edge on, they look like this:

walls

The difference in height would be the thickness of the lid plus a bit for easy sliding. For the end you want to use as the front of the box, the inner and outer walls are the same height, allowing the lid to slide out from that end.

Once the lid is cut and fitted, a cap is placed along the top of the outer wall:

walls2

I mitered the corners as a matter of preference.

Since the front of the box has its inner and outer walls the same height, we don’t have a place to attach the cap. However, to continue the look of the top frame (and to provide a handle) I fit and glue a “false cap” on the lid. It completes the frame when closed.

Does that make sense?

thank you! I think I follow, but I’m a kinesthetic learner, so I will probably have to make it in draft board and mess it up a few times lol.