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Box Maker pro tool

Box Maker — Complete Tutorial

Generate parametric finger-joint boxes from exact dimensions. Set width, height, depth and material thickness — get a cut-ready flat layout in seconds.

What you'll make

A fully parametric finger-joint box — lid, base, and four sides — exported as a flat SVG ready to cut on any laser.

Step 1 — Enter your box dimensions

Type the outer Width, Height and Depth of your box in millimetres. These are the finished external dimensions of the assembled box.

Step 2 — Set material thickness

Enter the exact thickness of your sheet material (e.g. 3 mm for 3mm plywood). This controls the finger-joint tab size — wrong values here cause loose or impossibly tight joints.

Step 3 — Adjust kerf compensation

Enter your laser kerf (usually 0.1–0.2 mm). The tool offsets every joint by half the kerf value so parts snap together cleanly without gaps.

Step 4 — Choose number of fingers

Set the number of finger joints per edge. More fingers = stronger joint but harder to assemble. For most boxes 3–5 fingers per side works well.

Step 5 — Preview and validate

Check the preview panel. Each face of the box is shown laid flat. Confirm tabs and slots align and the layout fits your laser bed.

Step 6 — Export SVG

Click Export. Open the SVG in LightBurn or your laser software. Set the cut lines to a cutting layer and run at the correct power and speed for your material.


Pro tips

Tip 1: Cut a small test joint (5 × 5 cm) first to verify your kerf value before cutting the full box.

Tip 2: Plywood works best — MDF tends to have slightly variable thickness which affects joint tightness.

Ready to try it yourself?

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