Cardboard Box template generator.

[Dave Hutton]

Not sure this is the best place for this thread/question - please move if not :-)

Prior to getting a laser I've been talking with various people about possible uses and I've already been asked about small custom gift boxes (three times now) plus I'd already thought that would be good for some of the items I already sell which don't have a box with them (up selling I believe its called)

Years ago I used to get boxes made which were cardboard, both twin wall and single wall fluted, in various colours. The designs were such that they were simply folded and the 'clipped, together into slots - easy peasy. A die had to be made for each one. So i figured that would be another good use for the machine, assuming its easy enough to get the board (I already have sourced brown and white, round the corner)

I could draw the boxes up manually but was wondering if there was a decent bit of software that might do it automatically. I've seen a couple on line which looked promising but there were few templates that took into account the board thickness - they appeared to be more suitable for paper.

Maybe a Corel plug in?

Then I could make gift/presentation boxes - engrave text and logos and cut a foam insert if required.

Any ideas to make that easier than drawing them all manually I'd like to hear about it - also any tips to deal with the fold lines, could they be made somehow with the laser?

Thanks in advance

DJ

[Bert Kemp]

Not sure if your asking for cardboard temp-lets or wood boxes either way theres several box generators for each on the net. A google search should turn up some. Also serveral of the laser companies have free temp lets on their sites you can down load.

[William Adams]

If you would draw one up, I should be able to write one in MetaPost or PostScript or using Asymptote

[Kees Soeters]

Have you checked the "Downloadable Projects" page on http://www.rabbitlaserusa.com/ ?
Many fancy cardboxes there. Scale them to your needs. Easy to laser aswell..

Kees

[Duncan Crawford]

Not sure this is the best place for this thread/question - please move if not :-)

Prior to getting a laser I've been talking with various people about possible uses and I've already been asked about small custom gift boxes (three times now) plus I'd already thought that would be good for some of the items I already sell which don't have a box with them (up selling I believe its called)

Years ago I used to get boxes made which were cardboard, both twin wall and single wall fluted, in various colours. The designs were such that they were simply folded and the 'clipped, together into slots - easy peasy. A die had to be made for each one. So i figured that would be another good use for the machine, assuming its easy enough to get the board (I already have sourced brown and white, round the corner)

I could draw the boxes up manually but was wondering if there was a decent bit of software that might do it automatically. I've seen a couple on line which looked promising but there were few templates that took into account the board thickness - they appeared to be more suitable for paper.

Maybe a Corel plug in?

Then I could make gift/presentation boxes - engrave text and logos and cut a foam insert if required.

Any ideas to make that easier than drawing them all manually I'd like to hear about it - also any tips to deal with the fold lines, could they be made somehow with the laser?

Thanks in advance

DJ

Check out the Boxit plugins for CorelDraw at laserjumpstart. They include assorted folded cardboard box styles, plus you can make anything else you like. Add the FlexIt macro and you can do curved containers with 'living hinge' sides.

duncan

[David Somers]

Dave,

Sounds like you are looking more for cardboard packaging templates and template packages rather than the box creation sites folks have been suggesting?

If you do a google search on "packaging design software free" you will get a bunch of packages offered for both free and fee based software to do what you want.
An alternative would be to do an Amazon search on Packaging design. You will find a number of books that you can order that contain a slug of designs. I simply scan one I want and pull it into Corel, autotrace it from the bitmap and then scale it to the size I wanted.

A used copy of the book would server you fine and cost a bunch less.
The Packaging Designers Book of Patterns might server you well and can be had used on Amazon for under $10.
Also Fancy Packaging available used on Amazon around $21.

See if that helps.

Dave

[Dave Hutton]

Thanks for the replies chaps - some useful stuff on rabbit laser site and have found a couple of generators online (that I already had bookmarked - only a few designs allow for thickness to be taken into account)

I'll try the box it plug in and the book idea so thanks for that.

DJ