EDIT: I combined the Sliding Lid Box and Reinforced Open Box with Finger Joints templates into one. I have not personally cut or test this design.

Make a box of any size with a lid that slides into an engraved slot.

Video Tutorial

How to Use

1. Set the dimensions (width, depth, and height) of your desired box.

2. Set the materialThickness based on the material you're cutting. Be sure to measure this with calipers so that the lid fits into the slot.

3. Set the kerf to compensate for the kerf of your cutter. A value of 0.007" is usually good for tight-fitting laser-cut finger joints, but you'll need to adjust this depending on your material, material thickness, and cutter.

4. Optional: adjust the tabWidth if you want your finger joint tabs to be bigger or smaller.

Cutting and Engraving the Slot

In this design, the red filled areas need to be engraved to create the slot for the lid.

We need to engrave to a depth of a bit more than .05 inches.

We recommend using MDF-core materials because they engrave with a more consistent depth.

👉 Not using a Glowforge? Using a different material? To find the settings for your own laser or material, follow these instructions.

On a Glowforge, we recommend these settings:

• For MDF-core 1/8" Proof Grade Materials like Draftboard, Medium Maple, Medium Walnut.

  • 325 speed

  • 100 power (not "full power")

  • 195 Lines Per Inch

    

  Other materials we have tested:

  • Medium Light MDF from Craft Closet

    • 425 speed

    • 100 power (not "full power")

    • 195 Lines Per Inch

  • Medium Maple MDF-core Plywood from Craft Closet

    • 300 speed

    • 100 power (not "full power")

    • 195 Lines Per Inch

The semi-circle on the lid is meant to be a thumb hold. You can just use the default engrave settings for this.

Assembly

After you engrave the slot and cut the pieces, you'll need to clean out the engraved slot.

Simply slide a piece of scrap material back and forth within the slot, then brush it a bit with an old toothbrush.

Next assemble the finger jointed pieces into a box. They should press-fit. You may need to use a rubber mallet to tap them in.

Then test that the lid slides in nicely and you're done!

Troubleshooting

If the lid feels tight, you can try:

• Sliding it back and forth a few times. This sometimes loosens it up.

• Lightly sanding the lid's edges to make it slightly narrower.

• Next time, engraving a deeper slot by decreasing the engrave speed (e.g. try 300 speed instead of 325). By decreasing the speed, the laser will burn away more material.