Small boxes for lasering

[Lynn Kull]

Seems to be like this subject has come up before on this forum, but I have searched and can't find a related thread.

I need 150-175 small wooden boxes to be engraved with a company logo, filled with candy and given away as business christmas presents. Is it possible to find something halfway decent that people may want to keep on their desks in the $5-$6 per piece range? Size somewhere around 4"x9"x3" deep.

I am contemplating producing them myself, but have always seemed to be re-saw challenged and don't know of a source for 1/4" or 3/8" thick hardwood.

Thanks in advance for any advise. Lynn

[Shaddy Dedmore]

4x9x3 isn't really all that small. But you could call Colorado Heirloom (http://www.coloradoheirloom.com/index.htm) and ask for a quote. You can also decide what size wood sheets it would take to make your own boxes and get a qute from them. They have 1/4" pre finished sheets.

Studio Workshop (http://www.studioworkshop.com/) has wood sheets, not sure about premade boxes.

People have talked about Sloans Workshop (http://www.sloanswoodshop.com/) before, but I haven't bought from them. (I don't think they prefinish the wood).

Sure it has to be wood? Acrylic might work, 1.8 or 1/4 turns out to be a lot cheaper than prefinished wood sheets.

Try Delvies (http://www.delviesplastics.com/)for pretty fair prices and selections on acrylic. (they'll cut larger sheets to your size at no extra cost).

I used Epilog Lasers music box design to make different sizes. You can get them here (http://www.shaddysengraving.com/laser/)and see if they'll work for you. You may have to tweak tab size to get them to fit tighter/looser depending on your needs.

You'll have to find a way to secure the lid so the candy doesn't spill. Or, plan on just tying a bow around it.

Shaddy

[Lee DeRaud]

I am contemplating producing them myself, but have always seemed to be re-saw challenged and don't know of a source for 1/4" or 3/8" thick hardwood.If that "$5-6 per piece" is your cost, you're already right on the edge of this being a bad idea, but if you want to buy the 1/4" stock ready-to-work, the materials alone are probably gonna blow the budget.

My back-of-the-envelope calculation makes that size box out to be about 1.2 square feet of material, with 10% or so waste. Assuming 4/4 stock resawn to 3 pieces in the 1/4" range, you need close to 1/2 a board-foot for each box. Plus hinges, glue, finish, and labor...and you haven't even powered up the laser yet.

If the final customer is only paying $5-6 each, it's a complete non-starter.

[rich shepard]

If that "$5-6 per piece" is your cost, you're already right on the edge of this being a bad idea, but if you want to buy the 1/4" stock ready-to-work, the materials alone are probably gonna blow the budget.

My back-of-the-envelope calculation makes that size box out to be about 1.2 square feet of material, with 10% or so waste. Assuming 4/4 stock resawn to 3 pieces in the 1/4" range, you need close to 1/2 a board-foot for each box. Plus hinges, glue, finish, and labor...and you haven't even powered up the laser yet.

If the final customer is only paying $5-6 each, it's a complete non-starter.


That"s right my cost on 5/16 maple is right at $4.00 per square ft at the saw mill
then I still need to size and finish it. Then that's when they have some, so I don't see how you could even sell them for under 20-25 unless your just in this for fun and can eat off the loss on each one.
But then I can get some nice redwood bender board and the cost per box might be right at 1.00 and to do the Epilog music box takes about 7 min's each on a 35 watt laser. Those you might do for 15 or so.
rich

[Lynn Kull]

Thanks for the info guys, I was thinking of a customer price somewhere in the $20 range. That way even if I did the finish work and lasering, I could still come out on it. Lynn

[Alan Turner]

Lynn
You have about 84 running feet of 13" wide stock, finished at 5/16". Dpon't know your material, but that would be about 42 b.f., @ $5 foot, equals 1.40@ just for the stock for 150 units. You still need to cut, join, finish, add the hardware, etc. This is a tough one on the economics. Premade boxes from Asia might be your only option. Might need to rethink the price. Lots of sawdust for not a lot of profit.

[Lynn Kull]

Hi Shady, I just made the medium and large boxes from your link. thanks much. I am wondering how you resized the drawings and kept the 1/4" tabs. I may want to design a box if I could do it? thanks again Lynn

[Shaddy Dedmore]

It's pretty easy. Use the Shape Tool to select the nodes you want to move, not the tabs usually. I paid attention to my Nudge settings and I resized using the arrows and the Shift and CTRL keys. That way, anytime I made a change to one piece, I could easily make an exact change to a corrosponding piece. Like, select the nodes on the bottom piece on the right, hold shift and press right arrow 5 times. Then do the same for the back and front right sides. Then they all got changed the same amount.

Stuff like that. Using the node tool, you can't select and move nodes from multiple objects (at least I can't), but it goes pretty fast anyway.

Shaddy

[Patrick OBrien]

Kust joined this Forum and I am very impressed with the quality and quatity of the information and members. Your signature slays me!
Thanks for the help and a good chuckle.

Pat

[Abdul Baseer Hai]

Hi Lynn

I do the boxes you should be looking at. These are cheap plywood boxes 6x9x2.25 inches. i get them for $1 at the dollar store and sell them to the Marriott hotel for $13 each. these boxes do not have any hinges but have a precise fitting lid on a lip.They are pretty decent looking.
This is what i do:

Thoroughly sand the boxes and round the sharp edges.
Apply a white oak water based stain to the outside
fine sand again
apply chapmans Bee Wax to the lid (eliminates smoke damage)
Laser the Hotel Logo
Buff the wax
Laser cut a felt liner and spray glue it to the inside base
you can stain the base and lid different colors to make it more fancy,(Minwax colonial maple for the base and white oak for the lid. The lid has to be lighter to get a better contrast)The hotel loves it and they use it as a truffle box for their guests.

I am in Canada and buy these boxes from the "Dollarama" chain. they are made in China and I am sure you can easily get them in the States.

I dont have a digital camera but will post pictures as soon as I get one.

I hope it helps

[James A. Wolfe]

Lynn,
http://www.bearwood.com/shop/SearchResults.asp?ProdStock=E%2D110&inexid=339TBJOG5R Here's a link for the asian connection. There seems to be a small box like you're looking for but I can't vouch for the quality. I'm sure they're made in the very best part of China but I've never used this supplier. As an aside, I am going to order some of his round, wooden boxes. The top looks just right for lasering and they're unique enough I think they may sell.
Jim

[Joe Pelonio]

I've done a lot of boxes that I bought at Michael's Craft store, about that size for $3.99, some of them on sale for $2.99. You can see some of them here (heart, flower, and star), though at the actual store there many other sizes and shapes. I looked into getting them wholesale directly from their source but it required a quantity of 10,000. They are made in China, distributed in Texas, and have hinges and a magnetic catch.
http://www.michaels.com/art/online/search?pageNumber=1&channel=0&search=yes&keywords=wood+box&type=0

[Laura Zaruba]

10,000? That's crazy! Check out www.darice.com (http://www.darice.com) I've found A TON of craft items there you can laser on. I believe you must have a retail storefront, first order of $250 and $100 after that.


They have these (which look awfully similar to Michaels) Guess the minimum?? 12! And you must order in a multiple of 12 at $1.12 each. They list "4.5 T 5IN. MAGNETIC LID UNF. WOOD BOX X3" So maybe you get 3 in each pack for $1.12?? Not sure though.


https://www.darice.com/images/catalog/products/9180-35.jpg

Good luck!

Laura

[Joe Pelonio]

Thanks for that source, Laura, and I do have a retail storefront. Next time I get an order for multiple boxes I'll give that a try. I see that you have to purchase $5,000 from them each year to maintain your customer status, that seems a lot, so I'll hold out as long as I can before using them to stretch out that first year.

[Lee DeRaud]

I believe you must have a retail storefront...Do they really require a "storefront" or just a resale ID?

[Laura Zaruba]

The $5,000 per year is just to keep an open credit account.

As far as the storefront, they said in the FAQ "you must have a Vendor’s License or Tax I.D. # and a valid store front. Merchandise purchased must be for use in manufacturing or resale. A copy of your Vendor’s License or Tax Exemption must be on file with our home office prior to order placement." Not sure how far they would go to prove whether or not your address is a storefront. I have a storefront but have items shipped to my home workshop.

[Dennis Kotlowski]

I have a home workshop and Darice delivers to me. They never even asked if I had a store front when I set up my account. They ship fairly quickly also....I always get my order within a week.

Denny K