Here are some brief instructions for cutting the files generated by the Project Wizard ‘Boxmaker’ project and assembling the pieces. We hope to have a more complete set soon, but this will have to do for now. See the ShopBot website for information on creating/developing for the Project Wizard system.

The files you download from BoxMaker are for your personal use only. Very affordable licenses are available from ShopBot if you would like to use BoxMaker designs and files commercially.

BoxMaker is Copyright © Bill Young and ShopBot Tools 2002, 2003. All rights reserved. Project Wizard is ‘Patent Pending’.

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1. Cut and assemble Vacuum table
   
   
   1. Mount vac table blank to ShopBot table
      1. Use a ¼” bit…zero the z-axis at ShopBot table surface
      2. If blank you’re cutting from is exact size, maybe hold with vacuum?
      3. If your blank is larger than needed
         1. Look at files in Preview mode and place screws outside of cut area…1” or so…
         2. Cut files in offset mode
      
      
      
   2. Run files for vac table pieces to cut parts…vac_botm.sbp and vac_top.sbp
      1. If you’re cutting both parts from one piece of ply…offset second one
      2. Decide on vac hole size in advance
         1. Use ShopVac hose coupling if there’s room to run the hose straight down
         2. 2” PVC elbow and ShopVac wand if right angle hose attachment is needed for clearance
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
   3. Assemble the vacuum table
      1. Remove blanks from ShopBot and cut tabs
      2. Sand if necessary
      3. Glue hose fitting into bottom piece with a hot glue gun. Leave the edge of fitting flush with the inside edge of the recess in bottom piece
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
      4. Glue and clamp top to bottom… yellow glue and LOTS of clamps
      5. Let glue dry and seal any voids in edges as needed
      6. Drill 1/8” pilot holes for screws in screw placement recesses in top
      
      
      
   4. Mount vac table to ShopBot
      1. Notch in edge of vac table aligns with X-axis 0 point; hose end of vac table will hang off of ShopBot for hose clearance
      2. Side aligned with x axis or parallel to X axis
      3. Temporarily clamp to table top
         
         
         
         
         
         
      4. Screw vac table to ShopBot with drywall screws through pilot holes
      5. Zero z-axis at top of vac table and run topgrovz.sbp file
      6. Remove any loose pieces after cutting
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
   5. Flatten vac table
      1. Change to large flat-bottom bit (1” or so)
      2. Zero at vac table top surface
      3. run vacflatn.sbp file
      4. if whole area not surfaced, run vacflatn.sbp again to remove a little more material
      5. sand to remove any ridges from bit
      6. attach vac hose and test holding power with box blank
      7. seal leaks if necessary
      
      
      
2. Cut out the box parts
   
   
   1. Cut blank to size
      1. good quality ply or solid lumber works best
      2. ply must be between 0.4” and 0.55” inches thick (metric version in the works)
      3. measure accurately and double-check thickness
      
      
      
   2. Engrave outside faces if desired
      1. use box_template.dxf in design program for layout
      2. place blank on Vac table with the face that you want to engrave on facing up
      3. align edge of blank with edge of vac table FARTHEST from Y-axis 0 point
      
      
      
   3. Cut box parts
      1. ¼” bit…straight carbide best surface quality
      2. if there’s any bow in your blank, put it on vac table so that high point is up in middle, not along the edges
      3. zero Z-axis at vac table surface
      4. align blank with the front edge of vac table
      5. set cutting speed slower for better quality…maybe 1.0
      
      
      
   4. Turn on vac
      1. bleeding in a little air helps the life of the vac
      2. check hold-down pressure and any leaks if necessary
      
      
      
   5. run boxfile.sbp to cut box parts
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. Cut clamp files
   
   
   1. more plies gives stronger clamp
   2. cut from scrap if possible
   3. sand edges
   4. read header sections in clamplen.sbp, clampwid.sbp , and boxinfo.txt for blank sizes
   5. cut multiples in offset mode ( info in file headers)
   6. sand if necessary
   
   
   
4. Assemble box
   
   
   1. remove blank from vac table and cut tabs to release parts
   2. remove any fuzz and chips if necessary, especially in steps and notches in joints
   3. cut bottom for box…
      1. see box_info.txt file for size
      2. no more than 0.25 in thick, ¼” plywood works well
      3. sand both sides before assembly
   4. dry assemble box
      1. the ends overlap the sides
      2. clamp and check fit
      3. trim bottom to fit if it is too big for tight fit
   5. glue corners
      1. yellow glue for normal use…epoxy for extra strength
      2. finish nail for extra strength
      3. wipe off glue squeeze-out with damp cloth, or scrape when rubbery
   6. sand and finish
   
   
   
5. Cut lid
   
   
   1. single piece of ¼” material
      1. ply
      2. plexiglass
      3. lumber
   2. opening method
      1. finger hole
      2. block glued on
      3. recess cut in lid
   3. raised panel
      1. designed by user
      2. thin edge to ¼” to fit in groove