SnipFold

Cube Gift Box

A 50 mm cubic gift-box body with a removable square cap. Two cross-shaped nets use integral tapered corner glue tabs; the 52 mm lid has a 15 mm skirt and 1 mm clearance per side.

Materials

  • 180-220 gsm cardstock (two sheets)
  • Scissors
  • Ruler and blunt scoring tool
  • PVA paper glue
  • Small clips or removable tape

Finished size: 52 x 52 x 50 mm closed; body 50 x 50 x 50 mm; lid 52 x 52 x 15 mm

Steps

CutValley foldMountain foldGlue area

  1. Check scale and cut body

    Print at 100% actual size. Check the ruler measures 50 mm. B1 center must measure 50 x 50 mm and each wall 50 mm deep. Cut its solid perimeter, preserving all four tapered 8 mm tabs.

  2. Score and dry-fold body

    Score four 50 mm center edges and four 50 mm tab hinges. With printing facing up, raise walls 90 degrees toward you. On the two tab-bearing walls, fold tabs 90 degrees inward. The two plain walls wrap outside these tabs; dry-fit a square opening.

  3. Glue body corners

    Lower plain walls for access. Apply a thin film to the reverse of the four dotted patches. Raise one plain wall against its two inside tabs, overlapping up to 8 mm; align bottom corners and top rims. Repeat on the other plain wall. Clip until set; keep the opening 50 x 50 mm and both opening diagonals about 70.7 mm. Let dry fully.

  4. Cut and fold lid

    Check L1 center is 52 x 52 mm with four 15 mm skirts. Cut the perimeter, score all eight dashed hinges, and fold a shallow tray with printing inside: skirts and tabs each turn inward 90 degrees.

  5. Glue lid separately

    Glue the reverse of the four dotted tab patches. Place tabs inside the two plain skirts with up to 8 mm overlap. Match skirt corners and hold square: opening diagonals about 73.5 mm. Clip and dry completely away from B1 so the cap cannot bond to the body.

  6. Close and reopen

    Turn L1 upside down, printed side inward, and lower over B1. The 52 mm cap centers over the 50 mm body with 1 mm nominal clearance on each side. Its skirts cover the upper 15 mm of B1; seat the cap on the body rim without glue. Lift the whole lid to open. Test with dry light contents; if it binds, check squareness and glue lumps rather than forcing it. Record fit in the physical trial.

Notes

The 3D model shows each piece in its finished, idealized shape; the exploded view only spreads the pieces apart. It is not a paper-physics simulation: curved shapes are forming guides, not exact physical folding or proof of developability, and intermediate fold shapes are not supplied.