Free tool · no sign-up · commercial use OK
Laser cut book box generator
Set the size of the book and your material, open it in 3D, then download a cut-ready SVG or DXF: a cover with a bending spine, four walls that slot together, and a clasp.
Vector: Every workshop needs a shelf of secret books. Pick a size. Cut: Then hide something nice inside.
Switch it off for laminated hardboard (MDF), veneer or plywood with a pattern or grain: every part keeps its direction, so the grain runs the same way on the whole box. It may need more sheets.
- Outside
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- Inside space
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- Sheet used
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- Cut time
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Did this box save you an evening of drawing?Buy the cat a coffee, from $2. It keeps these tools free and pays for the next ones. You get our “With Love” heart SVG as a thank-you, and a shop coupon from $5.
Vector: I'M A GENIUS… Your file is ready. Cut: Test on a scrap first. Real plywood has the last word.
Need something fancier?Ready-made box designs: beer carriers with a handle, guitar pick boxes, planters and gift boxes, from $2.
How to put it together
The numbers are the same on the cut sheet and in the 3D view (tick "Part numbers"). Dry-fit everything first, then glue.
How to use it
- Enter the width, the height and the spine of the closed book. Choose "Inside space" if something has to fit inside.
- Enter the thickness you measured and pick a clasp. Kerf, fit and the slit pitch of the spine are in Advanced settings.
- Download the SVG and open it in LightBurn, xTool Creative Space or the Glowforge app. Red lines are cut, blue page lines are engraved.
Before you cut
- Cut the cover first and bend the spine round a jar. If it cracks, make the slit pitch smaller; if it is floppy, make it bigger.
- Kerf on CO₂ lasers is usually 0.1–0.2 mm, on diode lasers 0.08–0.15 mm. It changes with material and focus.
- Engrave the page lines with low power: they only need to darken the wood.
FAQ
Can I sell book boxes made from these files?
Yes. Files from this generator are free for personal and commercial use. You can sell the book boxes you make.
How does the spine bend?
The cover is one long piece: back cover, spine and front cover. The spine has rows of slits (a living hinge), so 3 mm plywood or MDF bends round it. Bend it slowly round a jar or a tube about as thick as the book. If it cracks, make the slit pitch smaller in Advanced settings and test a spare piece first.
What size is the space inside?
Width, height and spine are the closed book from the outside. Four walls stand on the back cover with tabs in its slots and slot into each other, and the covers stand out 5 mm over them. The settings panel shows the space inside. Choose "Inside space" to type the size you need inside, and the generator works out the book.
Can the book open with a drawer?
Yes. Under "How it opens" choose "Drawer in the spine". The covers and the head, foot and fore-edge walls make a fixed case, and a finger-joint drawer slides out of the spine. The spine is five long strips on half-circle ribs, with tabs through square holes, or three flat strips stacked along an arc; pull it to open the drawer. A finger recess in the front cover helps too.
Which clasp should I choose?
Tongue and slot: a tongue on top of the fore-edge wall goes into a slot in the front cover and holds it shut. Hasp and peg: a staple on the fore-edge wall comes up through a window in the front cover and a wooden peg or a small padlock goes through it. Nothing: the spine keeps the cover shut.
How do I engrave the page lines?
They are blue in the file, on the foot, head and fore-edge walls. In LightBurn or xTool Creative Space set blue to engrave or to a light score (low power, fast), and red to cut. Untick "Engrave page lines" for a file with red cut lines only.
Do I need an account?
No. Everything is calculated in your browser: your book is not uploaded or stored anywhere. If you allow statistics cookies, we count downloads (style and size) to see which sizes people need.
Should I turn on kerf offset in my laser software?
No. Kerf is already built into the file. Leave kerf offset off in LightBurn, xTool Creative Space or the Glowforge app, or the joints will come out loose.
Is there an assembly guide?
Yes. Under the generator, "How to put it together" lists the steps. Every part has a number: the same number is on the cut sheet and in the 3D view when you tick "Part numbers".
What if the parts do not fit on one sheet?
The generator adds more sheets. You then get a ZIP with one SVG or DXF file per sheet. The cover is the longest part: pick a sheet at least as long as two covers and the spine together.