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Hingesmith
Studio
Open Studio

No account · no watermark · SVG at 1:1 mm

Free laser-cut box generator with living hinges

Set the size and stock, pick a hinge, watch the box fold in 3D, download the SVG. The free plan covers the rounded box, curved cylinder, hexagon with the Straight Lattice and Interlocking Hex hinges, all 3 lids and all 5 sheet sizes, and the preview of all 100 shapes and 21 hinges.

Make a free box See all 100 shapes
  • Kerf-compensated tabs and slots (0.15 mm default)
  • Red cut and blue score layers, sized in millimetres
  • Parts nested on A3, 12 × 20 in, 12 × 12 in, 400 × 300 or the xTool S1 bed
  • Drop-in, snap-lock or magnetic lid
  • 3, 4 or 6 mm plywood or MDF
  • Free bend-test strip for every hinge pattern

Free to export

Three shapes, two hinges, every lid

Real cut files from the engine: the lid tops with their art, and a window onto each hinge's wall strip.

Rounded Box lid: red cut line with its scored lid art in blue
Rounded BoxFree
Hinges only at the corners
Curved Cylinder lid: red cut line with its scored lid art in blue
Curved CylinderFree
Round or oval, even wrap
Hexagon lid: red cut line with its scored lid art in blue
HexagonFree
Honeycomb cell
Straight Lattice cut layout: red cut lines and blue score lines
Straight LatticeFree
Staggered slots, even flex
Interlocking Hex cut layout: red cut lines and blue score lines
Interlocking HexFree
Mirrored zig-zags

Start with the bend test

Open the Studio, go to the Hinge tab and download the bend test. It cuts in a few minutes and shows how far your sheet bends before you spend a whole board on a box. How to read it.

Upgrade when you need it

What Pro adds

Pro is for cutting the themed shapes and the decorative hinges, and for dialling in your own kerf.

100 shapes

Seasonal, animal, food, party and hobby collections, each with its own lid drawing.

21 hinges

Ripple, braid, lantern, Voronoi and more, spaced for every curve.

Custom kerf

Enter your measured kerf and parts press-fit first time.

DXF export

Layered R12 DXF in millimetres for CAD and older cutters.

Pro Monthly $9 per month · Pro Yearly $59 per year · Pro Lifetime $149 one-time. Compare plans.

FAQ

Questions about the free generator

Is Hingesmith really free?

Yes. The Studio runs in your browser with no account. You can design any of the 100 shapes with any hinge and fold it in 3D, and you can download the SVG for the Rounded Box, Curved Cylinder, Hexagon with the Straight Lattice or Interlocking Hex hinge, any lid, any size and any sheet, with no watermark. Pro ($9 per month, $59 per year, $149 one-time) unlocks the other shapes and hinges, custom kerf and DXF.

What is a living-hinge box, and how is it different from a finger-joint box?

A finger-joint box is six flat panels that interlock at the edges, so it is always a rectangle. A living-hinge box has a flat base and lid and one strip of plywood for the wall, cut with a field of slots so it wraps round the outline, so it can be a heart, a pumpkin or a hexagon. If you want plain rectangular boxes with finger joints, boxes.py, MakerCase and Box Studio make those well; Hingesmith makes the curved ones.

Which lasers does the free file work with?

Any that imports SVG at 1:1 in millimetres: LightBurn, xTool Creative Space, Glowforge, LaserGRBL, Inkscape. The file has a red cut layer, a blue score layer (fold marks and lid art) and a black sheet boundary you turn off.

Do I need to know my kerf?

The free export uses a 0.15 mm kerf, which suits most diode lasers and many CO₂ lasers. Measure yours with a 20 mm test square; if it is far from 0.15, Pro lets you enter the exact value so tabs press-fit without sanding.

What is the bend test, and is it free?

A strip with four hinge zones at 70%, 100%, 140% and 200% of the safe twist limit, plus a gauge plate to wrap them round. It is free for every pattern and tells you how far your particular plywood bends, so you can set Wood flex before cutting a box.