The free box of the month
Every month, one living-hinge box sized for the season: a rounded box, cylinder or hexagon with the lid and hinge picked for the job and a seasonal motif scored on the lid, as a kerf-compensated SVG. Download it, cut it, sell what you make. Join the list and the next one comes to you.
Get next month’s
One email a month
The new free box, the collection whose season is next, and one guide, sent at the start of the month by the maker of Hingesmith. Nothing else in between, and nothing behind it that you can’t get from this page without it.
From file to box
Three steps
The same workflow as every Hingesmith export; the guides have the settings for each machine.
- 1 Download, or open in the Studio
The button saves this month’s SVG as it is. Open in Studio loads the same design so you can change the size, stock, lid or hinge first, and exports it free.
- 2 Import at 1:1 in millimetres
Red is the cut layer, blue the score layer, black the sheet boundary you switch off. LightBurn, xTool Creative Space and Glowforge each have a two-minute guide.
- 3 Score, cut, fold, fit the lid
Run the blue layer as a light score and the red layer as a full cut, score first. Wrap the hinged wall round the base, seat the tabs, then fit the lid.
Importing into LightBurn and xTool Creative Space · Cut and score settings · Assembling the box
The year’s free boxes
Twelve months, twelve boxes
Each is a free shape at a size, lid and hinge chosen for its season, with a motif scored on the lid. This month’s is at the top of the page; the others open in the Studio, free, any time.
- January · New yearA tea box with a drop-in lidRounded Box, 180 × 110 × 60 mm, Straight Lattice, drop-in lid, snowflake on the lid
- February · Valentine’s DayAn oval truffle boxCurved Cylinder, 180 × 120 × 50 mm, Interlocking Hex, snap-lock lid, heart on the lid
- March · Spring marketsA squat honeycomb boxHexagon, 130 × 113 × 45 mm, Interlocking Hex, drop-in lid, flower on the lid
- April · EasterA deep treat box with a snap-lock lidRounded Box, 120 × 90 × 70 mm, Straight Lattice, snap-lock lid, egg on the lid
- May · Mother’s DayA jewelry box with a magnetic lidRounded Box, 140 × 100 × 50 mm, Straight Lattice, magnetic lip lid, bow on the lid
- June · Wedding seasonA hexagon favor boxHexagon, 90 × 78 × 50 mm, Interlocking Hex, snap-lock lid, rings on the lid
- July · Summer marketsA round coaster boxCurved Cylinder, 150 × 150 × 50 mm, Interlocking Hex, magnetic lip lid, sun on the lid
- August · Back to schoolA pencil boxRounded Box, 220 × 80 × 50 mm, Straight Lattice, drop-in lid, pencil on the lid
- September · AutumnA deep honeycomb boxHexagon, 150 × 130 × 80 mm, Interlocking Hex, drop-in lid, acorn on the lid
- October · HalloweenA tall treat tubeCurved Cylinder, 100 × 100 × 100 mm, Interlocking Hex, drop-in lid, pumpkin on the lid
- November · ThanksgivingA place-setting boxRounded Box, 100 × 70 × 50 mm, Straight Lattice, drop-in lid, leaf on the lid
- December · ChristmasA gift box with a magnetic lidRounded Box, 200 × 140 × 60 mm, Interlocking Hex, magnetic lip lid, star on the lid
FAQ
Questions about the free box
Is the free box really free?
Yes, with no account and no watermark. Each month's design uses one of the three free shapes (Rounded Box, Curved Cylinder and Hexagon) with the Straight Lattice and Interlocking Hex hinge at the default kerf, which is what the free plan exports anyway; this page picks the size, lid, hinge and lid motif for the season. Pro ($9 per month, $59 per year, $149 one-time) unlocks the other 97 shapes, 19 more hinges, custom kerf and DXF.
Do I have to give my email address to download it?
No. The download button works without it. The list is for people who want next month’s box sent to them: one email a month with the new free box, the collection whose season is next and one guide, with an unsubscribe link in every one.
Can I change the size, the lid or the hinge?
Yes. Open in Studio loads the design at its size with its hinge, lid and lid motif; change anything, swap the motif for another or for a plain border, watch it fold in 3D and export the SVG again. It stays free as long as you keep a free shape and hinge and the default kerf.
Which lasers and software can cut it?
Any that imports SVG at 1:1 in millimetres: LightBurn, xTool Creative Space, Glowforge, LaserGRBL, Inkscape. Red is the cut layer, blue the score layer (fold marks and the lid motif), black the sheet boundary you turn off. Run the score layer first, then the cut.
What stock is it designed for?
The file is sized for 3 mm plywood or MDF at a 0.15 mm kerf. For 4 or 6 mm stock, open it in the Studio and change the thickness: hinge spacing, tabs and corner radii follow, and the Studio warns if the size is too small for the stock. Cut the free bend-test strip first if you haven’t used that sheet of wood before.
Can I sell boxes I cut from it?
Yes. Boxes you cut are yours to sell, on Etsy, at fairs or anywhere else. What you may not do is resell or share the cut file itself as a template.
What happens to my email address?
It goes to Lemon Squeezy, our merchant of record, which keeps the subscriber list and sends the emails; we do not store it ourselves. Every email has an unsubscribe link, and the privacy policy has the details.