Looking for a little box for a little gift? Here you go:) These little gift boxes print flat and fold into shape. I designed 3 styles: two with bows in different positions and the third without a bow (the bow prints separately and can be super glued wherever you’d like:)
**Note: **The axle of the hinges in these boxes is unprinted 1.75mm filament that has been straightened. This filament needs to be inserted during the print (more detail below).
3D Print Settings:
- PLA works great for all pieces of gift boxes but PETG is preferred for the Filament Straightening Block because of it's high heat tolerance (if you don't have it you can use PLA:)
- Layer Height 0.2mm
- Infill 10-15%
- No supports needed
- You will need pieces of unprinted 1.75mm filament that have been straightened (approx. 35-40mm in length)
- Pause the printing of the boxes at layer 17 (layer height 3.40mm) to insert straightened filament into hinges
I have included a 3mf file with the following print profiles: Print Plate #1: Folding Gift Box with bow #1; 2 colors (red and white), print pause at layer 17 (layer height 3.40 mm) Print Plate #2: Folding Gift Box with bow #2; 2 colors (green and white), print pause at layer 17 (layer height 3.40 mm) Print Plate #3: Folding Gift Box no bow: 2 colors (green and light green), print pause at layer 17 (layer height 3.40 mm) Print Plate #4: bow; 1 color (green) Print Plate #5: Filament Straightening Blocks (two halves)
Note: To reduce the waste/purge I set the flushing volumes to a multiplier of 0.70. Depending on the colors you choose, this can be adjusted:) Also, I selected to flush into objects infill in the settings.
How to Straighten Unprinted Filament: (see video for demonstration)
- Secure the two halves of the filament straightening blocks together with a couple of rubber bands
- Next heat a pot of water over the stove (or microwave) to around 160F (~70C) and carefully insert sections of filament into the hot water (please be careful not to burn yourself).
- Swirl the filament around until it gets soft (like a cooked noodle) and then insert it into one of the holes in the block, threading it all the way through.
- Repeat (there are five holes) until filled.
- Let the filament sit and set for a half an hour and then when you open it the sections will be straight:)
Have fun printing:)