# Building a sliding lid box or a matchbox with the Slide Box Generator

> a box with a lid that slides out through its rails, or a matchbox tray in a sleeve

The **Sliding lid** box keeps its lid in rails, so it cannot lift off. The **Matchbox** style pushes an open tray in and out of a sleeve.

How well either one slides depends on the **Slide clearance**, so measure your sheet and test the fit before gluing.

## What you need

- 3 mm plywood or acrylic. Measure it with calipers.
- Wood glue, or acrylic cement for acrylic

## 1. Pick the style



Under **Style**, choose **Sliding lid** or **Matchbox**. Turn on **Thumb notch** for a finger hole in the sliding lid, or for notches in the matchbox sleeve and tray front.

## 2. Set the inside size



Enter the **Inside width**, **Inside depth** and **Inside height** you need for the contents. For the sliding lid box, the height is measured below the lid.

## 3. Tune the slide



- Set **Material thickness** to what you measured, not the number on the label.
- **Finger width** sets how many fingers each joint gets.
- **Slide clearance** is the gap around the lid in its rails, or between the tray and the sleeve. Raise it if the parts stick, and lower it if they wobble.

## Laser cutting

### Cut and assemble



1. Download the **SVG** and cut every panel.
2. Assemble the box or the sleeve and check that the lid or tray slides before gluing.
3. Glue the joints, keeping glue away from the rails.

## Make it yours

- Engrave the lid or the tray front.
- Make a set of matchboxes in different sizes to organise a drawer.
- Try the **Inspirational Palette** under the preview to compare wood and colour combinations.

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Open the Slide Box Generator: https://www.mylasertools.com/slide-box-generator
Read online: https://www.mylasertools.com/learn/guides/slide-box-generator