Materials
- 3 mm plywood or MDF sheet
- wood glue
Software and equipment
- Laser cutter
- calipers
- clamps or masking tape
A finger-joint box is the classic laser project: five or six panels whose fingers interlock. The joints only fit if the design knows your real material thickness.
What you will learn
- Resizing a parametric box by its outside dimensions.
- Entering a measured thickness.
- Checking the inside size and reviewing the panels before you cut.
After the tutorial
Cut one corner first to test the fit. If it is too tight or loose, adjust the measured thickness or add kerf compensation and regenerate. Then follow the assembly guide: walls first, base from below, square, glue and clamp.
Steps
The same steps appear in the studio, where each one is checked against your design.
- 1
Select the box
Click the box on the canvas to select the component. Its outside dimensions and options appear in Properties.
- 2
Change the size
Set Width (outside), Depth (outside) or Height (outside). Watch the finger joints and panels regenerate on the canvas.
- 3
Measure your sheet
Press Esc, then type your caliper reading in Material → Measured. The notch depth of every joint follows this value.
- 4
Check the design
Open Check & output and make sure it says Geometry validated. Read the assumptions — they list the inside size of your box.
- 5
Look at the layers
Click Generate files and open the Layers step. A box needs only the cut layer, plus engrave if you added text.
- 6
Preview the panels
Open the Preview step. Each panel is a separate part, nested on your sheet. The assembly guide in the package numbers them.
Final result
Compiled by the same engine as the studio: 5 parts on 1 sheet. Red is cut, black is engraved.