BASIC BOXES - SERIES ONE

This is the first in a series of boxes that have been designed as sturdy stand alone containers, insert receptacles for decorative origami wraps, or bases for pretty lids made from a different pattern.





As of today, there are ten different boxes in the Basic Boxes Series.  Each  has a different feature. I will post details of each as I complete the diagramming and instructions.





The first in the series was designed to have very strong ends.












This makes it a good insert for the Crossover Box that I posted about on this blog some time ago.  That decorative wrap requires some downward force on the top during the final part of its construction.  The original box tended to collapse which resulted in a couple of us origami enthusiasts coming up with some modifications to accommodate this.  This is an additional one. 

I will come back to this box in later months as I have designed other variations.

All variations of the box can be squashed flat.  This means that it can be sent through the mail, put in a pocket or transported in a purse or a binder for later reconstruction.

 



The simplest version is made from construction paper (12" x 9" --> 8 x 6 grid) or other material with a 4:3 ratio. This version has a single layer floor.

If you use construction paper I would recommend using high end heavy duty fade resistant alternatives. These fold much better than the cheaper versions.





The more complex versions of the pattern, made from square paper or generic oblongs, have a double layer floor.












Here are the Crease Patterns for the three versions. I recommend making the simple 8 x 6 grid one first as the others require that you pull out the second layer of floor from the side walls, and then lock the model by folding over the end walls underneath this layer.









Full instructions, with copious diagrams and photos, are available for purchase from my ETSY shop. This can be accessed from the Side Bar of this Blog.

THE WORRY BOX

This box was made as a gift for a friend. It is made from letterhead paper which is 8.5 by 11 inches. The back of the paper is red. The front of the paper is white with a black and white striped border surrounded by a red pin stripe.

I used a standard Tomoko Fuse design but modified the lid in order to make the best use of the pattern. The rim is folded over several times and appears on the outside of the box. Unfortunately I could not line up the stripes at the diagonal fold on the sides.

THE CORNER WINGED BOX

This series has side wings or wrap arounds as corner shapers.

The first in the series has truncated diamonds on the outside of the box and the tips turned into the box to prevent the wings from flying outwards. If you like the wings popping outwards then make the box without turning the top hem over and into the inside of the box. The side wings are folded from to the left and the edges of the top diamond wraps around it on the left and turns under freely on the right.

A variation has the top turned out as a rim and the internal wings halved and squashed across the edge seams. The covering truncated diamond cannot tuck into the underlying diamond in this version.





The next version turns half the diamond into the box and converts the turned over edge into triangles in the middle of the sides which are turned outwards.


THE BOAT BOX

A variation folds these triangles to look like a sail boat.

THE DECO TOP BOX

This box is made from two or three squares of paper: one for the decorative lid and one or two for the base.


The base has two versions. The plain version has the hem turned inwards, folding from left to right. The decorative version has the hem folded outwards and tucked under to form triangular projections on the corners.

The two versions can be combined by slipping the plain version under the triangle projections.

The plain base, which is folded inwards, is made from a square which is about a quarter inch smaller than the lid, depending on paper size and thickness. The decorative base, which is folded outwards, is made from a square which is about a half inch smaller than the lid. For the combined version the plain version is made from a square which is the same size as the decorative version. That is, both versions are made from squares about a half inch smaller than the lid. This allows the plain base to slip over the white part and under the corner triangles of the decorative base.





Here are the crease patterns.


There are no folding diagrams at this time.

THE TWO PART BOX

The rectangular box by Clemente Giusto, featured in an article a couple of months ago, has similarities to a square-based box diagrammed in Florence Temko's book Origami Boxes and More (Tuttle, 2004). (The domed box made from daisy flowered paper is the model shown in Tempko's book.) Both boxes have double layered roof sections. In both boxes paper strips are "woven" across the lower roof to form the upper roof.


Similarities in origami are common. Many would-be origami artist has been irritated to discover that the creation they have just proudly designed has merely reinvented an origami wheel.


The problem with both the Giusto box and the Temko box is that the walls are relatively weak compared to the roof sections. This can result in wall collapse during construction.

Yami Yamauchi solves this problem by placing an acrylic block in the center of the pre-creased paper so that he can support the walls around it and squash the roof sections firmly on it. The problem with that solution is that you either have to make all your boxes the same size or you have to cut a new block every time you want to make a box of a different size.

My solution to the Giusto box has already been documented in a previous blog. My solution to Florence's box was to add a simple double thickness box in the center.


I also redesigned the external roof section so that it avoided the central hole and folded down flat. In order to achieve that purpose the ends of the protruding strips are tucked inwards.


The variation, showing the color on the back of the sheet, was achieved by turning a larger section of each corner under. A look at the Crease Patterns and a consideration of the photos showing how the boxes open up should explain the differences.

If you make this box from the crease patterns provided here, start the internal box by dividing the paper into an 8 x 8 grid with two diagonals. Then bring the corner points into the center (blintz). Proceed by folding the model according to the crease pattern shown in the central diamond. During assembly the walls are folded over each other from left to right all the way around. The last wall needs to be lifted so that the corner section can be tucked to continue the pattern of its neighbours.

Although this makes a box with walls that are thicker on the left half than the right half of each side this is disguised by the decorative outer shell.

THE QUILT BOX: 2 & 3

Here are some "upgrades" on the Quilt Box.

THE BLUE BOX ironed out a couple of problems experienced in the original box which was the subject of the last posting. It also confirmed that this method of paper connection could result in a big highly decorative box of considerable stability.

I used a different method of module connection on this one. Although it removes the need for "patches" and "feet" to cover the holes at the intersections the disadvantage is that the corner pieces are somewhat bulky. This is particularly problematic around the top of the box. It does not have a lid because it would not sit well on top of this bulk.

Nevertheless, it is a good sturdy decorative open box.


As you can see in the last photograph of this model, I left the base fairly plain.








THE RED BOX uses the original method of module connection. The "legs" are identical but the "patches" now have their corners turned under. It seems to fit the rest of the pattern better.


The inserts are the same twisted cross design with the exception of the center panel in the front. The reason for this difference is that it permits the top lip to be tucked underneath the top section. This makes for a more secure connection than the method used on the original box.

The other lid flaps are simply tucked in, as before. If all the front and side panels were substituted with the insert used in the central front panel then all these five flaps could be tucked firmly underneath rather than just inserted loosely into the adjoining rim section. This would make it a very secure connection. The small air gap at the top front corners would disappear. The air gaps on the top back corners cannot easily be removed with a flush lid of this nature.




The inside of the box is much neater and less bulky than the blue box shown and discussed above.

NOTE: Having reviewed this posting I realize that the photo of the box parts awaiting 3D assembly is deceptive. It was taken early in the design process. After assembly I removed the cream connector pieces between the half squares which fold over the rim into the box and then redesigned how these sections hold together. Look at the last photo for further clarification.


Overall, I am reasonably happy with this version. It is time to make one from something other than cheap copy paper.




As I think I may have mentioned in previous posts, I use copy paper during the designing process because I destroy and throw out a lot of paper along the way to the final version. It would be wasteful to use expensive paper during this experimental stage.

During the design of this particular model there were a number of pieces of paper which became extremely battered from multiple creasings, re-creasinngs and total redesigning. This is usual.




It took some time to design the inserted module which I eventually used in the center front panel. Some versions worked but did not look "clean" or interesting. Others looked fine but did not work well, or even at all :-) As usual, I came up with some designs which did not fix the particular problem I was trying to solve but which are interesting in their own right and will probably be used in future models.

THE QUILT BOX

I have been exploring the use of connected carrier modules over the last several weeks. I have progressed from kusdamas through quilts (more later) and onwards. Here is today's experiment: a box made from connected carrier module "quilt squares".

I filled the carrier window pockets with four interleaved triangles. This gives the effect of four diamonds inside each window. I covered the connecting holes at the base with "feet". I added a strengthening and cosmetic insert to the back hinge (the lid). Finally, I added a knob on the top.

Although it looks complicated, most of the elements of this box are easy to fold and to assemble. The most difficult element are the legs, not because they are difficult to fold but because they are tricky to attach to the base.

I used different colors to emphasize the elements although I think the box would work better with fewer colors. A more sophisticated model might use gold paper for the knob and the feet.

The box is a little heavier than most because of the multiple layers of paper. On the other hand it is very sturdy.

I may change the closure technique in the next model to make it more secure. In this model the lid is tucked in between the wall sections and remains closed through friction. I would be more robust if it were folded over something on the walls of the box. I will experiment some more.

In this model there are small air holes around the edges of the lid. Perhaps I could modify the "legs" and add them around the edges of the lid. Finding a way to connect them firmly and still allow the lid to open will pose a challenge.

All the modules are from squares, with the exception of the legs which are made from half squares.

This was a "proof of concept" box along the way to making larger boxes with multiple quilt squares on each side. I have already discovered how to connect flat modules together firmly in large sheets and connect kusudamas together in a variety of angles. The main challenge in cubic 3D box construction was how to strengthen and hide the corner holes. After several failed attempts I finally came up with something that works, is relatively simple and looks decorative. Unfortunately this works on the corners of the base but not on the corners of the lid.

The technique should permit me to make rectangular box shapes as well as cubic ones like this sample. This is useful because rectangular shaped modular boxes are rare in the origami literature.