has anyone used the emboss tool to make cardboard boxes with their wizard mat cutter?

[Patriot frame]

I have a wizard 9000z and eclipse pro

 

[artfolio]

I think there is a template for this in the Wizard manual but, really, why would you bother?

 

[Patriot frame]

because i just purchased 24x36x4 boxes and they cost $4ea, i stock 48x96 cardboard that i pay less than $2 for, and would also like to make custom size boxes also

 

[Patriot frame]

to unlock the template, i was told i have to pay $500 for it and a different kind of tool, but i believe it can be done with an embossing tool and a 90 degree blade

 

[Larry Peterson]

Making simple boxes is easy without using your Wizard. Besides the cost, most stock boxes are too thick and waste your shipping dollars.

Most of my boxes are custom made. One of the custom sizes I stock is a 30x3x24 FOL box. Uline makes a 30x5x24 box. The 2" difference makes a major difference in shipping cost. From here to the left coast, the 30x5x24 costs me $5 more than the 30x3x24.

For odd sizes and extra large ones, I make my own. Every bit of space I save saves shipping dollars. All I need to make boxes is my FletcherEdge, a HandyScore and a cutter.

If I had a Wizard, I would try to learn to make complicated boxes like this and cardboard corners.

For simple boxes, the Wizard might be overkill, unless you have a template that could be easily modifed for different sizes.

 

[Patriot frame]

i have seen a folder with templates on my c drive but have not been able to locate them in the Frameshop program yet, but if i can open them up in Trace, i know i can get them to work with the emboss tool and a 90 degree blade.

 

[Patriot frame]

i have not looked in to it much yet, but i am sure there are probably tons of templates online that i could import in to trace and make them work.

 

[SusanG]

Larry,
Just wondering what your boxes look like. Now and then I sell something that needs a box. I don't have any room to store boxes in my shop and making them might be a good idea. How long does it take you to make a box? Thanks.
Susan

 

[Larry Peterson]

They look just like regular boxes. I don't make them often but when I do I only make thin FOL boxes like this for shipping frames.

The hardest part is laying our box design. Once you have figured it out for one, the rest follow easy. The only other decision when assembling the box is whether to glue the box together or use my carton stapler, The design I use has a full overlap on on side to provide a sufficient area for gluing or stapling. I tend to use my carton stapler rather than gluing but many of you might not have a carton stapler. For gluing I use a hot glue gun.

So aside from startup decisions/design/layout/etc for the first time you do one, it takes me about 5-10 minutes to make one depending on size.

 

[Patriot frame]

This is what a package of 15- 24*36*4 looks like

 

[wvframer]

For the occasional box I use the wheel on my wall mounted glass cutter to score the folds. I learned if from Harry Gaston at Gaston Art and Frame. He has a video somewhere, but it is pretty easy to calculate and make the score marks, cut out the corners then tape or glue them up.

Larry is right, a perfectly sized box will save serious money.

 

[DanPat]

We use the wizard almost every week for making boxes. I used to use the deboss tool, but I now use the scoring tool that I purchased from Wizard. We don't have a carton stapler, and I don't glue the corners. I usually just tape it up with packing tape. If I am overly concerned about the tape holding, I use re-inforced gummed paper tape to seal the boxes.

 

[SusanG]

We use the wizard almost every week for making boxes. I used to use the deboss tool, but I now use the scoring tool that I purchased from Wizard. We don't have a carton stapler, and I don't glue the corners. I usually just tape it up with packing tape. If I am overly concerned about the tape holding, I use re-inforced gummed paper tape to seal the boxes.

Is the scoring tool something different than the cutting tool? I wonder if they have that for the Wizard 8000.

 

[alacrity8]

Is the scoring tool something different than the cutting tool? I wonder if they have that for the Wizard 8000.

The scoring tool looks like a Spur (for Horseback riding).
They are not usable on the Wizard 8000.
I believe that the box cutting option allows you to use either a scoring tool, or a debossing tool (available with Wizard 8000) for the creases in a box.


I am rally not sure why the 8000 does not have the capability to use the pan tool, scoring tool, and various other attachments.
You do not change the head on the 9000, just swap out the cartridge. The cartridge on the 8000 is a different size than on the 9000.
I'm not sure why you cannot simply upgrade the head, in order to use the new cartridges..

 

[Rick Granick]

The geometry of the accessories is different, and so the software has to compensate for that. I imagine you could use the 8000 with the large embossing tool cartridge to mark box dimensions, but I'm guessing that if you set the depth too deep, it would pierce the cardboard and get stuck, potentially causing problems.
Rick

 

[DanPat]

Is the scoring tool something different than the cutting tool? I wonder if they have that for the Wizard 8000.

The scoring tool is a cartridge with a toothed wheel on it (see the image I pulled off Wizard's Website). But before we purchased this tool, we used to use the debossing tool. That worked ok, but would often puncture the first layer of cardboard. We're using the Wizard 9000z.

 

[SusanG]

Thanks! I guess that would keep framers moving away from the 8000 and toward more updated models. My 8000 seems to be adequate for most of my jobs. I only ship now and then so I guess that upgrading would be too much of a luxury.