Anybody know about boolit box folding?

[MBTcustom]

Here's the deal. I'm a machinist. I take a solid chunk of metal and cut away everything that isn't what I'm after. I'm darn good at it. However, when it comes to origami, sheetmetal bending and especially making these tight, professional boxes, I'm lost!
Several of you great fellers have sent me things to modify/repair and every now and then, I find a handmade cardboard box that is really sharp and tight. I realy want to know how to fold small boxes quickly, (like to hold say, 250 45acp boolits) and have them come out nice! This would also be a benefit for shipping goods back and forth between members and I figured the information would be useful in almost every aspect of our sport. If somebody could teach us how to make nice cardboard boxes the "right" way, it would be worthy of stickification. I'm going to start researching this in other avenues via. internet, but I am always impressed by the vast knowledge that we have in our members, and I figured that someone here might have some good info right on the tip of there brain.
Thanks!

[beagle]

Well, I expect there's a military manual on it but you may have to really dig to find it. I was working at Lexington Bluegrass Army Depot and had call for some special boxes and was sent to the "box shop". These guys had it down and all the equipment required. They really had an operation. There must be manuals. I do remember that one thing that was key was a device to form crimps in cordboard. That makes all the difference and could be easily fabricated at home.

There may be software on line nowadays to do this.

I'd say to start, take a GI .45 ACP box and reverse engineer one of them. Maybe you'll learn the method to their madness.

I too have longed for just the right size box for cast bullets but I'm too lazy to make one./beagle

[SciFiJim]

Copying a working design is probably the easiest option.
These work great for mailing molds. They are 2x2x6 and work well for holding anything that need storage. The three middle panels are 2 1/4 inches. The two end panels are 2 1/8 inches. It could be scaled up or down as needed. The left side is just like the right side, but wouldn't fit on the scanner. The total square of cardboard is 10 3/4 x 10 3/4 inches. Use a metal ruler to hold the lines while folding. Quite a bit of work involved.

http://i596.photobucket.com/albums/tt47/SciFiJim_photobucket/Scan_Pic0001.jpg

Or you can order them from Uline for 30¢ a piece.
http://www.uline.com/Product/Detail/S-473/Indestructo-Mailers/6-x-2-x-2-Indestructo-Mailers (http://www.uline.com/Product/Detail/S-473/Indestructo-Mailers/6-x-2-x-2-Indestructo-Mailers)

[Pepe Ray]

Hi Tim;
This is an interesting undertaking. I doubt that there are many experts in this art but with 60+/- years of experience I'll be happy to share.

Being a depression baby was the starter. I'm frugal to the cheap end.
the first training was wrapping Christmas gifts. Before the packaging industry boom much of the girls and kids gifts were soft or without boxes. Home made gifts also needed to be disguised. Most of the big name department stores provided boxes and professional wrappers for a price. This would give me the hives.

Trash card board is simple to find but usually too H.D. for the many small gifts. I began saving all boxes that would come into the house. Carefully break 'm down and stack.

Few tools are imperative but many are usefull.
1. rigid straight edges in varying lengths (steel is best)
2. marking tools. Sharp Sharpies, pens. pencils
3. cutting tools. Large shears, small scissors, box cutters( I worked for years with only a pocket knife)
4. a LARGE cutting surface. To save the dining room table. Must be FIRM.
5 a small/medium 45* drawing triangle. 30-60 is good too.
6. temporary fastening aids. tape on a dispenser. Stapler, long reach desk type, Some folks are good with a hot glue gun-not me!
7. any meds needed to help with patience, music? aspirin? Tea? You get the point!

A. Take overall measurements H-W-L to get the square inches of supplies needed.
Using salvaged cereal boxes to wrap an average doll you may need 2 or 3 or more.
B. Boxing boolets you should look at your ultimate storage dimensions . Don't want to make a box that wont fit between the shelves.
C. for shipping consider the weight. Small heavy boxes are easier to package and handle. The larger the box the heavier the card stock must be.

In folding any stock the difficulty increases with thickness. It soon gets to the point that scoring along the fold line becomes necessary. There are some leather working tools that work if you have them. We cheapies would probably have the box cutter or maybe a pizza cutter. This is where manual control is required. And the cutting board. You do NOT want to cut thru the line. If the material isn't too heavy you can sometimes engrave a compression groove that will suffice.

Since this was impromptu I'm sure to have forgotten something. Practice makes perfect!! As the PC Guru's say "It's all intuitive."

Pepe Ray

[ku4hx]

I used to use something like this with the paper that came in shirts. Don't know if shirt paper still exists.
http://www.cpforbes.net/tuckbox/
http://www.ee0r.com/boxes/index.html

You can create any size box you can fit on a sheet of paper using the first link. I've done it, but I'm lazy and just use left over peanut butter jars or other plastic containers for boolits. Coffee Mate and Metamucil jugs come to mind.

[geargnasher]

Didn't JDGabbard have a thread on this?

I've made a few boxes out of the tough, stiff material that 12-pack sodas come in, I found that a steel ruler and a notched wheel like is used for creasing leather helped make corners fold better.

[edit] Yes, here it is Tim, check it out: http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=41718

Gear

[nanuk]

I like the idea of a dulled pizza cutter or door screen tool

I've used a chisel (mine was too small) and am looking at getting a brick cutting chisel, to make the creases.

for cutting, I've used small knives, like crafting knives, but I think some wood chisels would help too.

as for templates, I save one near perfect example of boxes of shape I don't have.

and I simply make what I need in the size I need and use lots of glue stick, and then packing tape.

I save large sheets of double cardboard, and usually lam 2 together to make a 4 layer piece to box up guns.

I look forward to hearing others ideas

[Pepe Ray]

Nanuk sounds like a yankee craftsman, perhaps a former dump picker?
Do you save old boot laces?
Pepe Ray

[alamogunr]

Copying a working design is probably the easiest option.
These work great for mailing molds. They are 2x2x6 and work well for holding anything that need storage. The three middle panels are 2 1/4 inches. The two end panels are 2 1/8 inches. It could be scaled up or down as needed. The left side is just like the right side, but wouldn't fit on the scanner. The total square of cardboard is 10 3/4 x 10 3/4 inches. Use a metal ruler to hold the lines while folding. Quite a bit of work involved.

http://i596.photobucket.com/albums/tt47/SciFiJim_photobucket/Scan_Pic0001.jpg

Or you can order them from Uline for 30¢ a piece.
http://www.uline.com/Product/Detail/S-473/Indestructo-Mailers/6-x-2-x-2-Indestructo-Mailers (http://www.uline.com/Product/Detail/S-473/Indestructo-Mailers/6-x-2-x-2-Indestructo-Mailers)

The Uline box shown above looks the same as the box NOE uses to ship GB molds.

[SciFiJim]

The Uline box shown above looks the same as the box NOE uses to ship GB molds.

Sure is. Works great for storing boolits as well. I can get about 200 .45 boolits in one.

[dragonrider]

Someone on this very site has a plan for doing exactly what you want, dam if I can remember his name though. Perhaps he will see this thread.

[blackthorn]

Quote "Nanuk sounds like a yankee craftsman, perhaps a former dump picker?
Do you save old boot laces?
Pepe Ray "

Doesn't everybody???

[geargnasher]

Someone on this very site has a plan for doing exactly what you want, dam if I can remember his name though. Perhaps he will see this thread.

I was thinking JDGabbard, is that who you were thinking?

Gear

[94Doug]

Gear,

That was what I was thinking too. I sent him a Gvt 45acp cardboard box a while back to design a template. I forgot all about that. I wonder if he ever got that. Those boxes used to be available from Midway before they hit the bigtime as military surplus.

Doug

[dragonrider]

As I said I don't remember who it was.

[geargnasher]

As I said I don't remember who it was.

I only asked in case you missed my first post on this thread that contained a link to his box-making thread and was wondering if the name might jog your memory.

Gear

[dragonrider]

Yes I understood that, but the name didn't ring a bell.

[tmc-okc]

Tim, I'm not a machinist but I am a box builder. I have put together a drawing showing you how to build the boxes you want. Will send the drawings and instructions via your email addy..

Ron
OKC

[deltaenterprizes]

It is very similar to bending sheet metal like I learned in 7th grade in Industrial Arts. Being able to do simple mechanical drawings helps with the layout. A ridid piece metal or wood with a straight sharp edge helps with making sharp straight corners.

[Sonnypie]

On another note....
I gather up any box inserts when I can find them at my local range.
(Barrel diving)
But what if we could find the source for those handy, dandy, inserts?

I've used discarded 45 Auto boxes to ship "Cast Metal Art Forms" to friends.
Sized, lubed, ready to load.

Fer eggzample:
Ammo Box Inserts (http://catalog.dewittplastics.com/viewitems/ammo-box-organizer-inserts/ammo-box-organizer-inserts-2?&bc=100|1008)

Somebody makes them durned thangs!

Like this. (http://www.ebay.com/itm/UNIQUE-REMINGTON-PAPER-AMMO-BOX-PLASTIC-CARTRIDGE-INSERT-223-CAL-/230709407334)

But if all you want is a cardboard box, USPS will ship you a pile for FREE! (https://store.usps.com/store/browse/uspsProductDetailMultiSkuDropDown.jsp?categoryNav= false&navAction=jump&navCount=0&productId=P_SMALL_FRB&categoryId=subcatMSS_FlatRate)
The ones that have a $0.00 price are free. (https://store.usps.com/store/browse/subcategory.jsp?categoryId=subcatMSS_FlatRate&categoryNavIds=catGetMailingShippingSupplies%3Asub catMSS_FlatRate)

[kbstenberg]

I have been making my own bullet box's. Mine are sized 2.25 by 4 by 6. With attached cover. They look like the old bullet box's from Hornaday. The box an cover are all one piece. I will make drawings and take some pictures in a day or two.