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Low pencil box

Keep pencils lying flat and visible so a short pencil can be selected without digging through a tall cup. All files are free, including your customized plan.

Open tray

Keep pencils lying flat and visible so a short pencil can be selected without digging through a tall cup.

Low walls expose the pencil shafts and allow a side grip. The long unobstructed floor accommodates eraser ends.

For Someone who draws or writes with loose pencils. Default clear opening: 238 mm × 93 mm × 36 mm.

Adjust dimensions and stock ↓
Measure before you start
  • Measure the longest unsharpened pencil including its eraser.
  • Measure the spread of the pencil set laid in one loose layer.
Tools and access
  • A saw and guide for straight cuts
  • A square, measuring rule and caliper
  • Clamps suitable for the dry assembly
  • A sanding block for accessible edges
Using this organizer
  1. Lay pencils with their tips facing the same end.
  2. Select by shaft marking or length.
  3. Return sharpened pencils to the front and remove broken pieces.
What a useful result needs to do
  • The longest pencil lies flat without bending or diagonal placement.
  • A short pencil can be pinched from above.
  • Pencil tips stay inside the walls during normal stationary desk use.
If the fit is wrong
  • If the tips touch a wall, increase the clear length before cutting.
  • If pencils stack too deeply to identify, reduce the set or use a divided stationery tray.
Ready to make. All 5 parts fit the listed stock.
Low pencil box — thumbnail assemblyDimensions are in millimeters. Read the stated measurements; this drawing is not a full-size cutting template.Open tray · Assembled view250 × 105 × 42 mm · thickness 6 mm

Your parts

PartCut lengthCut widthThicknessQtyGrain
250 mm42 mm6 mm2Along length
93 mm42 mm6 mm2Along length
238 mm93 mm6 mm1Unrestricted
Low pencil box — dimensionsDimensions are in millimeters. Read the stated measurements; this drawing is not a full-size cutting template.Overall dimensions and clear openingsTop view · front edge at the bottomP1250 mm105Front section · halfway through depth (52.5 mm)F1F2250 mm42Clear width 238 · depth 93 mmClear height 36 · plywood 6 mmRead each opening and part from the plan before cutting.

Item allowance: pencils — 190 × 45 mm, plus 8 mm of handling space per axis.

A feasible cutting layout

Numbered cuts span their parent region. Coordinates use the sheet's top-left origin. Trim all four edges of each sheet you use first. Keep unused sheets whole. This layout does not claim the lowest possible material use.

Compare your stock choices

Try this same inventory with offcuts first and standard sheets first. Each result is a feasible estimate; the solver may miss a better layout.

Sheet S1.1

Feasible cutting layout S1.1S1.1 · 600 × 600 × 6 mmC1C2C3C4C5C6C7C8F1F2P1238 × 93L1L2Hatched bands: 3 mm kerf · trim 5 mm on every edgeGrain arrows · small-part locations: @ x,y mm from sheet top-leftF1 · 250 × 42 mm @ 5,5F2 · 250 × 42 mm @ 258,5L1 · 93 × 42 mm @ 246,50L2 · 93 × 42 mm @ 342,50
Cut sequence
CutParent regionDirectionCoordinate (mm)First childSecond child
C1N1horizontal47N2N3
C2N2vertical255N4N5
C3N5vertical508N6N7
C4N3horizontal143N8N9
C5N8vertical243N10N11
C6N11horizontal92N12N13
C7N12vertical339N14N15
C8N15vertical435N16N17

Connections and machining

Open tray · 5 pieces · 6 mm plywood. An inset base closes four butt-jointed walls. Keep the base underside level with the wall bottoms.
Low pencil box — connectionsDimensions are in millimeters. Read the stated measurements; this drawing is not a full-size cutting template.Open tray · connection detailsBase and divider contact · front section at mid-depthF1F2250 mm42Keep the base underside level with the wall bottoms. Bond thebase edges and the wall end faces.Joint reference spans · length × width (mm)F + L · 6 × 42F + P · 238 × 6
Low pencil box — machiningDimensions are in millimeters. Read the stated measurements; this drawing is not a full-size cutting template.Rectangular blanks · no grooves or notchesOpen tray · 5 pieces · 6 mm plywood. An inset base closes fourbutt-jointed walls. Keep the base underside level with the wallbottoms.Follow the cutting map, then use the connection details forassembly.

No grooves or notches are required. Cut the rectangular parts, then follow the connection details.

Put it together

Low pencil box — exploded assemblyDimensions are in millimeters. Read the stated measurements; this drawing is not a full-size cutting template.Open tray · Exploded assemblyF1F2L1L2P1250 × 105 × 42 mm · thickness 6 mmAn inset base closes four butt-jointed walls. Keep the baseunderside level with the wall bottoms.Part labels match the cutting list. Use numerical dimensions.

  1. 1. Measure and mark

    Measure the actual sheet thickness (6 mm in this plan). Mark front / back F, left / right L, base P. Recalculate if the measured thickness differs. Include eraser ends when measuring the pencils.

    Parts: F, L, P · Start here

  2. 2. Cut and label the parts

    Follow the numbered full-width cuts in the cutting sequence, then subdivide each labeled child region. Keep the part IDs and grain arrows. Use the instructions supplied with your tools; this plan is not tool training.

    Parts: F, L, P · After measure

  3. 3. Dry-fit the outer walls

    Front and back span 250 mm. Fit the 93 mm side walls between them. Check the outside footprint 250 × 105 mm and square the corners. The inset base is 238 × 93 mm; its underside sits flush with the wall bottoms. Total base clearance is 0 mm per axis (0 mm on each side).

    Parts: F, L, P · After cut

  4. 4. Assemble the base and walls

    Prepare and bond the butt-joint contact faces using an adhesive suitable for your sheet. Center the inset base at z = 0 mm. Check squareness before clamping. For a clearance gap, verify the adhesive allows that gap; use zero clearance or revise the fit if it does not.

    Parts: F, L, P · After dry-fit

  5. 5. Cure, finish and check the fit

    Follow the adhesive manufacturer's cure and handling instructions. Smooth edges and apply a finish compatible with your materials. Attach four self-adhesive felt pads under the base corners. Keep pencils flat; this box is not a protective travel case. Use for light desktop items; no load rating is provided.

    Parts: F, L, P · After glue

Materials and supplies

  • Uses 1 standard sheet(s) and 0 existing offcut(s). Check your inventory before buying.
  • S1: 1 of 1 used · 600 × 600 × 6 mm plywood (standard sheet).
  • Four self-adhesive felt pads.
  • Adhesive suitable for the selected sheet. Prepare according to the adhesive label and actual contact faces; no universal quantity or cure time.
  • Compatible finish and abrasive. Choose for the actual material and intended indoor use.

Take the complete plan

Parts, stock, cutting sequence and machining CSVs, connection and assembly diagrams, a printable plan and editable JSON. No sign-up.

For PDF, open the print page and choose Save as PDF in your browser. Use A4 or Letter.

For light desktop storage. Geometry checked; physical assembly and durability untested. Follow your tool, sheet and adhesive instructions. Adhesive quantity and curing time depend on the product you use.

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