Sunday, January 5, 2020

Snowman 3D Block Box

This winter shelf-sitter masquerades as 
a decorated wood block, but is actually a box 
composed of close-fitting lid and base. 
Layer the whimsical snowman torso and head, 
center it on the lid, then close and join lid and base 
for a fun seasonal display. If preferred, it can be 
assembled (without the interior support “struts”) 
as a gift box for sweet treat giving. 
Box is approx. 4.5” wide x 7” tall x 1.5” deep. 

ASSEMBLY: 1. Identify and cut the shapes:
A box LID front   B-D LID boxing strips
E box BASE    F-H BASE boxing strips
I BASE internal support strut
J-L BASE internal support cross struts
M snowman torso/silhouette shape
N snowman head   P scarf shapes
O hat assembly: base, band, brim, snowflake, circle
Q snowman face features   R coal buttons (2)
S torso heart accent
2. Prepare the hat assembly by positioning and 
attaching the hat band shape along the bottom portion
with matching edges where possible. Then . . .
. . . position and attach the narrow brim shape
along the bottom of the assembly, matching edges.
3. Prepare the snowman lid decoration by positioning
and attaching the face shape over the matching
portion of the torso. NOTE: it will be helpful to . . .
. . . position and attach the hat assembly during
the same operation so that the edges that meet
between the two are snug with no gap while the
outer edges align with the torso base shape edges.
4. Position and attach the hat band snowflake with
center circle accent.
5. Position and attach the scarf base shape over
the top exposed portion of the torso shape with
upper edge snugly against the bottom of the head.
6. Position and glue the eye shapes and smile
coal shapes into the face cutouts.
7. Locate the positioning guide cut dashes on

the face shape that will assist with positioning
the carrot nose tip (pointing finger) and the bottom
corner (closer to the head's center), then position
and attach the carrot nose in place.
8. Position and attach cheek shapes.
9. Position and attach the scarf streamers next to
the coal button cutouts, with straight top edge shape
first, aligned at top of scarf base, then angle cut streamer
on top of first streamer, as shown here.
10. Position and attach the heart shape.
NOTE: coal button shapes will wait to be slotted
into the torso openings until snowman assembly
is attached to lid front.
11. Study the boxing strips to identify the symbols
that will help with attaching the ends in correct order.
Here, the circle symbol in the (left) LID strip bottom tab
will match up with the same circle symbol in
the connecting side tab of the next-to-join strip.
NOTE that the LID boxing strips have single symbols
and the BASE strips have double symbols.
The top LID shape also includes an "arrow" triangle
cutout symbol to help identify that segment as the one
to be positioned at the top of the box LID front shape.
These two shapes show the general positioning
of the symbols where the boxing strips will join.
Also NOTE that the BASE main shape includes
a two-legged "arrow" symbol cut in at top center to help
distinguish the BASE from the LID.


12. Prepare the LID boxing strips by bending back
the upper edge flange tabs at perforation lines.
Also bend back along the vertical perforation lines
between the segments or end tabs - these bends
will be redirected as the strips are prepared to
match the contour of the LID front shape.
13. To help with identifying which strips go where,
consider positioning these around the LID front
shape, then re-bending the vertical perforation lines
to match the LID shape, as shown here.
Double check that the symbols match where
the strips will eventually join.
14. Begin at the LID top edge to align the top strip
matching segment (includes the arrow triangle symbol),
then overlap the LID straight edge over the flange
to the perforation line, adjust to ensure ends
of segment and ends of straight edge match up,
then glue in place.
15. Bend the left strip end into position to align,
overlap straight edge to tab perforation line,
adjust and glue in place.
NOTE that it will be helpful to turn the assembly
face down on the work surface to apply fingertip
pressure along the tab being joined to ensure
complete and strong attachment.
16. Bend the final three segments into position
around the LID edge shapes, adjust, and attach
in place. NOTE: sometimes it will be helpful with
these narrow segments to position and attach them
in a sequence, such as the way they are shown here.
17. Repeat the same steps to position, align,
adjust and attach . . .
. . . the similar segments of the first
strip on the right side of LID.
NOTE the circle symbol in the end segment tab
that can be seen in the previous photo.
18. Prepare to attach the right side boxing strip
to the top strip that is already attached by bending
the lead end side tab forward. Then apply glue
and slip it behind the straight end of first strip until
edge aligns at perf line, adjust top to bottom, then
attach.
19. Continue as before to work with each segment
along the newly-attached side strip to position,
align, adjust and glue in place. (The right side strip
will attach along the side and wrap around the bottom
of the LID shape.)
20. At the bottom left corner, complete the end seam
where the single square symbol indicates these should
be attached. Then . . .
. . . continue to position, adjust and attach 
the remaining segments along the left side 
of the LID. As the final strip-to-lid segment 
is positioned . . .
. . . also in the same operation apply glue to the end
tab of the first strip, and join the ends as the final
segment is attached to the LID.
(Apologies - this image is a different end seam than
the one that is described here, but represents well.)
21. Prepare the box BASE in the same manner
as the lid, using the base strips and using the double
symbols (and others) to assist.
22. Position and attach the snowman decoration
assembly that was completed in Step 10 to the LID
face, with bottom edges aligned, narrow offset margin
all around. Position and attach coal buttons.
23. Prepare to assemble the interior support struts
for the BASE (if this project WILL NOT be a box
to open and close) by identifying the cross struts
by their top-to-bottom cut-in number symbols.
(Here the pointing finger locates the '1' of top strip.)
Also locate the top end arrow cut of the center strip.
24. Bend back the end tabs or top and 
bottom tabs of each.
25. Position the '1' cross strut into the interior of
the BASE at the first angle . . .
. . . and slide it down to touch the interior floor of BASE
at perpendicular, then attach each flange in place
by attaching to the wall interior surface that it touches.
NOTE that the strut flange perf bend should
align exactly at the perf bend of the boxing strip.
26. Repeat the insertion, positioning and attaching
of the '2' and '3' cross strut in similar manner.
27. Orient the center strut with the arrow toward
the hat top end of BASE . . .
. . . applying glue to the bottom flanges, then . . .
. . . align and insert slots with center slots
of cross flanges to allow it to push downward
until bottom flange segments are flush with floor.
Apply fingertip pressure along the flanges being
attached, ensuring that the perpendicular positioning
is maintained. 
28. Prepare to close and attach the snowman box
by applying glue to the top flange tab of center strut . . .
. . . then position the LID over the BASE
and slide it into place . . .
. . . and push to fully closed position.
29. Assist the LID walls to stay snug against
the BASE walls by applying quick dry adhesive
between the two walls all around, 
near bottom edge. Then immediately . . .
. . . apply pressure inward so that walls
attach well, especially in angles.
Her is the completed snowman block box.

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