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photo cube - frameless, cheap and easy!

by Apfrod Works on August 6, 2006

Table of Contents

intro: photo cube - frameless, cheap and easy! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

step 1: What you need . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

File Downloads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

step 2: Marking out for the scoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

step 3: Score the prints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

step 4: Cut off the corners of the flaps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

step 5: Fold the flaps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

step 6: Stick on the double-sided tape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

step 7: Lay out the cube net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

step 8: Stick the flaps down for the net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

step 9: Fold it all up! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

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Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

http://www.instructables.com/id/photo-cube---frameless%2c-cheap-and-easy!/
intro: photo cube - frameless, cheap and easy!
I made this as a birthday card for my sister, but it's also a great cheap way to display photos without having to buy a frame. It would also make a lovely personalised
bauble or gift box.

step 1: What you need

The first thing you need is six photographs to make your cube. They will end up cropped square in the middle, so to make sure I got the crop I wanted I used the attached
mask in photoshop to make all my images fit the same square.

You will also need a knife, cutting board, double-sided tape (glue if you prefer), metal safety ruler (don't risk fingers!) and something to score with. I used a parchment
tool, but an empty ballpoint pen or something similar would probably do. This is to make sure you get a good, clean fold in your prints.

Image Notes
1. safety ruler
2. cutting mat - don't go ruining mum's best table!
3. scoring tool - parchment tool pictured
4. call that a knife? now that's a knife.
5. six photo prints of your choice. these have been prepared so that they print out square and centered in a 6x4 print.
6. double-sided tape

File Downloads

cube mask.psd (316 KB)

[NOTE: When saving, if you see .tmp as the file ext, rename it to 'cube mask.psd']

http://www.instructables.com/id/photo-cube---frameless%2c-cheap-and-easy!/
step 2: Marking out for the scoring
Measure the height of the sqaure photo and work out how much to subtract from either end of the width. On 6x4 prints, this will be an inch, or 25.4mm, so mark this at
either end, top and bottom.

step 3: Score the prints

Here you can see the parchment tool in operation, making a nice indentation rather than the cut scoring card with a knife would make.

http://www.instructables.com/id/photo-cube---frameless%2c-cheap-and-easy!/
step 4: Cut off the corners of the flaps
Now cut off the corners of the flaps, so as to make it easier to stick together later on. What you can't see in this picture of course, is the hand firmly holding the ruler so
that the knife doesn't fly off accross the print and into your leg.

step 5: Fold the flaps

Now you can see where things were going with the scoring and cutting. Note the difference between a perfect corner on the left and the slight excess on the right corner.
It's better to err on this side though, otherwise you might cut through the square which will show.

Image Notes
1. oops

step 6: Stick on the double-sided tape

Now stick the tape on the flaps, getting as close to the edge of the square and into the corners as you can. The bits of tape will ideally be trapeziod-shaped, which just
means alternating diagonal cuts. You can make up too-short tape with little parrallelograms.

http://www.instructables.com/id/photo-cube---frameless%2c-cheap-and-easy!/
step 7: Lay out the cube net
Here's the science bit: lay out the sides of the cube, paying attention to which pictures will end up next to each other and where all the flaps will attach. If you havn't made
any paper cubes from a net before it might help to image search for "cube net", print one out and try making it so you understand how the sides join up.

step 8: Stick the flaps down for the net

Now peel off that tape backing and get sticking! To do a neat job, it's best to look at the front edge where the pictures join rather than doing it from the back.

http://www.instructables.com/id/photo-cube---frameless%2c-cheap-and-easy!/
 step 9: Fold it all up!
This could be the hardest part, I don't know as I have so far left it flat so I can put it in an envelope. That's where cube-making practice comes in handy. You might need
to use a pin in the corners to push down the last flap

The final product is very light, so it's a good idea to put in a ball or blu-tack, a penny or somesuch weight so that it doesn't blow accross the room with the slightest
breeze. You could also tape a little loop of string inside poking out of one corner to make it into a hanging cube; from the ceiling or even a christmas tree!

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Comments
27 comments Add Comment

Byr0n_x says: Jan 27, 2009. 5:08 PM REPLY

Very nice, I make one for my wife...

http://www.instructables.com/id/photo-cube---frameless%2c-cheap-and-easy!/
 flyhull says: Dec 24, 2008. 2:35 PM REPLY
If you are starting with digital photos you can go to http://easyphotocube.com and make a one-piece pattern to print with your photos already on it. Then all
you have to do it cut it out, fold it and assemble it. You can add captions to each side too. It makes the assembly process easier.

chicaandjo says: Jun 21, 2008. 7:11 PM REPLY

If you want to take this idea one step further, see our step-by-step instructions on how to make a folding magic photo cube.

baconrobots says: May 24, 2008. 9:21 AM REPLY

I've found that a simple butter knife (using the dull back edge) is great for scoring too.

rusticgal says: Mar 24, 2008. 10:25 PM REPLY

Forgot to add, VERY NICE would make good presents

rusticgal says: Mar 24, 2008. 10:23 PM REPLY

could you laminate the photos first to keep them clean? or wouldn't it work!

ultrauber says: Mar 12, 2008. 8:53 PM REPLY

nice job! +1

Doctor What says: Dec 16, 2007. 6:05 PM REPLY

Where did you get that cutting mat, and how much??

ti112 says: Feb 23, 2008. 6:49 AM REPLY

You can get cheap ones from a £1/ 99p shop or $1/99c store (damn yanks). they are not as high quality but i got one and it's quite good

Doctor What says: Feb 23, 2008. 7:10 PM REPLY

I got a pretty awesome one for Christmas from my favorite aunt. It's by fiskars, and came with a rotary cutter.

hierarchy says: Feb 8, 2008. 2:15 AM REPLY

this is really great!
a job well done :)
i will definitely try it out
thanks!

Alicehandmade says: Dec 27, 2007. 6:27 AM REPLY

clever idea!I will make one.Thanks.

hethlee says: Nov 28, 2006. 10:09 AM REPLY

i've done this idea WITH a rubix cube... Cut out picturs into 9 little squares and put them on each face of the rubix cube... it turns out neat and it's a puzzle!

Jaiden says: Dec 17, 2007. 7:19 PM REPLY

neat idea... i think i'll try that

SyNiKaLL says: Dec 13, 2007. 7:20 PM REPLY

how do you prepare the photo's to be in a 6x4 print and get it small like that? i've never developed picutres before =/

mich1lai says: Oct 25, 2007. 7:28 PM REPLY

I've made one of these boxes in art class -- except with minor differences in the actual construction of the box. instead of cutting out each side individually
and taping it back together, we used an exactoknife to cut out one template; then we hot-glued the side flaps together.

the instructions for this project are particularly nice and the pictures were very clear. highly recommended.

http://www.instructables.com/id/photo-cube---frameless%2c-cheap-and-easy!/
 umberto43215 says: Jun 9, 2007. 5:20 PM REPLY
I used a building block for mine which was roughly 4" cube, printed out the photos at a local target store and made a mini version of the original.

TheCheese9921 says: Aug 7, 2006. 9:05 AM REPLY

or you could hide stuff in it to prevent theves from stealing stuff (they dont usually go for pictures... i think)

Punkguyta says: Feb 18, 2007. 1:47 AM REPLY

Trust me, some people have weird fetishes.

Punkguyta says: Feb 18, 2007. 1:46 AM REPLY

A simple yet clean looking cube, I like it.

Ottawone says: Feb 9, 2007. 6:41 AM REPLY

Wrapping the photos around a wooden cube would also allow you to make little cube puzzles if you cut the original photos into four or six pieces each. I had
this sort of puzzle when I was a kid but haven't seen any when looking for my toys for my daughter. Too old fashhioned to be retro, maybe?

mrmath says: Feb 8, 2007. 10:43 AM REPLY

If the tape being the same size as the paper flap, I would lay the tape down before cutting the corners off of the flap. That way, when you cut the corners off,
the tape is cut exactly to length.

Otherwise, very nice!

meatchris says: Feb 8, 2007. 6:51 AM REPLY

Double sided sticky tape will eventually turn yellow and come unstuck. Use glue. Yep, it's a little harder to work with, but lasts much longer.

hellion7 says: Oct 23, 2006. 10:57 PM REPLY

i made one right away and love it at just heavyweight paper strength. thanks!

radioeyes says: Aug 10, 2006. 7:54 AM REPLY

Something so cheap as a wood cube or rubik's cube would give it strength. I'd be too worried about the above getting smashed or something.

impulse94 says: Aug 7, 2006. 10:22 PM REPLY

Very nice detailed explanation.

austin says: Aug 6, 2006. 10:20 PM REPLY

its make it seem higher quality if you made it around a wooden cube or something to give it some weight .

http://www.instructables.com/id/photo-cube---frameless%2c-cheap-and-easy!/