I need blank boxes!

February 11, 2006 9:55 PM

Where can I get a small number of blank retail software boxes?

I know, it sounds mind-blowingly exciting. But I need to get a hold of a small number of software boxes. You've seen 'em; you browse the aisles at CompUSA or the Apple Store, and there's lot of games and other software titles in small boxes (usually about 5" x 7" x 1.5"). Often they have flaps that open and describe more about the product inside.

I want blank versions of these that I can print on. Most box companies require you to use their printing services and have minimums of 250 or more. I just need about 10 or 15.

Anyone work at a paper company, or know where I can order these? Surely there's some site out there for a designer with a box fetish?

posted by symphonik to media & arts (7 answers total)

If no one can help you find them here, you can probably get some stock at an office supply or art store and make your own for less time and trouble than it will take to find unprinted blanks.
posted by caddis at 10:14 PM on February 11, 2006

Couldn't you just spray mount your design to an existing box? Either that, or spray mount it to posterboard and build your own? I guess I don't understand how you plan to print on a blank box... if it's folded and flat it won't run through an inkjet printer, and if it's on a flat sheet you'd need wide format output.
posted by MegoSteve at 10:15 PM on February 11, 2006

Try contacting one of the box firms you've obviously Googled. I'm sure they'd be willing to print 10-15 wide format ink jet proofs and diecut them.

And what MegoSteve said - blank size for even one out is going to be much larger than most SOHO printers can handle.
posted by nathan_teske at 11:24 PM on February 11, 2006

And yeah, quick math says that flat size on a 5 x 7 x 1.5 bookend is going to be at least 24 x 15.
posted by nathan_teske at 11:46 PM on February 11, 2006

24 x 15 ?

with no flap I get:
length: 5"+1.5"+5"+1.5"+3/4" (glue flap) = 13 3/4"
width: 7" + 1.5" + 3/4"(folding flap) + 1.5" +3/4" = 11 1/4"

with a book page type flap add 5" to the length to get 18 3/4"

it still won't fit a regular printer though
posted by caddis at 10:04 AM on February 12, 2006

Caddis - for the book page flap you need to add 2X of whatever dimension it's on. That way it can be printed as, say, 4/0 instead of 4/4.

Here's updated math:
Width: .75 + 5 + 1.5625 + 5 + 1.5625 + 5.0625 + 5.0625 = 24.0
Height: 2.25 + 7.0625 + 2.25 = 11.5625 (I was off here)

Width and height are in terms of the unfolded box. All the sixteenths are folding allowances... probably a little generous as I'm not used to thinking in terms of cardboard or fibreboard, just corrugated.
posted by nathan_teske at 11:21 AM on February 12, 2006

Maybe you could buy blank DVD boxes, print a front and a back and stick them on and then shrink-wrap. Might produce something more professional looking than home-made boxes.
posted by JamesMessick at 1:07 PM on February 12, 2006