How to Make Super Cool Packaging for Your New Product (ie. Making a Wood Box on a Laser Cutter)

Ok, So I have written several instructables about laser cutters and there are scores more out there, there for I will not be reviewing the basics of operating a laser etcher / cutter.
      What I hope to do is give you a big tip and inspire you to think out side the box... to boost the presentation of your new products (or gifts) in an easy and inexpensive way. "I made it at Tech Shop!"

So what do you need:
Laser Cutter/ Etcher
Vector files (design)
Wood
a few minutes...

    So I have been hanging around Tech Shop Pittsburgh for a little over a year now and have been seeing people making boxes and all kinds of objects with this little finger joints... So when I finally got around to working on the scented candles I have been wanting to make and add to my product line at RockandRide.com  I decided I wanted to enhance the presentation, but didn't want to break the bank for the packaging. However, i don't have the attention span to figure and lay out the shape to make a wood box. I got to thinking there must be a faster option to get where I want to be... a little search on Yahoo! (or should I say Google, since their office is across the parking lot from Tech Shop Pittsburgh), and I found this great web site where you just put in the dimensions and it gives you the design in a pdf file.

Spolier Alert! Here is the big take away.
http://boxmaker.rahulbotics.com/

Now that you have your box peices for yoru design... you can easily customize it. I like illustrator, I added my company logo in two places and some basic info on the front about whats in the box and the name of the sent. (This should help when getting orders I will not have to open each box and smell each one)

Once your file is all preped, send it over to the laser and let her rip... I mean cut.

Once you peices are cut... squirt a little wood glue on the joints and stick them together. Using a few clamps from the wood shop helps to hold things together until that glue sets. It is also a good idea to come back and clean up any excess glue after about 3 - 5 minutes rather than waiting till its hard to make it look nice.

Once it sets your good to go with your now "Mr. Fancy Pants" Product (or gift packaging).