Download the Pattern Below
Because this is a novelty box I did not add any ornamentation. You can cut it as is or add personalized decorations for a gift. You might want to add someone's name. If you have a laser engraver this would be a good project to add steam punk style graphics to.
The art of over design always interested me. Taking something simple and making it more complex just for the sake of complexity is fun. I did not go too far overboard with making this simple box complex but I did not want to make it too frustrating to cut.
One alternative to add a bit more complex look is to duplicate the gear on the other side. Just a caution though. You will add more surfaces for friction and alignment will get tougher.
I tried to keep the gear packing loose to make up for cut mistakes but you still need to be as accurate as possible when cutting the gears. If you do not get a smooth motion, sand the teeth until you do.
