So we’re all familiar with oversized boxes. I’m now at a stage where I’m very keen to do something about them. I’ve tried cutting down but I’m just not neat of consistent enough and the shape of a box is tricky to work with.
As a result my next wheeze is to consider buying some. Has anyone tried this and had any success?
I looked at gift boxes with magnets for some aesthetic considerations. The issue they have though is going up in size always adds height and they seem to be standard sizes. For a shelf height is the most critical factor. Rush and crush box is around 70mm in height with a big bit of cardboard padding out about 50mm. So taking in to account the pieces in a well it could drop to around 25mm and allow for much less shelving.
I half considered some mdf ones cut to spec with the name etched in but cost seems in theory higher. Then I stumbled on this BGG guide looked very achievable. What I need though is a UK supplier of decent boxes. Any one got any ideas?
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My reaction to truly huge boxes has mostly been to sell them if the game isn’t worth the space.
For some of the smaller offenders, I have at some point considered cutting a box and I tried this once with a leftover expansion box and it was not a great experience.
Since I lack printing resources at home I have no option to use blank boxes with labels anyway.
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I would be keen to hear from non-UK people as well. Seeing boxes with dimensions in your region might allow me to track down the same imported but also to have some dimensions for searching could well be useful
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Where would I even look for ordering such boxes? I don’t even know where to start.
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I’ve got the Quacks of Q Big Box that leaves an entire half of the box empty, so I’m interested in UK downsizing solutions.
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Sadly, with the resin BGG tokens and storage for them, mine is entirely full…
I have a friend who uses the plsatic boxes we get with takeaway food (roughly 17 × 12 × 4.5cm) whenever a game will fit into them. Sometimes two games in a single box.
I 3d printed a quarter-size box for Splendor but then I bought the expansion. Which I still haven’t played. That’s quite expensive in material so mostly I print inserts.
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I’ve put card games in deck boxes to save space.
One thing to consider is GMT white boxes - Game Accessories : GMT Plain White Game Box (2 inch)
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I can’t tell you anything beyond what a simple Google search has told me, but these are a similar size to the BGG post that you linked: Ecommerce Postal Box A4 - 12cm (Pack of 25) — BoxMart and look like they come from a company that is based in Staffordshire.
Other sizes are available on the same site, listed under “Black Gift, Hamper & Postal Packaging”, which might help inform search terms for other such sites.
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A side note on boxes in the UK. I keep two sorts in stock for sending out 3d prints, neither particularly good for games.
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The largest you can send as a Small Parcel, 45 × 35 × 16 cm, which is too big for most games. About 75p each in bulk right now.
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The other, which is no cheaper to post but doesn’t need as much fill, is 152 × 152 × 60mm. About 50p each.
I haven’t yet found a game which fits better into one of those than in its original box, but when I do…
(I have a few Large Letter boxes, 12.7mm maximum thickness, but I rarely have prints to post that would fit that size.)
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I got a recipe box for War of the Ring, the Card (https://www.michaels.com/product/wooden-recipe-box-by-make-market-10397769)
Combined with 50 card plastic deckboxes, a tiny plano for bits, and bags where needed it’s perfect (thought it doesn’t house the solo cards now, more’s the pity.)
I’m not above reboxing IF I have a closely related game. Knizia Lord of the Rings and LOTR: The Confrontation share a box. Blitzkrieg and Caesar live together. Libertalia and Mission Red Planet used to, but with the advent of Galecrest they are separate again. Starry Rift kicked Puerto Rico out of New Frontiers.
As a one time thing, Nations lives in Concordia Salsa. The box is perfect.
I’ve seen posts of people cutting down El Grande big box (including adding folds to a board) and that was daunting. I don’t know what skills you’d need before undertaking that.
As far as relabeling a box (like Concordia Salsa), basic printing and then “laminating” with clear packing tape does pretty well. I haven’t done that to a game box, but I’ve labeled BCW boxes this way.
Speaking of: Trading Card Boxes Single Row | Shop for Card Game Boxes - BCW Supplies
These work great for card games. I also got a few for X-Wing minatures (cards in one, rebel ships in one, empire ships in one). Any game without a board, or with a cloth board, would be a candidate here.
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