Rotary Tool Gift Box

If you’re looking for a rainy spring weekend project, look no further! Create a fun wooden box perfect for gifts and trinkets using a rotary tool and any design from the Design Library. For my project, I chose to use this bear design.

The supplies needed for this project include:

• Wood box (can be found at any craft or dollar store)

• Tape (painter’s tape is best)

• A rotary tool

• A graphite pencil

• Sandpaper

• A cloth

• Acrylic paint

• Water dish

• Paint brush

Begin by transferring your design onto the box with the graphite transfer method. We have an entire blog post about this here if you’re curious.

Next, pull out your rotary with a small bit. Trace around the perimeter of your design keeping an even light pressure. It’s easiest to trace small bits at a time, often turning the box rather than the rotary tool.

Once you have made one full pass around the outside, do one more pass leveling out any bits where you carved down too far or not enough. Once you’re happy with the exterior, take a moment to sand around the outside and brush away any remaining wood dust with a damp cloth.

Once the design is clean of any sawdust, water down some acrylic paint and do a light wash across the box.

When the design is completely dry, do one last pass with your rotary tool, following the grooves you previously made. This will reveal the light wood of the box, making the design stand out.

Clean the sawdust off the box lid once more with a lightly damp cloth. Now you have a professional-looking box that makes a beautiful gift or treasure box!