I forgot to mention, and it was pointed out to me. Please do not stain or use spray glue like this without a mask and gloves. My room is very well ventilated for this type of work. Don't be stupid. Thanks!
Can you make a Vampire the Masquerade Dice Tome like the one at Elderwood Academy? It looks like a Spell Book made out of Wood with a Latch on the side to lock it up. Please give the Dimensions of the Wooden Boxes that you get at the Store & please use the Dimensions on the package. Also can you put the Dimensions of your Picture Frame Dice Trays on the other Video.
Absolutely! The only reason I did this is that I have great ventilation, and a mask, and hate how the stain can remove some of the burns if you do it after. By all accounts you should burn then stain :)
I can try to post a link, but I really like burning in patterns and then staining different colors. the burn tends to prevent bleed, and it looks really nice! Here's an example: www.reddit.com/r/Berserk/comments/ccxe4p/my_first_wood_burning_staining_in_a_while/
Just a quick tip - the metal hinges and box "lock" can be easily unscrewed and removed to ensure your stain job doesn't dirty those pieces. Another thing to consider is adding a layer of thin foam under the felt to silence the sound of the dice hitting the cheap wood. Finally, you can customize your "lid" side by affixing two layers of felt, and cutting out an image from the top layer (e.g. black felt with a red dragon underneath, or purple felt with a gold fireball, etc.). The recessed layer of felt has minimal to no impact on the dice rolls and the result looks great.
All right tip, but a slightly more economical one would be to just add a second layer of felt, if you're worried about it. However, having actually made a box using this tutorial, I have found that something like foam isn't really necessary, because the single layer of felt is sufficient to muffle the sound quite well. (This, by the way, is coming from someone with somewhat severe Asperger's, who can barely handle the sound of a box of playing cards being dropped onto a table)
I personally love the sound made by rolling the dice WITHOUT anything more than a thin layer of felt (Prefer natural dice on wood sound) or you could use Leather instead of felt as a "noise" dampener.
O dear UA-cam algorithm, I have sent thy prayer to thee for a blessed video. Ov the common algorithmic ways you have provided an ample video that is wholesome. I thank thee for this blessed video
"how to make a box!, buy the box!" haha im just joking this was a fun video, easily translatable for a lot of people to do something of a similar effect
Lol, dang it, the Jig is up! I just found buying the premade ones to be cheaper and easier in the long run than making one out of separate pieces. If I was planning on really trying to hone in the detail and have a solid piece that will last for ages, I would build it with better wood than what this was haha. You are right, this is absolutely more for ease and accessibility. Glad you liked it! Thanks for watching. :)
@@Rybonator As a woodworker, it hurt me to see a store bought box being used. As a cheap bastard, I greatly applaud the use and will be ordering some for myself! I couldn't buy the hinges for a single box cheaper than amazon has a 3 pack of these boxes.
If you want a really professional look, cut cardstock to the size of your box but a millimeter smaller, then glue the felt to that, wrapping the edges around the back where they can't be seen. Then glue your sections of cardstock-backed fabric into the box. This will hide the edges of your fabric and make it look plush AF. Note: If you do the thing he did where your dividers are taller than the sides of your box, that will NOT look plush AF.
He said the sticks were larger so everything will remain in its own compartments. If you use the cardstock that's shorter or the same height as the side of the box will everything still hold its place inside the compartments (If it was to be jostled around quite a bit, we will be moving soon which is why I ask)? Thanks for the suggestion, I'm really looking forward to making one :D
This is the first time I've ever watched a tutorial video for something like this that I think is actually within my skill and price range, and all of the helpful tips in the comments are even more inspiring. I'd love to make these for some my D&D-inclined family and friends for the holidays. Thank you for an exceptionally easy-to-follow and cheap substitute for those crazy high-quality custom-made dice boxes and trays! I'd love to support local woodworkers but this college student doesn't quite have the funds for that, haha
I am glad that you found this useful :) There are absolutely times when I'd like a really fancy box, but really - this doesn't look bad at all IMO for what it costs. :)
As a broke-ass teen with minimal crafting skills, I really appreciate this video! It was super simple and-easy-to-follow. In fact, I used this tutorial to make a good friend of mine a dice box for Christmas. From the second he unwrapped it, he couldn't stop smiling and making high-pitched squeaky noises! And, it took him less then twenty seconds before he'd enthusiastically dumped all his dice into it and made a few experimental rolls! I did mine a little bit differently, because I painted the outside instead of staining and burning. I painted a galaxy, put his name and star-sign on top and wrote a little inscription in Latin on the side. It turned out really cool! Thank you for the instructions/inspiration, I'll definitely be making more in the future!
Thank you!! My SO is a DM an I always struggle with good gift ideas so this is PERFECT!! I'm going to make this an maybe the set of dice as a Christmas gift. It will be well loved!
What a cool project! And what a smart idea, using the slightly-taller dividers to separate the sections. I also love that you can use the top for a dice tray. Thanks for sharing!
I am trying to find the right cuts of wood to do just that, but it's hard to find any 9x12 sheets of wood. When I do, I will gladly make that happen :)
@@Rybonator For some reason I found 9x12 sheets impossible to find when I was making my DM screen. Ended up just buying 12x12s and cutting them at home. Unfortunately, it ended up making it a little uneven, but that's life. If you end up finding good 9x12s let me know because I'd love to upgrade my screen again with the knowledge I have now!
now THIS is what I'm talking about. I looked up stuff on how to make a box and... have no where near the supplies or finances to do it. This is perfect, thank you.
Awesome! My summer goal was to make a dice tray because my dnd group all bought theirs but I wanted mine to be more personalized! Maybe they'll even want a second one if I make it cool enough! Thank you for such an accessible tutorial I was afraid I was gonna have to start some wood work classes haha
That is awesome! Best of luck to you, and I am sure your group will love what you make :) I'd love to see what you make when you are done with it. Nah, I am far less skilled than the folks who watch my videos. If I can do it, so can anyone else :)
Thank you, I was searching the materials to do one of these, and even tho here in Brazil things tend to be a lot more expensive, it ended up being pretty cheap. Now all I need is a holiday so I can have some time to do this. (School and work destroys my free time)
Just wanted to share: My roommate and I worked on a couple of these, and for mine I did a main devider down the middle, left side was kept open, and the right side was given one small devider on the bottom to hold dice. Main compartment on the right is for pens, cards etc. The left side however, is now home to a fold up rolling tower that can sit inside the box no problems! It's so cool, and this video was the inspiration!
i love that you actually give us a cheap and easy way to make something awesome! most videos like this tell you to buy 20 kinds of tools and materials or assume you already have them, appreciate it!
I made one of these and it looks amazing, I used the top portion as a tablet holder and hold it up using a phone holder and it's amazing. Thanks for the really informative video!
I'm just now getting into D&D and found your videos by chance and I can't say anything negative about them. I actually took this video and made my very own Dice Box this weekend only replacing the purple with red felt and it's so awesome! I'm also planning on building a dice tower like in your other video as well. Thanks to making great content for both experienced players and new guys like me!
That's so awesome! You have such an infinite world of possibilities ahead of you :) Send pics! I'd love to see what you created. Also thank you :) I am glad that you like my stuff
I use a lot of those boxes from Michael's or Hobby Lobby. They're basswood, I think in the poplar family, but lightweight. You should use less stain, though, and wipe off any excess instead of letting it dry. It leaves splotches and irregular color patterns. I apply it with a cloth, let sit a bit a minute and wipe off any remaining with a clean rag. Do another coat for deeper shades instead of one thick coat; it will look better.
THANK YOU FOR THIS! I just made the most gorgeous boxes for my husband & I thanks to your tutorial. This was my first time doing anything like this, definitely the first time wood burning, & it was a lot of fun! I did add some polyurethane afterwards to preserve it a bit, & I love the look of the old mixed with the semi-shiny "new". You're awesome!
Just a tip, if you want the box to feel a bit less cheap, sand it down before you stain it, that would also help a little with the glue problem. Plus it will absorb the stain better and the overall finish would be much nicer. And unscrew the clasp. Lol
I have just discovered your channel. This vid was very helpful (if expensive). I've had this idea for a gaming box of similar design and I've been stuck on how to make the dividers look nice. The jumbo craft sticks are super clever, and the felt lining does a great job of hiding the crimes. My plan is to install chains that will hold the box open at about 90 degrees and a white board in the top to track hit points and statuses. I might also go with craft foam instead of felt to protect the minis a little better. Cool stuff.
Thank you! I appreciate that :) I really tried to make this as cheap as possible, I think the whole box could come out to less than $5 with the materials being able to be used on multiple boxes. Those are great ideas! I might have to give them a shot some time :)
I've been going over your videos yesterday and this one was the inspiration I needed to actually do something I intended on buying a box and felt and some scraps to make a small dice bag that would fit in it I live in a fairly big town on the countryside and a few of the shops that could accomodate me are now closed :( There are some other in another part of town but the city center is now a bit more dead than I thought ! Very sad story But thank you for your vids, I was a dice hoarder as a kid and intend on getting back to it now ;)
@Rybonator I tried my hand at this to make a box for the gf and she absolutely loved it. Now, in trying my hand at other D&D style crafts using your guides and inspiration. Great work and thank you!
Just made this and it was super fun and super easy!! Thank you for the tutorial! Was a little more expensive than I expected but that's because I didn't have the stain and glue spray beforehand. Still need to pick a design to woodburn on top
I just completed this same project case. Thank you for the clear and simple instructions! I did mine a bit different tho, since my group will probably wont use minis during our next campaign I instead made individual sections for each type of dice since I take a few sets so mine has seven compartments for each. I also made the mistake of adding felt to the sides of the top to make it my area to roll BUT bc the sticks do stick out it pushes a bit of the felt from the top so there's some squished bits lol. I will make it again then make extras to gift my friends. Thanks again for this project.
Hey! I just wanted to say thank you for showing us how to do these! You've inspired me to try and make things myself! I'm really glad I found your channel! :) I'm very excited to start working on dice and dice trays/boxes with your awesome advice!
I have found gluing a sheet of card stock 90# paper to the felt first makes it easier to work with. Felt seems to stretch after you measure and cut. The paper also helps keep the felt smooth and tight when installing into the box.
Thank you so much for making this tutorial! I'm using it to make a friend's birthday gift and learned you can use layers of hot glue on the lid that line up with the pop sticks before putting the felt on if you can't get jumbo craft sticks
I am so glad you made this video. I wanted to get something unique for gaming group for Christmas this year. I went with this project. I was hoping to be able to post the final boxes. I wood burned each player's first initial into top in large Old English Font. They came out good. I do not have best wood burner. So, I would recommend burning about an inch then pause for 10-15 seconds to let tip get hot again. I used each player's favorite color for the felt in the box. I also put in the dividers. I highly recommend putting in the dividers. I put the vertical one down the middle. I put the top horizontal divider 1.5inches down from the top and 4inches up from the bottom. One other tip I found for me is glueing the felt in the lid and base. My felts wer not perfect cut to match the lid and base. I found if you tape the sides of the of box with painter's tape, then you spray glue the lid and base instead of the felt, you can get the felt to line up on one edge then slowly lay the felt down. When you do this you can stretch the felt to get the edges to line up perfectly with the box. Much like lay carpet. Second tip, when staining the box super thin layers is the way to go. I was worried I wasn't using enough stain to get into wood. So, I had more stain on brush than I needed. I put on 3 layers of stain and it looks so good the color, but I have small drips and puddles that I would have not had if I had a little more patience and trust in the stain and process. UPDATED: I am doing a second set of boxes for new players. I would recommend doing wood burning before staining. It is easier to see the pencil lines. Other than that, this project did take me a couple days to complete, because as stated I put on 3 layers or stain/sealer combo stain. That may have also contributed to the drips. These were a big hit and as stated I recommend putting in the dividers. They are as easy as the video shows to put them in. The felt and dividers were the easiest part of this project. Also, get yourself a good fabric cutter. It will give you the cleanest sharpest, straight felt trimming. Highly, recommend.
wood stain wipes in natural oak and some mint felt and its perfect! very accurate about the time needed as well, although I still needed about two hours and haven't done any wood burning.
I find wrapping it in paper first makes them much stronger! use pva glue and coat the thing in a sheet of paper, it will become much, much stronger! then stain it and resin! Its how they made the boxes for tools and things back in the day. Great vid!
Okay, I'm going to suggest this now because it's slightly bothering me and I am sleep deprived so I might regret this in the morning. When cutting any type of fabric, it is best to use a rotary cutter with a straight edge when trying to get straight angles (Rotary cutters look like pizza cutters, but made for fabric). Unless you have some sort of groove you can place your scissors in, it's somewhat hard to cut things to perfect size on the first go. And it's best to cut fabric while it is lying down. I see you have a similar cutting mat to mine. The grid is a good thing to use. btw, I'm pointing this out because I used to work in fabric. I was an assistant to a high end seamstress for a few months, I helped my mother when she sewed and I used to work for a Fabric and craft store. I also quilt, so there is that too. Rotary cutters are AMAZING! and it honestly makes light of the work. But that's just me.
@@Rybonator You're welcome! Yes, Rotary cutters can be used for nearly any fabric (leather, cotton, denim, etc.) When they dull, you don't get them sharpened like scissors. You just go buy new circular blades. They should be in the same section where you buy the whole cutter. Sometimes there are special rotary cutters for wavy lines/ fabric thickness or sheerness, but I talk too much. If I get excited about something, I ramble.
I think you could also dye the box with the wet coffee powder left after you made coffee if you don't have any stain at hand. I don't know how well that stays on though.
Hmm that would be interesting. I have made faux parchment paper that way before. But I am not sure it would penetrate the wood. Maybe just a straight coffee bath!
I know you probably don’t care, but the Celtic knot you picked was a Dara Knot, and I find it funny you said you liked the stain since it made it look like oak, and the knot actually represents oak trees! On another note, this is awesome! I’ve been wanting to make a dice tray since I’ve been rolling on boot covers, and this looks like a great way for me to make one custom for my character. :)
I totally do care! That's such an awesome coincidence haha :) You absolutely should give it a shot! It's super easy and really fun. Send pics if you do!
You've given me a great idea for me start to DnD. I have a lot of dice but no great place to store them. Now I just need to figure out minis on a budget
If you need something quick, I'd recommend making tokens. They might not be as cool as minis, but you can make tons of them on the cheap. I use a free program called TokenTool, drag those files into GIMP (another free piece of software), print and glue them to a bunch of 1 inch plastic counters I found on Amazon. You can customize them as much as you want and they honestly work wonderfully for grunts. You can have just a few minis you use for bosses, and a bunch of tokens for the ordinary enemies.
Great video! Its nice to see someone using pretty much the same supplies I use to make my dice trays/ boxes, but because I use mostly metal dice (aka table denters) I use a layer of craft foam topped with felt or scrap leather- only a few cents more and keep the thin basal wood from being damaged/ lowers the noise
@@Rybonator Sorry it took so long to reply, but life quickly swirled downhill for a while after I posted. In order, I lost my job, then a few months later I lost my home and everything in it in a fire, had to camp on a couch for a year or so until I found a new job and place to live. Sorry to say, this kinda dropped to the bottom of my to-do list :( Hopefully once my financial situation settles I'll be able to revisit this.
I did something similar, dice bowl, with Woodpile pieces from Hobby Lobby. They only cost $4 each and most of that was the base bowl. All in all only took me a an hour to put together very professionally. I do like this box idea a lot better though, more all inclusive accessory.
Excellent project. For future ones, however, I suggest doing you woodworking before your staining. The pattern will stand out a bit more against the lighter wood coloring, and you reduce fumes that can be put off by heating the stain.
Totally agree! I tried it and with this particular stain I wasn't pleased with the burning before staining results, it seemed to dilute the burn. But I could have simply not gotten a deep anough burn. (Also on the fumes, yes! I only did this in a super ventillated area. Don't do that at home kiddos!) Thanks for the tips!
@@Rybonator Thank you for the instructional vid. I do wood working, in general, but this is going to be a new project for me in February, for my son's B-Day
Another tip if you want to do more complicated patterns. Get some ink jet printer labels and remove the labels, print out any design on the side where the labels were located and immediately press it onto the board. The ink will transfer to the wood.
In my areas Wal-Mart these exact things minus the brand of super glue and wood burning tool 10$ for a nice DIY dice box ain’t bad at all. The cigar box was about $4 and the felt was 28 cents a sheet. The jumbo craft sticks were about $3. Super glue that I could find was about $3. The spray adhesive and stain I had from a previous project were about $7 each. I put a polycrylic top coat on to hopefully give it some more strength cause the box itself isn’t the strongest but it serves its purpose.
Super late to the party but I'm making some of these for family for Christmas. I had the idea to add elastic strips to the inside of the lid so papers and character sheets and whatnot can be stored as well without getting disturbed. :)
I would suggest removing the hinges and clasps when you're staining it, and adding a layer or two of polyeurethane or some other sealing option to protect the box more from getting banged around...might also want to add bits of felt to the interior edges of the box since you're using it as a dice tray.
The best part is if you or know someone with a cricut or some other vinyl cutter, you can design a cool design and have it cut and put it on the dice rolling side.
Dang it.. now I want to make this.. a few of them... for my gaming group... so I don't have to spend a lot of money for Christmas this year.. DANG YOU, and, thank you.
Absolutely! As a matter of fact you SHOULD do that. The only reason I didn't is I have had issue where I would have to reburn parts of it later if it wasn't as dark as I'd like. But yes, you can and should do it that way :)
Rybonator okay cool! I ended up trying this out and learned that there are a few parts I’d like to burn darker so I can see why you changed the order 😅
My rommate left behind some cigar boxes that I feel would be perfect for this, but they have a ton of labels and such on them. What are some good ways to get rid of those? Thanks for the great video.
Future reference, woodburn first, then stain. Some stains put off toxic fumes when burned, but the woodburning will still show through the stain if done first.
@@Rybonator I haven't looked at Walmart, but I did check hobby lobby, Joann's and Michael's to no avail. It doesn't seem available online any more so I think it's no longer manufactured. I did find a relatively cheap replacement, with paint stir sticks, 98 cents for a 10 pack at home Depot. Takes a bit longer to cut, but it seems to be going well.
anybody have any solutions for the glue counter acting the stain? The boxes I got all have a unsightly pale streak somewhere I can't cover and it's really upsetting.
@@Rybonator Sadly it was, but I have managed to find a solution. As it turns out all it took was a bit of sanding to solve the problem. I gave the affected areas a good sanding with a palm sander and some 120 grit sandpaper and then stained it and the problem went away and now you can't see where the glue was previously.
I wasn't able to find these boxes when I went to my Walmart, but I really like the size of them. Could you please tell me the dimensions so that I can find something that is the same size?
This was a really great tutorial! I couldn't tell if you used any finishing/sealing after you did the wood stain. I'm attempting to do this at home and my box still seems a little damp after drying overnight, so I was wondering if I'm missing a step. Regardless, thank you for the awesome channel and have a lovely day!
Nope just the stain for me :) It will dry up eventually, yours may just take a big longer than overnight if you put a lot of stain on there. Leave it outside in the sun to help speed up the drying process :)
I know this is an old video... but could you do the design by using a stencil and a darker stain? I might just try it anyways but if someone has already experimented lmk!
I saw something recently on Amazon that was a pen you can draw a design onto and use a heat gun to burn in a design so it will be even. Have you seen it? It's called a Scorch Marker or you can search "burn pen for wood".
Did this about a year ago for a new campaign, and it still looks pristine and clean today. Was really looking forward to use it Then corona happened :)
Hello Rybonator! I really liked this box, and I am trying to find a a box with the same dimensions, but in the video I didn't hear anything about the dimensions of the box. I know it is a bit late to ask you now, but could you maybe help me? Thanks in advance!
I sent him a message :) But that was back when I had like 3k subs (OH SO LONG AGO(last week)) so I don't think he wanted to reply, or he may have just not seen it. I would LOVE to work with him :)
So I got mine at Walmart, I don't know if there is an Aussie equivalent to Walmart, Hobby Lobby or Michaels sadly :/ You can always find some cigar boxes!
Anyone know where I can get a bunch of the boxes for cheap? They’re $5 at Walmart and $7 at Michaels, which isn’t a lot for one box, but I wanted to make a couple for my party members and the price adds up quickly.
I forgot to mention, and it was pointed out to me. Please do not stain or use spray glue like this without a mask and gloves. My room is very well ventilated for this type of work.
Don't be stupid. Thanks!
That probably isn't balsa but fir
Can you make a Vampire the Masquerade Dice Tome like the one at Elderwood Academy? It looks like a Spell Book made out of Wood with a Latch on the side to lock it up. Please give the Dimensions of the Wooden Boxes that you get at the Store & please use the Dimensions on the package. Also can you put the Dimensions of your Picture Frame Dice Trays on the other Video.
You should sell manuals or guides. Your UA-cam channel is cool, but it would be pretty cool to take the knowledge with me wherever.
Hello love the vids and I'm trying it out right now as a matter of fact. By chance do you have the box dimensions. That's all thx
Hey, could you write what size the box is? :D I would love to make one, but i'm afraid it'll be too small ://
protip! do the woodburning BEFORE you stain it to avoid any nasty/toxic fumes
Absolutely! The only reason I did this is that I have great ventilation, and a mask, and hate how the stain can remove some of the burns if you do it after. By all accounts you should burn then stain :)
Also makes it easier to see the carbon transfer of the stencil.
The stain could cover the burning, though.
I can try to post a link, but I really like burning in patterns and then staining different colors. the burn tends to prevent bleed, and it looks really nice!
Here's an example: www.reddit.com/r/Berserk/comments/ccxe4p/my_first_wood_burning_staining_in_a_while/
Thanks dad
Just a quick tip - the metal hinges and box "lock" can be easily unscrewed and removed to ensure your stain job doesn't dirty those pieces. Another thing to consider is adding a layer of thin foam under the felt to silence the sound of the dice hitting the cheap wood.
Finally, you can customize your "lid" side by affixing two layers of felt, and cutting out an image from the top layer (e.g. black felt with a red dragon underneath, or purple felt with a gold fireball, etc.). The recessed layer of felt has minimal to no impact on the dice rolls and the result looks great.
Those are great tips, thanks :) I'll have to try them out on a box in the future!
if you had foam under there would it eventually become depressed in certain areas though? It would suck if the surface was uneven after some time.
All right tip, but a slightly more economical one would be to just add a second layer of felt, if you're worried about it. However, having actually made a box using this tutorial, I have found that something like foam isn't really necessary, because the single layer of felt is sufficient to muffle the sound quite well.
(This, by the way, is coming from someone with somewhat severe Asperger's, who can barely handle the sound of a box of playing cards being dropped onto a table)
I personally love the sound made by rolling the dice WITHOUT anything more than a thin layer of felt (Prefer natural dice on wood sound) or you could use Leather instead of felt as a "noise" dampener.
O dear UA-cam algorithm, I have sent thy prayer to thee for a blessed video. Ov the common algorithmic ways you have provided an ample video that is wholesome. I thank thee for this blessed video
And in the light of UA-cam's graces, we shall be freed from the tyranny of opressive "influencer" content. Amen.
Amen🙏
Amen 🙏
"how to make a box!, buy the box!" haha im just joking this was a fun video, easily translatable for a lot of people to do something of a similar effect
Lol, dang it, the Jig is up!
I just found buying the premade ones to be cheaper and easier in the long run than making one out of separate pieces. If I was planning on really trying to hone in the detail and have a solid piece that will last for ages, I would build it with better wood than what this was haha. You are right, this is absolutely more for ease and accessibility. Glad you liked it! Thanks for watching. :)
@@Rybonator As a woodworker, it hurt me to see a store bought box being used. As a cheap bastard, I greatly applaud the use and will be ordering some for myself! I couldn't buy the hinges for a single box cheaper than amazon has a 3 pack of these boxes.
If you want a really professional look, cut cardstock to the size of your box but a millimeter smaller, then glue the felt to that, wrapping the edges around the back where they can't be seen. Then glue your sections of cardstock-backed fabric into the box. This will hide the edges of your fabric and make it look plush AF.
Note: If you do the thing he did where your dividers are taller than the sides of your box, that will NOT look plush AF.
That's a great tip, thanks Zoshi :) I'll have to give that a shot in the future!
Zoshi thanks for the card stock tip. Worked great.
He said the sticks were larger so everything will remain in its own compartments. If you use the cardstock that's shorter or the same height as the side of the box will everything still hold its place inside the compartments (If it was to be jostled around quite a bit, we will be moving soon which is why I ask)? Thanks for the suggestion, I'm really looking forward to making one :D
Wouldn't a clean, crisp edge to the felt on the bottom look better, though? How would you suggest this wrap-around method for the dividers' sides?
Any tips if I want to put the felt on the sides as well?
This is the first time I've ever watched a tutorial video for something like this that I think is actually within my skill and price range, and all of the helpful tips in the comments are even more inspiring. I'd love to make these for some my D&D-inclined family and friends for the holidays.
Thank you for an exceptionally easy-to-follow and cheap substitute for those crazy high-quality custom-made dice boxes and trays! I'd love to support local woodworkers but this college student doesn't quite have the funds for that, haha
I am glad that you found this useful :) There are absolutely times when I'd like a really fancy box, but really - this doesn't look bad at all IMO for what it costs. :)
This is like the Binging with Babish of D&D :)
Rollin' with Rybonator!... Cuz like... Dice rolls...
OH SH*T YOU'RE RIGHT
Dude for real
As a broke-ass teen with minimal crafting skills, I really appreciate this video! It was super simple and-easy-to-follow. In fact, I used this tutorial to make a good friend of mine a dice box for Christmas. From the second he unwrapped it, he couldn't stop smiling and making high-pitched squeaky noises! And, it took him less then twenty seconds before he'd enthusiastically dumped all his dice into it and made a few experimental rolls!
I did mine a little bit differently, because I painted the outside instead of staining and burning. I painted a galaxy, put his name and star-sign on top and wrote a little inscription in Latin on the side. It turned out really cool! Thank you for the instructions/inspiration, I'll definitely be making more in the future!
Thank you!! My SO is a DM an I always struggle with good gift ideas so this is PERFECT!! I'm going to make this an maybe the set of dice as a Christmas gift. It will be well loved!
That's awesome! Handmade gifts are always the best :) Your SO will be super happy.
I just followed this tutorial and gotta say its the most accomplished I've 'felt' in a long time, thank you for helping me find that
Aww that makes me happy :) I'm glad you enjoyed yourself! Great job my friend :)
What a cool project! And what a smart idea, using the slightly-taller dividers to separate the sections. I also love that you can use the top for a dice tray. Thanks for sharing!
Hey, could you make a tutorial on how to make a DM screen. It would be super helpful, thank you!
I am trying to find the right cuts of wood to do just that, but it's hard to find any 9x12 sheets of wood. When I do, I will gladly make that happen :)
@@Rybonator For some reason I found 9x12 sheets impossible to find when I was making my DM screen. Ended up just buying 12x12s and cutting them at home. Unfortunately, it ended up making it a little uneven, but that's life. If you end up finding good 9x12s let me know because I'd love to upgrade my screen again with the knowledge I have now!
I love your dry humor. It's just icing to the cake that is your tutorials
now THIS is what I'm talking about. I looked up stuff on how to make a box and... have no where near the supplies or finances to do it. This is perfect, thank you.
It's super easy, super affordable and looks pretty damn good if I can say so. Glad you enjoyed it! Send me a pic of whatever you end up making :)
@@Rybonator hey man, my lady and I just did out dice boxes. I posted them on my insta.
instagram.com/p/B0bvQveHW32/?igshid=cpuztfgz6mhh
You inspired me to make my own and i couldnt be happier with how it came out
That's awesome! I'd love to see if if you can send pics on twitter or instagram :)
@@Rybonator i sent it on instagram 🙂
You never cease to surprise me. We need more people like you on the planet
Lol I don't know if I'd go that far. Just made a wooden box :)
Made one of these with a charcoal grey stain, and black and purple felt. Turned out awesome. Nice video!
Oh man that sounds great! Send pics :) I'd love to see
Awesome! My summer goal was to make a dice tray because my dnd group all bought theirs but I wanted mine to be more personalized! Maybe they'll even want a second one if I make it cool enough! Thank you for such an accessible tutorial I was afraid I was gonna have to start some wood work classes haha
That is awesome! Best of luck to you, and I am sure your group will love what you make :) I'd love to see what you make when you are done with it.
Nah, I am far less skilled than the folks who watch my videos. If I can do it, so can anyone else :)
DUDE I’m 15 getting into D&D and when I have time off school I’m going to make this. THIS IS SICK THANKS
You absolutely should! Send pics of your finished product :) I'd love to see!
Thank you, I was searching the materials to do one of these, and even tho here in Brazil things tend to be a lot more expensive, it ended up being pretty cheap.
Now all I need is a holiday so I can have some time to do this.
(School and work destroys my free time)
Ohh no fun, I feel you there. Hopefully you get some time soon! Let me know how yours turns out :)
Listen, I already have plans for so many projects because of this channel, and now I've just added another 😂
Just wanted to share: My roommate and I worked on a couple of these, and for mine I did a main devider down the middle, left side was kept open, and the right side was given one small devider on the bottom to hold dice. Main compartment on the right is for pens, cards etc. The left side however, is now home to a fold up rolling tower that can sit inside the box no problems! It's so cool, and this video was the inspiration!
That's so awesome! Hope you had fun making it :)
i love that you actually give us a cheap and easy way to make something awesome! most videos like this tell you to buy 20 kinds of tools and materials or assume you already have them, appreciate it!
Absolutely! I don't want to buy 20 different tools, so unless I just HAVE to, then I'd rather avoid that, and I figured others would too :)
I made one of these and it looks amazing, I used the top portion as a tablet holder and hold it up using a phone holder and it's amazing. Thanks for the really informative video!
That's awesome! What a great idea.
Glad you liked it :)
I'm just now getting into D&D and found your videos by chance and I can't say anything negative about them.
I actually took this video and made my very own Dice Box this weekend only replacing the purple with red felt and it's so awesome!
I'm also planning on building a dice tower like in your other video as well.
Thanks to making great content for both experienced players and new guys like me!
That's so awesome! You have such an infinite world of possibilities ahead of you :)
Send pics! I'd love to see what you created.
Also thank you :) I am glad that you like my stuff
I use a lot of those boxes from Michael's or Hobby Lobby. They're basswood, I think in the poplar family, but lightweight. You should use less stain, though, and wipe off any excess instead of letting it dry. It leaves splotches and irregular color patterns. I apply it with a cloth, let sit a bit a minute and wipe off any remaining with a clean rag. Do another coat for deeper shades instead of one thick coat; it will look better.
Thanks, much appreciated! As you can tell my woodworking/staining knowledge is less than stellar. Will adjust for the next time :)
Another excellent idea and an easy to follow video too. Thanks Rybonator for all your great ideas, our DnD collection needed something like this !!
Absolutely! I am glad you enjoyed it :) Let me know if you make one, I'd love to see your results.
THANK YOU FOR THIS! I just made the most gorgeous boxes for my husband & I thanks to your tutorial. This was my first time doing anything like this, definitely the first time wood burning, & it was a lot of fun! I did add some polyurethane afterwards to preserve it a bit, & I love the look of the old mixed with the semi-shiny "new". You're awesome!
No YOU'RE awesome :) I bet your husband loved it!
I'd love to see what you made either on twitter or Instagram if you have one. Send them my way!
Awww, shucks! 🤗 I just tweeted you!! Thanks again!!!
Just a tip, if you want the box to feel a bit less cheap, sand it down before you stain it, that would also help a little with the glue problem. Plus it will absorb the stain better and the overall finish would be much nicer. And unscrew the clasp. Lol
All of these are better tips and ideas that I plan on using! haha :) Thank you my friend!
I have just discovered your channel. This vid was very helpful (if expensive). I've had this idea for a gaming box of similar design and I've been stuck on how to make the dividers look nice. The jumbo craft sticks are super clever, and the felt lining does a great job of hiding the crimes.
My plan is to install chains that will hold the box open at about 90 degrees and a white board in the top to track hit points and statuses.
I might also go with craft foam instead of felt to protect the minis a little better.
Cool stuff.
Thank you! I appreciate that :) I really tried to make this as cheap as possible, I think the whole box could come out to less than $5 with the materials being able to be used on multiple boxes.
Those are great ideas! I might have to give them a shot some time :)
Please do more DIY box tutorials!
I'm glad you found it helpful :) I'll plan to do another one soon! Just gotta find me a good box :)
I've been going over your videos yesterday and this one was the inspiration I needed to actually do something
I intended on buying a box and felt and some scraps to make a small dice bag that would fit in it
I live in a fairly big town on the countryside and a few of the shops that could accomodate me are now closed :(
There are some other in another part of town but the city center is now a bit more dead than I thought !
Very sad story
But thank you for your vids, I was a dice hoarder as a kid and intend on getting back to it now ;)
@Rybonator
I tried my hand at this to make a box for the gf and she absolutely loved it. Now, in trying my hand at other D&D style crafts using your guides and inspiration. Great work and thank you!
Well you know you gotta send pics of it now! :D
@@Rybonator Check Twitter since I couldn't find a way to DM on here to save my life 😅
Just made this and it was super fun and super easy!! Thank you for the tutorial! Was a little more expensive than I expected but that's because I didn't have the stain and glue spray beforehand. Still need to pick a design to woodburn on top
I just completed this same project case. Thank you for the clear and simple instructions! I did mine a bit different tho, since my group will probably wont use minis during our next campaign I instead made individual sections for each type of dice since I take a few sets so mine has seven compartments for each. I also made the mistake of adding felt to the sides of the top to make it my area to roll BUT bc the sticks do stick out it pushes a bit of the felt from the top so there's some squished bits lol. I will make it again then make extras to gift my friends. Thanks again for this project.
Hey! I just wanted to say thank you for showing us how to do these! You've inspired me to try and make things myself! I'm really glad I found your channel! :) I'm very excited to start working on dice and dice trays/boxes with your awesome advice!
Thank you for those kind words :) I really do appreciate them.
Send pics of what you make on twitter/insta! I'd love to see :)
I have found gluing a sheet of card stock 90# paper to the felt first makes it easier to work with. Felt seems to stretch after you measure and cut. The paper also helps keep the felt smooth and tight when installing into the box.
Thank you so much for making this tutorial! I'm using it to make a friend's birthday gift and learned you can use layers of hot glue on the lid that line up with the pop sticks before putting the felt on if you can't get jumbo craft sticks
I am so glad you made this video. I wanted to get something unique for gaming group for Christmas this year. I went with this project. I was hoping to be able to post the final boxes. I wood burned each player's first initial into top in large Old English Font. They came out good. I do not have best wood burner. So, I would recommend burning about an inch then pause for 10-15 seconds to let tip get hot again. I used each player's favorite color for the felt in the box. I also put in the dividers. I highly recommend putting in the dividers. I put the vertical one down the middle. I put the top horizontal divider 1.5inches down from the top and 4inches up from the bottom.
One other tip I found for me is glueing the felt in the lid and base. My felts wer not perfect cut to match the lid and base. I found if you tape the sides of the of box with painter's tape, then you spray glue the lid and base instead of the felt, you can get the felt to line up on one edge then slowly lay the felt down. When you do this you can stretch the felt to get the edges to line up perfectly with the box. Much like lay carpet.
Second tip, when staining the box super thin layers is the way to go. I was worried I wasn't using enough stain to get into wood. So, I had more stain on brush than I needed. I put on 3 layers of stain and it looks so good the color, but I have small drips and puddles that I would have not had if I had a little more patience and trust in the stain and process.
UPDATED: I am doing a second set of boxes for new players. I would recommend doing wood burning before staining. It is easier to see the pencil lines.
Other than that, this project did take me a couple days to complete, because as stated I put on 3 layers or stain/sealer combo stain. That may have also contributed to the drips. These were a big hit and as stated I recommend putting in the dividers. They are as easy as the video shows to put them in. The felt and dividers were the easiest part of this project. Also, get yourself a good fabric cutter. It will give you the cleanest sharpest, straight felt trimming. Highly, recommend.
I just tweeted 2 pics of completed boxes to you today. Thanks for making this video. They were big hit.
wood stain wipes in natural oak and some mint felt and its perfect! very accurate about the time needed as well, although I still needed about two hours and haven't done any wood burning.
Oh I like the idea of a nice mint felt :) I bet that would look great!
I find wrapping it in paper first makes them much stronger! use pva glue and coat the thing in a sheet of paper, it will become much, much stronger! then stain it and resin! Its how they made the boxes for tools and things back in the day. Great vid!
Awesome work!!
I am starting my own dice box project and I am doing something sorta similar to this. Thanks for the inspiration!
Got myself a wood burner for my birthday :D Gonna make me & my campaign members some dice boxes thanks for the tutorial really helpful
That's awesome! Good luck to you :) I'd love to see what you make when you finish them.
Okay, I'm going to suggest this now because it's slightly bothering me and I am sleep deprived so I might regret this in the morning. When cutting any type of fabric, it is best to use a rotary cutter with a straight edge when trying to get straight angles (Rotary cutters look like pizza cutters, but made for fabric). Unless you have some sort of groove you can place your scissors in, it's somewhat hard to cut things to perfect size on the first go. And it's best to cut fabric while it is lying down. I see you have a similar cutting mat to mine. The grid is a good thing to use.
btw, I'm pointing this out because I used to work in fabric. I was an assistant to a high end seamstress for a few months, I helped my mother when she sewed and I used to work for a Fabric and craft store. I also quilt, so there is that too. Rotary cutters are AMAZING! and it honestly makes light of the work. But that's just me.
I have a rotary cutter, but I thought that it was just used for leather. That's good to know! Thank you :)
@@Rybonator You're welcome! Yes, Rotary cutters can be used for nearly any fabric (leather, cotton, denim, etc.) When they dull, you don't get them sharpened like scissors. You just go buy new circular blades. They should be in the same section where you buy the whole cutter. Sometimes there are special rotary cutters for wavy lines/ fabric thickness or sheerness, but I talk too much. If I get excited about something, I ramble.
I think you could also dye the box with the wet coffee powder left after you made coffee if you don't have any stain at hand. I don't know how well that stays on though.
Hmm that would be interesting. I have made faux parchment paper that way before. But I am not sure it would penetrate the wood. Maybe just a straight coffee bath!
I made my group their own dice boxes, they are much smaller, but I love your results
I know you probably don’t care, but the Celtic knot you picked was a Dara Knot, and I find it funny you said you liked the stain since it made it look like oak, and the knot actually represents oak trees!
On another note, this is awesome! I’ve been wanting to make a dice tray since I’ve been rolling on boot covers, and this looks like a great way for me to make one custom for my character. :)
I totally do care! That's such an awesome coincidence haha :)
You absolutely should give it a shot! It's super easy and really fun. Send pics if you do!
You've given me a great idea for me start to DnD. I have a lot of dice but no great place to store them. Now I just need to figure out minis on a budget
If you need something quick, I'd recommend making tokens. They might not be as cool as minis, but you can make tons of them on the cheap. I use a free program called TokenTool, drag those files into GIMP (another free piece of software), print and glue them to a bunch of 1 inch plastic counters I found on Amazon. You can customize them as much as you want and they honestly work wonderfully for grunts. You can have just a few minis you use for bosses, and a bunch of tokens for the ordinary enemies.
Great video! Its nice to see someone using pretty much the same supplies I use to make my dice trays/ boxes, but because I use mostly metal dice (aka table denters) I use a layer of craft foam topped with felt or scrap leather- only a few cents more and keep the thin basal wood from being damaged/ lowers the noise
That is a great tip, thanks! I'll have to try that in my next box/tray. :)
Love your channel man. Working on an ebony set for a good friend of mine. My first time trying anything like this so wish me luck! :D
Good luck! You totally got this friend :) I wanna see what the ebony looks like when you are done! That sounds great. Send pics :)
Also thank you!
@@Rybonator Sorry it took so long to reply, but life quickly swirled downhill for a while after I posted. In order, I lost my job, then a few months later I lost my home and everything in it in a fire, had to camp on a couch for a year or so until I found a new job and place to live. Sorry to say, this kinda dropped to the bottom of my to-do list :(
Hopefully once my financial situation settles I'll be able to revisit this.
I did something similar, dice bowl, with Woodpile pieces from Hobby Lobby.
They only cost $4 each and most of that was the base bowl. All in all only took me a an hour to put together very professionally.
I do like this box idea a lot better though, more all inclusive accessory.
“So you could stop here but I’m gonna add some dividers”
Excellent project.
For future ones, however, I suggest doing you woodworking before your staining.
The pattern will stand out a bit more against the lighter wood coloring, and you reduce fumes that can be put off by heating the stain.
Totally agree! I tried it and with this particular stain I wasn't pleased with the burning before staining results, it seemed to dilute the burn. But I could have simply not gotten a deep anough burn.
(Also on the fumes, yes! I only did this in a super ventillated area. Don't do that at home kiddos!)
Thanks for the tips!
@@Rybonator Thank you for the instructional vid. I do wood working, in general, but this is going to be a new project for me in February, for my son's B-Day
@@MrGreensweightHist of course! And that's so awesome! Your son is gonna really like it I'm sure. Best of luck!
Great project to do while in quarantine! Ordering the materials as I type this!
started making mine today. might share when im done
Please do! I'd love to see some pics :)
Another tip if you want to do more complicated patterns. Get some ink jet printer labels and remove the labels, print out any design on the side where the labels were located and immediately press it onto the board. The ink will transfer to the wood.
I recently saw that on The Crafs Man's videos! I totally wanna give it a shot :)
Cheers mate I’ve always wanted to make a box for my own miniature figure😄
Cheers! This is a super cheap and easy way to make it happen. Send me pics if you ever do!
In my areas Wal-Mart these exact things minus the brand of super glue and wood burning tool 10$ for a nice DIY dice box ain’t bad at all. The cigar box was about $4 and the felt was 28 cents a sheet. The jumbo craft sticks were about $3. Super glue that I could find was about $3. The spray adhesive and stain I had from a previous project were about $7 each. I put a polycrylic top coat on to hopefully give it some more strength cause the box itself isn’t the strongest but it serves its purpose.
You can also re-use a lot of those materials so that makes it even cheaper in bulk :)
When you stain the wood go with the grain to minimize streaking.
I like this; Christmas gift idea!
Awesome job, this looks amazing. I want to make this for my other half but am struggling to find the giant craft sticks. :(
You could always just get a cheap ruler and cut it down to size :) Glad you liked the video!
Looks great, I'd slap some lacquer/clear coat on it for that extra shine !
For sure! I will probably do that nex ttime, but I was going for more of an old rustic look with this :)
OOO exactly waht I needed! Im gonna make one with slots for each set!
Super late to the party but I'm making some of these for family for Christmas. I had the idea to add elastic strips to the inside of the lid so papers and character sheets and whatnot can be stored as well without getting disturbed. :)
Great video and great idea too!
I think I might just give this a try! Thanks!
Thank you, I appreciate that :) Send pics if you do!
very nice dice box , im in the works on one myself .
Awesome! Send pics of what you get when you finish up :)
I would suggest removing the hinges and clasps when you're staining it, and adding a layer or two of polyeurethane or some other sealing option to protect the box more from getting banged around...might also want to add bits of felt to the interior edges of the box since you're using it as a dice tray.
Good suggestions! I could totally make this more professional looking if I did all that. :)
I would also suggest using craft foam sheets instead of felt. It's slightly bouncy, very quiet and still looks really cool. And super cheap per sheet.
I should take a look into that :) Great tip!
Alright D&D craft project #2 here I come.
You got this :)
@@Rybonator thanks man!
The best part is if you or know someone with a cricut or some other vinyl cutter, you can design a cool design and have it cut and put it on the dice rolling side.
Dang it.. now I want to make this.. a few of them... for my gaming group... so I don't have to spend a lot of money for Christmas this year.. DANG YOU, and, thank you.
I'M SORRY/YOU'RE WELCOME OK!? lol :)
I think I just found Christmas gifts....and my own weekend project!
Nice! They will make whoever you make it for super happy :) You can totally knock out a bunch of these in a weekend.
Can you do the top design before the stain? So it’s easier to see the graphite? Or will that effect the staining process?
Absolutely! As a matter of fact you SHOULD do that. The only reason I didn't is I have had issue where I would have to reburn parts of it later if it wasn't as dark as I'd like. But yes, you can and should do it that way :)
Rybonator okay cool! I ended up trying this out and learned that there are a few parts I’d like to burn darker so I can see why you changed the order 😅
Oh nice! I'd love to see what you ended up making :)
Tip to make rolls quieter! Use foam paper or a cheap mouse pad as a cushion under the felt on the roll tray!
I totally do that now with some cardboard! It makes a world of difference :)
@@Rybonator cheers! (b°v°)b
My rommate left behind some cigar boxes that I feel would be perfect for this, but they have a ton of labels and such on them. What are some good ways to get rid of those? Thanks for the great video.
Future reference, woodburn first, then stain.
Some stains put off toxic fumes when burned, but the woodburning will still show through the stain if done first.
Looks like the craft sticks you used were around 10 inches long and I can't find any over 6. It's driving me nuts. Any help on where to source some?
I got everything for this project at Wal-Mart. If you can't find them there, check around target or hobby lobby :)
@@Rybonator I haven't looked at Walmart, but I did check hobby lobby, Joann's and Michael's to no avail. It doesn't seem available online any more so I think it's no longer manufactured. I did find a relatively cheap replacement, with paint stir sticks, 98 cents for a 10 pack at home Depot. Takes a bit longer to cut, but it seems to be going well.
If I wanted to swap out the felt for velvet could I using the same method?
Absolutely :)
Thanks for an awesome gift idea! :)
anybody have any solutions for the glue counter acting the stain? The boxes I got all have a unsightly pale streak somewhere I can't cover and it's really upsetting.
Mine had that as well, but it was covered up when I put the felt down, so I didn't worry too much. Hopefully yours isn't on the outside :(
@@Rybonator Sadly it was, but I have managed to find a solution. As it turns out all it took was a bit of sanding to solve the problem. I gave the affected areas a good sanding with a palm sander and some 120 grit sandpaper and then stained it and the problem went away and now you can't see where the glue was previously.
Nice! That's a great solution :) Way to go!
Where can i buy a set of dice like you ... I mean the White with Gold Rim look exotic fit for my Cleric
Haxtec on Amazon makes some killer dice like that! I got my set for like less than 20$ on sale. : )
I wasn't able to find these boxes when I went to my Walmart, but I really like the size of them. Could you please tell me the dimensions so that I can find something that is the same size?
I don't have the box anymore to give the exact dimensions, but they were somewhere around 9-10 inches square! :)
@@Rybonator thank you =)
@@tobypuffer7694 Sorry it's not more info :(
@@Rybonator it's all good. I really just needed a rough estimate. =^)
This was a really great tutorial! I couldn't tell if you used any finishing/sealing after you did the wood stain. I'm attempting to do this at home and my box still seems a little damp after drying overnight, so I was wondering if I'm missing a step. Regardless, thank you for the awesome channel and have a lovely day!
Nope just the stain for me :) It will dry up eventually, yours may just take a big longer than overnight if you put a lot of stain on there. Leave it outside in the sun to help speed up the drying process :)
Another cool idea is using the box that looks like a book.
That's a great idea! I might have to give that a shot :)
I know this is an old video... but could you do the design by using a stencil and a darker stain? I might just try it anyways but if someone has already experimented lmk!
What is the tool called that he uses to burn the box with?
A woodburner or woodburning iron :)
I saw something recently on Amazon that was a pen you can draw a design onto and use a heat gun to burn in a design so it will be even. Have you seen it? It's called a Scorch Marker or you can search "burn pen for wood".
Oh shoot no I haven't heard if that. That sounds super cool. I'll have to look into it. :)
Did this about a year ago for a new campaign, and it still looks pristine and clean today. Was really looking forward to use it
Then corona happened :)
Tip, have the image your tracing be a light grey so you can see your lines easyer as you trace it onto the box :3
You are some sort of genius Alice :) I can't believe I hadn't thought of that. Thanks for the tip!
This gave me an idea, what about a dice box with an incorporated DM screen!
Hmm, that could maybe work :)
I can't seem to find a box like this anywhere, any pointers where I can find one?
I think I might do this for my party this christmas
You should :) They would love to get a handmade present like this
I dont think im going to follow your video but it gave me some good ideas. Thanks!
That is just as good! Let me know what you come up with. I'd love to see. :)
Hello Rybonator! I really liked this box, and I am trying to find a a box with the same dimensions, but in the video I didn't hear anything about the dimensions of the box. I know it is a bit late to ask you now, but could you maybe help me? Thanks in advance!
Where can I get one of those stick in aus
You and black magic craft should build something together that would be epic!!
I sent him a message :) But that was back when I had like 3k subs (OH SO LONG AGO(last week)) so I don't think he wanted to reply, or he may have just not seen it. I would LOVE to work with him :)
Where the heck can I find this kind of box in Australia! Seems impossible to find!
So I got mine at Walmart, I don't know if there is an Aussie equivalent to Walmart, Hobby Lobby or Michaels sadly :/ You can always find some cigar boxes!
Anyone know where I can get a bunch of the boxes for cheap? They’re $5 at Walmart and $7 at Michaels, which isn’t a lot for one box, but I wanted to make a couple for my party members and the price adds up quickly.
Anyone know the song in the beginnings name? i rly like it and would highly appreciate if someone could tell me. i need it for my own channel.