Simple Gift Card Holder for Different Occassions
The Creator Spark Challenge
Instruction
Information
This project is a simple gift card holder that can be made from any thickness of wood from 1/16" on up. It is designed to be used with any event you can think of and the plans even include a list of words to engrave to memorialize those events as well as images that coincide with them, some of which are already included in the XCS library of images. Just swap out the designs in the program and engrave then cut and assemble. It really is that easy. Make anytime of year special with a gift card presented in a unique and simple holder.
What you get with this project:
XCS Plans for the gift card holder including events and images to engrave
SVG Plans for the gift card holder including events and images to engrave
Complete instructions for assembly
Instruction
Step1: Before you Begin
This project has been a long time coming. It started last Christmas when I made my Gift Card Holder Ornaments https://www.atomm.com/template/22133-gift-card-holder-ornaments-3-versions I wanted something that could be put in a stocking or given as a gift for any event. I kept having trouble getting the interior piece to slide in and when it did, it was impossible to remove. I learned about the Suction effect from this. You see, I did not account for the misplaced air on the interior of the ornament. It had to come from and escape to somewhere and I provided neither. So, I created a slit in the back of the interior piece and put a tiny hole on one of the exterior pieces and, viola, fixed. The interior slid in smooth but tight, just the way I wanted it to.
I spent a few days at a time working on this and then would put it aside to concentrate on other things. Finally, a few days ago, I felt it was ready for others to use.
I have made this out of 1/16" birch, 1/8" birch and ¼" birch. My favorite is the 1/8" due it feeling just right but for the purposes of this tutorial/plan, I used the 1/16".
Several times in the plans I state to line up the edges perfectly. I do mean that. If not lined up right, the holder will not work as intended. This is why I recommend Starbond Thick Adhesive or similar glue. This gives you a little bit of working time to line up the pieces correctly. Using an adhesive paper (which you could do) would be almost a one shot and done deal and you will, I promise, end up having to recut pieces. Ask me how I know this…
The plans include a listing of events in different fonts that you can move to the Gift Card holder on either the exterior pieces or the rectangular caps of the interior piece. I have already set up several different plans with different events on it. Just zoom out to see all of them on the canvas.
Step2: Cut your Pieces
The settings provided above were using 1/16" Birch plywood on the P2. If using a different material and/or machine, you will want to use your tested settings.
When you have cut your pieces, lay them all out. You should have 8 pieces in total.
Front and back of the Holder
2 Spacers
Two pieces for the interior
and 2 rectangles that cap the interior pieces (More on this in step 3)
TIP: If using a thin wood like 1/16" you may want to wait until assembly is complete to sand the outside pieces as this will provide a little stability and strength to the holder.
Step3: Assemble the Interior of the Holder
When assembling the interior, you want to put the glue just along the legs of the piece with the rectangle cut out and the split in the bottom. Then a stripe of glue along the very top.
Carefully line up the two interior pieces and press together. You want the edges to be as perfectly lined up as possible.
NOTE: You want to make sure the slit of the one piece lines up with the cutout bottom of the rectangular cut out piece. (See photo 2)
Next, you want to take one of the rectangle pieces and glue it to one side of the top of the interior of the holder. Make sure the edges line up as perfectly as possible. Do the same on the opposite side of the holder, again ensuring the edges line up.
Set this aside to cure completely, you interior is complete.
IMPORTANT: If there is any bleed out of the glue into the interior, you want to be sure to wipe it away as it can impede a gift card being inserted flat. This is particularly important with thinner woods as there is not a lot of room to allow the card to be anything other than flat in the gift card spot.
TIP: Before curing, you can take a gift card (or something of the same shape so you dont ruin the gift card, and insert it in the gift card slot to ensure a proper fit. Just remove immediately so any bleed out does not cause it to get stuck in the slot permanent.
Step4: Assemble the Case
With the Case of the holder, it is important to note that you want as little bleed out as possible into the interior. This will make the function of the Gift Card Holder impossible if it dries with bleedout into the interior. To help avoid this, put a very thin strip of glue as far to the outside edges as possible when assembling. Bleedout to the exterior is fine as that can be wiped away or sanded away after drying.
First you want to put the spacers together. These are the U shaped pieces. A thin strip of glue will be sufficient. Make sure all the edges line up perfectly. Use a gift card shaped piece of wood to help this step and insert it in the U shape to help line up the edges.
Glue the spacers to one of the exterior pieces, again ensuring the edges line up perfectly. I like to glue the spacers to the exterior piece with the tiny hole in it first. This way I can ensure that the hole does not get covered up in anyway or that glue does not leak into the hole.
Glue the last exterior piece on also making sure that the edges line up perfectly.
Let this cure completely before trying to add the interior to it.
Step5: Finishing
If you want to provide a finish, you can. I recommend a very light poly spray. I would not apply a finish to the card holder part of the interior piece as any finish at all will cause it to not slide into the exterior holder.
Step6: Final Thoughts
This was a fun project to design and I found it quite fulfilling to be able to get it to work. Something so simple that turned out to be one of my favorite projects so far this year. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. If you did, or if you have suggestions on how to improve this, let me know in the comments.
If you like this plan, you can check out my other designs at the following link. I have free and premium plans (more free than premium).
https://www.atomm.com/profile/15190?utm_source=Social_Share
Thank you and Happy Crafting!
