Oh, they're just cardboard boxes.

I thought this was talking about Gunpla diorama hangars with repair arms and all that

Thanks all for info and help. Got wave 10 finished last night.

Yes theyre just cardboard boxes, but theyre free (other than assembly time and materials [or printing costs if you dont have your own printer]) and save you so much hassle with storage.

I use my exacto to score the folds, i just dont push really. Long as the blade is sharp just putting enough pressure so it doesnt wobble side to side as you pull it is enough.
Basically you want to cut one side of the paper. If youre not used to doing that it can take some practice to get the pressure right since if you cut too deep it'll just pop off later down the road. For some reason i didnt think about scoring the folds the first time i attempted to make some boxes and yeah that didnt go well lol

For a simple scoring tool, I use a small paperclip. Don't pull it apart or anything. If you want a more comfortable grip, wrap some masking tape around it several times, leaving the rounded edge exposed.

Some tips to save you time & paper:

- some boxes can hold two ships at the same time like the TIE Striker and the U-Wing.

- use tape if glue is too messy or unavailable.

- You can fit two dials and four ship tokens in each Gear Box (see pic).

- I find that cutting straight lines is easier than curved ones, so that's what I do with the flaps & the notch for the thumb (see pic).

- Cut a little line at the fold of the flap that closes the box (see pic).

- don't do more than four ships worth in one go. It can get TEDIOUS. 1.) Score all the boxes at the same time. 2.) Cut all the boxes at the same time. 3.) Fold all the boxes at the same time. 4.) Glue all the boxes at the same time.

Good luck!

These look pretty cool, but I've always sort of wondered ... do they serve an actual purpose that I'm missing?

7 minutes ago, Jeff Wilder said:

These look pretty cool, but I've always sort of wondered ... do they serve an actual purpose that I'm missing?

Try and put all of your ships in a toolbox or something. See how badly they flail around and have pointy bits or wings get bent/broken.

Thats what they do. They make it much, much easier to store things w/o foam.

They save space vs a tackle box and keep your ships from breakage. It also helps (me) keep them organized.

I can fit about 40+ ships, Dials, dice, range rulers, movement templates, asteroids, bombs & bases, etc. in a size 10 shoe box.

Ah, okay. I use foam for storage at home. If needed, I can pack everything into my PACK cases, but mostly I just carry a squadron or two with me in my core set box with foam insert.

Foam is clearly better but its also a fortune in comparison.

i'd rather spend my money on more spaceships and just handcraft square boxes for them than spend several hundred on foam lol

Just now, Vineheart01 said:

Foam is clearly better but its also a fortune in comparison.

Definitely true. Whenever anybody asks me if I recommend Battle Foam, I have to give a very careful answer: "Sort of. First, always buy it on sale. Second, design your own trays, because the ones they offer waste a tremendous amount of space. Third, understand that you're paying five times as much -- even on sale! -- as many other solutions for maybe twice the protection and utility. If all that's okay with you, go for it."

Anyway, all my questions answered. Carry on, gentlemen.

18 hours ago, Vineheart01 said:

Foam is clearly better but its also a fortune in comparison.

i'd rather spend my money on more spaceships and just handcraft square boxes for them than spend several hundred on foam lol

Easy, get at a job where small fragile things are shipped and tell the shipping department that you'll take any of that "annoying" extra foam lying around of their hands.

I have 2 trash bags full of pluck foam waiting for me at work, whenever I can clear the space in my small apartment.