80th Birthday Book Box

I built this 80th birthday gift box for YaYa from yellowheart wood, with the closed box meant to read like a small book. The hinged lid, page-like side detail, and birthday spine all lean into that book-box idea.

I created the v-carving vectors with ChatGPT, then CNC engraved each visible panel and filled the engraved areas with black epoxy resin. The black hinges were chosen to match the epoxy-filled artwork, and the inside was my first attempt at flocking.

ChatGPT Vector Templates

These black-and-white images were the ChatGPT-generated vector templates I used for the v-carving layout before engraving and epoxy fill.

Panel Prep

The main panels were engraved and filled before final assembly, which made it easier to keep the front cover, quote panel, and birthday spine crisp.

Finished Book Box

The finished front cover shows the yellowheart color against the black epoxy fill, while the angled view makes the book-like form and hinge placement easier to read.

Birthday Details

The side panels carry the birthday message and keepsake quote, so the box still feels personal after the front-cover artwork has had its first reveal.

Final Result

The finished piece is a handmade birthday keepsake first and a woodworking experiment second. It brought together a new yellowheart build, ChatGPT-assisted v-carve artwork, epoxy-filled CNC engraving, matching black hinges, and a first pass at flocking the inside.