The project after the foam box was the wood box. I wanted to keep the theme of the box opening mechanically and opening the next box in line. Since the foam core box opened by pushing up the bottom the first thing was to design a way for the wood box to do that. I used dowels to create a linear movement platform. Then I attached a 2x2 onto that platform and rounded the corners so it wouldn’t damage the foam box.

Then to actuate that platform I decided to attach wire cables onto it. Then I ran those cables up to the lid. The lid was built with a hinge on one side so it could pivot open. I had to do some extra planning so that the cable travel distance would be the correct amount to open the foam box.

Then I wanted the box to auto close, so I hallowed out an opening in both sides of the box. Inside that opening I attached rubber bands that pull the platform down. As a plus, due to where I mounted the cable attachments, when the box is opened, the cable gets bent so the tension force creates static friction instead of a rotational moment - thus it stays open.

The last struggle was getting it to hold the foam box in place so it could impart force into the push tab. My solution was to make the holding box a tolerance fit, and then made a wood shim with a pull strap attached so I could still remove the foam box. That worked perfectly and held the box as needed.

The bottom of the box was a product of bad planning. I