As mentioned in previous posts, I am making several cargo crates and boxes for the Mandalorian Halloween house. They will decorate the street of Nevarro and also be used as a crowd barrier, among other things.

There was one specific type of box that really wanted to make. It shows up in almost every Star Wars environment from the trilogies down through the Mandalorian. The particular ones I am talking about are cube-shaped and have patterns on their sides that include a circle and groves that radiate from that center circular area. Here are a few shots of them from the Mandalorian.

To create these, I first looked for the right box. I wasn’t able to get a perfectly cube-dimensioned box, but I found ones with at least square-ish sides.

Next, I took measurements of the boxes and then in Photoshop designed the pattern such that it would fit the proportions of the actual boxes.

I then printed out the patterns/guides on paper and traced them onto some EVA foam (you know, those interlocking foam mats).

I then used contact cement to glue them in place. For contact cement, you have to coat both sides of the joint (the foam and the cardboard) and then let them dry until they are tacky before you bring them together.

I repeated this for all six sides and my box was shaping up!

I could have done some sanding of the joints and edges, as is typical for EVA foam projects. For our house, this prop will be seen from a distance, at night, under dim lighting, so I didn’t do that step. Instead, one of our friends painted it black during our Community Painting Day, to finish it off.

I am excited to have one of these boxes as part of our Star Wars scene. If you come by the house, keep an eye out for it! And if you want to make one yourself, all it takes is a box, some foam mats and glue!