How to Make Your Own Height Boxes for Photography ~ Enhance Photography Skill

No matter how fancy his studio or how expensive his camera, there is one very humble item that no photographer likes to be without. It is called an apple box -- a simple plywood box with handles. Photographers use these to raise almost anything to a greater height, particularly their subjects. Apple boxes come in four sizes: a full apple, half apple, quarter apple and eighth apple, which is often called a pancake. Although most photography suppliers sell them, you can also make them yourself.

Instructions

Measure eight 12-by-20 in. sections from the 1/2 in. plywood. Mark the sections with a pencil.

Cut out the sections and set them aside. These will become the tops of the boxes.

Measure 20 in. in from one side of the 3/4 in. plywood. Draw a line along the length of the board.

Measure, mark and cut four 12-by-20 in. sections. These will become pancakes.

Measure and mark the remaining piece of board at 20 inches, 30.5 inches and 41 inches down its length. Cut the board along your guide marks. This will give you one board that is 20-inches wide and two that are 10.5 inches wide.

Measure and mark two 20-by-7 inch sections, two 20-by-3 inch sections and two 20-by-1 inch sections from the 20-inch wide board.

Cut the board along the guide lines. These pieces form the sides of the boxes.

Measure, mark and cut one of the 10.5-inch boards into three 10.5-by-7-inch sections. These form the front, back and center support for the full apple box.

Measure, mark and cut the remaining board into three 10.5-by-3-inch sections and three 10.5-by-1-inch sections. These will become the front, back and center supports for the half and quarter boxes.

Select two of the 10.5-by-7-inch pieces to become the front and back of the full apple box. Orient them so that the longer side is at the bottom.

Mark two rectangles that are 1.5 inches from the top and bottom, 3 inches in from either side and 1 inch high.

Drill a 1-inch hole at both ends of the rectangles, then cut out the remaining section with a reciprocating saw to form the box's handles.

Repeat this process to make handles on two of the 10.5-by-3 inch sections. You only need to make one handle on each of these instead of two.

Collect all of the 7-inch high pieces and set them aside for the full apple box. Set the 3-inch high pieces aside for the half apple box and the 1-inch high pieces aside for the quarter apple box. Add one of the 12-by-20-inch tops to each group.

Perform a test assembly of each box without using screws or glue. The 20-inch long pieces that form the sides go on the outside with the 10.5 inches long front, back and center supports between them. Place the 12-by-20-inch board on top and make sure everything is flush.

Glue the pieces together and clamp them into place. Allow the boxes to dry thoroughly.

Screw the pieces together for additional support.

Create a rectangle on either end of the quarter apple box that is 1.5 inch from the top, 3 inches from each side and 3/4 inch high.

Drill a 3/4-inch hole at both ends of the rectangles, then cut out the remaining section with a reciprocating saw to form the handles.

Sand the boxes until they are smooth.

Paint each box black, if desired.