K&G Maker Tool

Lantern Maker

Design a laser-cut lantern with four tabbed walls, removable interchangeable panels, locking top and bottom plates, and your choice of Solar, Pyramid, Square, Tiered Square, or Flat top. Change the settings while watching the assembled model update beside you, then cut the Fit-Test SVG before the full project.

What this tool builds: The four walls lock into a top plate and a bottom plate using tabs and feet. Removable panels slide behind the window openings, and a centered tongue at the top stays captured inside the top slot while leaving about 1/8" above the top as a grab tab, so the panel cannot simply fall backward and still has something to grab during swaps. Then choose the top style you want. The bottom is not a loose “drop-in” floor.

PUBLIC RELEASE 2.4.1 PARAMETRIC SVG GENERATOR K&G CUT-TESTED CORE INCH-BASED

1Choose your sizeStart with the tested 5 × 5 × 9 or enter your own finished dimensions.

2Choose your stylePick the window and top while the live assembled model stays beside your controls.

3Check Build ReadinessLantern Maker protects unsafe geometry and explains what needs attention.

4Fit test, then cutVerify your actual material before committing a full sheet.

Build Your Lantern Public Release v2.4.1

Project

Project name

Used in downloaded file names and the build summary.

Quick start

Finished body size

Width (in.)

Depth (in.)

Wall height between plates (in.)

Material

Material setup

Structure thickness (in.)

Use the actual caliper measurement.

Insert thickness (in.)

Automatically fit settings to material thicknessRecommended. Thickness-dependent engineering values are safely adjusted when needed.

Lantern style

Feet per side

Window style

Window style changes only the opening cut. The proven wall, insert, plate, foot, keeper, and roof construction remains unchanged.

Frame border (in.)

Minimum safe with the current settings: calculating…

Top style

Pyramid rise (in.)

V2.4 Grab-Tab Inserts: every generated insert includes a centered top tongue that stays captured in the top slot and extends about 1/8" above the top as a grab tab. The panel still rests at the bottom, but now you have something to grab when changing the interchangeable insert.

CONFIGURATION STATUS

Checking this configuration…

Advanced Settings — clearances, offsets & engineering

Joint engineering

Corner joint allowance (in.)

Vertical finger target (in.)

Insert engineering

Insert side overlap (in.)

Insert shoulder clearance below top (in.)

Controls how far the main panel shoulders sit below the top. V2.3 automatically extends a centered capture tongue upward into the top slot.

Top-slot setback (in.)

Insert-slot clearance (in.)

Keeper-tab reach (in.)

Plate & foot engineering

Plate overhang / side (in.)

Plate-slot clearance (in.)

Bottom foot depth (in.)

Foot retention-tab radius (in.)

Raised-top engineering

Pyramid overhang / side (in.)

Brace socket gap (in.)

Brace slot clearance (in.)

Brace-to-roof relief (in.)

Generated parts

Generate four removable insert blanks Generate second top plate to hide wall tabs Generate four snap-in insert keeper tabs Generate self-jigging pyramid cross braces + built-in top sockets Add blue SCORE centerlines to pyramid faces

Enable Production Sheets & Smart Nesting Optional advanced mode. Lantern Maker compares multiple packing strategies, rotates pieces when allowed, and keeps the best layout it finds for your structural and insert sheets.

Before the full cut

1. MeasureUse actual caliper thickness, not the material's advertised nominal size.

2. Fit TestCut the Fit-Test SVG and confirm joints, feet, insert-slot fit, and the selected top system. Then verify an insert can slide down while its top capture tongue stays in the slot and leaves a small exposed grab tab above the top.

3. Verify colorsRED = CUT. BLUE = SCORE. Confirm your laser software imports them correctly.

Downloads

Download the complete project SVG, a fit-test file, or a reusable insert template.

Save, share & come back later

These controls do not change the lantern geometry. Use them after you have your design where you want it.

Cut Layout Preview

RED = CUT BLUE = SCORE

Public Release v2.4.1: Stable keeper fix. Removable insert geometry includes a centered top capture tongue that remains engaged in the top slot and leaves about 1/8" above the top as a grab tab. The lower edge still settles at the bottom, the bottom keeper still holds the lower portion close to the window, and now the insert is easier to swap. Smart Nesting, the model-first interface, five windows, five tops, material safeguards, sharing, Build Sheet, and production tools remain. RED = CUT and BLUE = SCORE.

About the V2.3 insert fix

The main panel shoulders keep the existing height-clearance behavior. Lantern Maker automatically calculates the extra tongue rise from the wall height and the actual top-plate stack so the insert still rests at the bottom, stays captured in the top slot, and leaves roughly 1/8" above the finished top as a grab tab. No new tolerance setting is required. Because this changes the physical insert profile again, V2.4 intentionally asks for a Fit-Test before calling this revision fully production-validated.