Kids just got a new Lego Minotaurus board game. This game will be hot for them for couples of weeks as usual. they used to throw the dice so high or so far away when they feel over-excited. Sometimes I have to get the dice out when it rolls under the sofa. Three times are okay for me, but more than that? I will feel a little bit annoyed for sure. I had told them to roll the dice slower. You know kids, never put high expectation on them.

Then I think of a dice tower which I saw once on Instructables homepage few months ago, but I was too lazy to build a wooden tower. Seeing a toy box laying around made me excited to do some experiments with boxes and ... this is it.

What you need is a box. I have this toy box similar to any powder milk box or corn flakes. My box is measured 15" x 7.5" x 2".

Then you will need:

Transparent adhesive tape.
Pen knife/cutter.
Scissors.
Pen/marker.
A pair of bamboo chopsticks. I don't know why I love using this in my projects.

That's all you need. I believe most people have them all in their house.

Step 1: Bottom Closure Panel

Tape around the bottom closure panel to form a unified bottom panel.

Step 2: The Tray

Cut the box as in the photo above, around one fifth of the total height of the box. This will be the tray where the rolling dice comes out. You might want to adhere the dust flaps at the inside of the box which is now becoming the bottom of the tower a.k.a. the tray.

Step 3: The Tray - Continue

Crease the edge of the box (our cutting line at the front panel of the box) as in photo #1 as wide as the side creases of the box.
Cut from the edge of the box along the side creases until they meet the newly made crease (as in photo #2).
Fold the squares in and tape them with adhesive tape.

The tray is done, protecting the dice from rolling any farther.

Step 4: Top Closure Panel

Cut off the top closure panel along with the top dust flaps. Save the panel for further use.

Step 5: Left Side Panel

Draw two rectangles at the left side panel. In my case they are 1.5" x 5" spread between the top of the box and the tray cut. I left few millimeters at the side of the rectangels because they are easier to cut rather than at the corner of the box.

Cut the left, right, and bottom of both rectangles. Crease the top of the rectangles, fold the rectangles in at 45 degrees. Why 5"? When I fold the rectangels in at 45 degrees, at least they reach a little farther than half of the box's width (7.5" in my case).

Step 6: Right Side Panel

Draw a rectangle (the same size as previous step) in the middle of the right side panel, measured from the top of the box to the tray cut.

Cut the left, right, and bottom of both rectangles. Crease the top of the rectangles, fold the rectangles in at 45 degrees.

Imagine three rectangles on the side panels are now forming a zig-zag, seeing from the front panel of the box.

Step 7: Rear Panel

Draw a rectangle at the bottom of rear panel, about half an inch from the tray cut down. 7" x 1" in my case.

Cut the left, right, and bottom of both rectangles. Crease the top of the rectangles, fold the rectangles in at 45 degrees. This panel is driving the dice out rather than sticking at the rear panel of the tower.

Step 8: Squeeze

The zig-zag panels are moving up and down because they are slightly narrower than the box. But if you squeeze the box, the front and rear panels will hold them in place. Simply adhere the side of the box with adhesive tape slightly tight to get the squeeze.

Step 9: Chopsticks

Cut small holes at rear bottom corners of the box.

Slide in the chopsticks at both corners. Adhere the chopsticks to the tray. This make a better stand to the tower.

Step 10: Dice(s)

Draw a 3 x 4 grid of squares at the top closure panel we cut off before.
Put your numbers with a pen/marker either at "T" form or a cross. Opposite sides of a dice add up to seven. Don't ask me why but you can more about dice at Wikipedia.
Cut the "T" or cross.
Fold all the lines to form a cube.
Smash some cardboard and put it in the cube to make the dice more solid.
Smash the corners if necessary so that it rolls better.
Repeat this step for more dices.

Step 11: Conclusion

I write this instructables for On-The-Go dice tower. We can play anywhere as long as there is a box and some standard tools which are easy to get around. For personal use at home, I believe you can build better dice tower or buy fancy ones. These cuts are simple and easy to remember once you have read. Probably you will build one while camping. You don't need to bring your board games in your backpack, instead you can draw the board on the ground and roll your dice ;)