Make a business card holder from three pieces

Measure the cards you actually use

Business cards vary in size, so measure a stack before choosing dimensions. This project uses a base, a low front lip, and a taller back panel. The cards sit between the lip and back, slightly leaned against the rear panel. No slot needs to be cut.

For cards around 90 mm wide, a 110 mm-wide holder leaves a modest margin. A 45 mm-deep base has room for a small stack without taking much counter space. Make a paper model if your cards are larger or unusually thick.

• Base: 110 × 45 × 12 mm.
• Back: 110 × 55 × 9 mm.
• Front lip: 110 × 15 × 9 mm.

Check the pocket geometry

Stand the back panel on the base flush with its rear edge. Stand the lip flush with the front edge. At 9 mm thickness, the clear pocket depth is 27 mm: 45 minus 9 minus 9. That is the opening, not the amount of card stack you should force inside.

A stack needs room to lean and to be grasped. Test ten cards first, then add more until retrieval becomes awkward. The front lip should cover only the lower part of the design. If it hides a logo or name, reduce its height while preserving enough support to keep the cards from sliding out.

Prepare the visible joints

Because the holder is small, a crooked glue line is easy to notice. Square the ends of the front and back so they align with the base. Sand their faces before assembly, but keep their bottom edges flat and unrounded.

Dry-fit the three pieces and use a square to check both vertical panels. Apply a thin, even glue film to the mating surfaces. Clamp with pads that spread pressure across the narrow strips. Excessive pressure can make the front lip skate sideways. Check alignment immediately, then again after the clamps are settled.

Make it pleasant to handle

After the adhesive cures, smooth the top edge of the lip and the upper corners of the back. Keep the base flat; rounding its underside unevenly can make the holder rock. Apply the chosen finish to a scrap first, because a small piece of wood may darken more than expected beside white cards.

Let the finish cure before inserting printed cards. Fresh coatings can mark paper or transfer odor. Cut the small strips from larger, securely held stock using a method appropriate to your tools; do not bring fingertips close to a powered cutter merely because the final piece is small.