Pen Storage And Display

[bsenn]

Obviously one can buy cases, convert cigar boxes, or convert a machinist's toolbox to store pens, but I wanted to share a few more ideas. Hitting antique shops and flea markets you find a lot of neat wooden boxes, with some real character. A few are below.

 

The shoe shine boxes are readily available, often under $20. They work great for storing inks and pens, watch for the models with a drawer. One basic box was evidently used in a Non-Com club in Thailand. Many boxes were used for tools or equipment. Some cutlery boxes (such as the Cutco carving set box) are the right size. Add pen tray liners, maybe some felt or an additional tray and you are all set.

 

The Teddy box is my next project. It came with the right dividers in it, not sure what it was originally for. The teddy is fun, but not for pens. We'll see what the wood looks like after a few minutes with a sander.

 

The Leroy Lettering Guide box will follow. Just the right size, and it has a cool vibe. (by the way, anyone interested in the actual lettering guides, free but you pay the postage?).

 

Brian

 

[gweimer1]

Cool! Funny you should mention this. I just made one this week-end out of an old Cutco silverware box.

 

 

[bsenn]

Cool! Funny you should mention this. I just made one this week-end out of an old Cutco silverware box.

 

 

Awesome - That's what I'm talkin' 'bout!

 

Brian

[globetrotterjon]

Very impressive! I recall a participant in one of Ethernautrix's Pen Posse Pals in San Francisco had an old fashioned six or seven drawer wooden tool case that housed her incredible pen collection. I am talking pen store sized impressive.

[Dj Shift]

Hey, i sell Cutco and never even thought of that...

Maybe someday i'll have the time to try converting a box.

[fabri00]

Where do you by the pen tray liners?

I cannot fine them here in europe.

Thanks.

[bsenn]

I don't know about shipping to Europe, but here are two sources of liners.

 

The tray liners here have pockets spaced fairly close together (more pens per foot ):

https://www.gopens.com/Vintage_Pen_Parts/vintage_pens_12X16Trays.php

 

The liners here have larger pockets (fewer pens per foot), but might accommodate larger pens better.

http://www.pendorapens.com/collections/pen-tray-liner-inserts

 

I have used both, and both work well.

 

Brian

[ddyager]

This is very helpful, and it's a wonderful idea to have boxes that have a history themselves.

I have also been searching for solutions to the pen storage problem, especially for quite a few pens. Trolling the big auction site I found a nice tool box that wasn't very expensive, same idea as the one mentioned above. Some of the most interesting possibilities came up under watchmaker's cabinets/chests, and also under watch crystal cabinets/chests (good because they tend to be smaller). Especially the antique ones tend to be very expensive (and some are very lovely), but scattered among them are occasionally some more reasonably priced possibilities that could be adapted to hold quite a few pens. Somebody good at wood refinishing (unlike me ...) could make something quite nice without spending too much money.

[gweimer1]

I didn't have a clue where to find those, so the box I did in the picture above was done using 1/4" dowel rods, cut and spaced about 1 1/4" apart (I think that can go down to 1"), then glueing the felt to the base of the box in between each dowel. It's cheap, but it works. I did that whole box for less than $4, including the cost of the box.

[bsenn]

Great idea with the dowels and felt.

 

A pretty decent box is the Harbor Freight eight drawer machinist box. Yes, a little on the cheap side, but quite a bit of box for the money. I am not sure how many pens it would hold, but has to be easily 80 or more. Don't forget yo use the 20% off coupon in your newspaper or magazine!

 

Brian

[Art]

Terrific storage boxes. You're tempting me to give this a shot.

[whichwatch]

Here's a "cut and paste" from part of a post I did after the Washington DC pen show in 2013:

 

 

I had barely circled the booths set up in the lobby and hadn't even thought about the two ballrooms yet when I found Mary Carpentier of Pen House USA. Mary refurbishes antique boxes and turns them into pen chests. She had a nice selection of English, American, and Asian boxes. I couldn't pass up an antique Bird's Eye Maple English jewelry box that Mary had refinished and converted into a pen chest with two trays for 9 pens each for a total of 18. I won't mention the price, but there is no way Mary charged enough to cover the time she put into this box. She's also a really great person and we had a nice chat about antiques, how she makes the trays, etc. Her website is www.penhouseusa.

 

http://www.fototime.com/%7B1986FB1C-A56A-403E-96F3-7B74F0F35A6C%7D/origpict/DSCN7179.JPG

 

http://www.fototime.com/%7B5F6AB95F-D597-4AEA-A2EF-4CD771904D0B%7D/origpict/DSCN7182.JPG

 

http://www.fototime.com/%7BB02A2F7E-1624-4F78-A1F2-AB396719B5FC%7D/origpict/DSCN7180.JPG

[amk]

I love the shoe shine box.

 

I've had good luck recently finding humidors with lovely burl wood finishes. But I need to work out how to make the dividers; I'm not a hundred percent happy with the boxes I've made already, using dowels under velvet, or elastic stitched to leather (which my sewing machine really can't cope with), though the latter is good if you make a thin plywood backing and turn the edges of the leather over the ply to give it strength - otherwise the elastic gradually pulls the leather away from the box and you have to stick it back again. (Voice of experience).

 

I'm thinking maybe routing channels out of wood could work - but that of course would greatly increase the weight of the box. Anyone got other ideas? (GoPens etc doesn't cost in for Europe - postage plus horrible handling fees, plus customs)

[bsenn]

This is very helpful, and it's a wonderful idea to have boxes that have a history themselves.

I have also been searching for solutions to the pen storage problem, especially for quite a few pens. Trolling the big auction site I found a nice tool box that wasn't very expensive, same idea as the one mentioned above. Some of the most interesting possibilities came up under watchmaker's cabinets/chests, and also under watch crystal cabinets/chests (good because they tend to be smaller). Especially the antique ones tend to be very expensive (and some are very lovely), but scattered among them are occasionally some more reasonably priced possibilities that could be adapted to hold quite a few pens. Somebody good at wood refinishing (unlike me ...) could make something quite nice without spending too much money.

Dental cabinets are not portable, but one cabinet would hold hundreds of pens. I have seen several at antique shops, both wood and metal. My dad uses a beat up metal one for lathe tooling. Some of the old wood ones are gorgeous, like living room gorgeous.

 

Brian

[orfew]

Wow, lovely examples everyone. Thanks for the great pictures

[bsenn]

Here's a "cut and paste" from part of a post I did after the Washington DC pen show in 2013:

 

 

I had barely circled the booths set up in the lobby and hadn't even thought about the two ballrooms yet when I found Mary Carpentier of Pen House USA. Mary refurbishes antique boxes and turns them into pen chests. She had a nice selection of English, American, and Asian boxes. I couldn't pass up an antique Bird's Eye Maple English jewelry box that Mary had refinished and converted into a pen chest with two trays for 9 pens each for a total of 18. I won't mention the price, but there is no way Mary charged enough to cover the time she put into this box. She's also a really great person and we had a nice chat about antiques, how she makes the trays, etc. Her website is www.penhouseusa.

 

 

Wow, great looking box! They don't make wood like they used to . Its great to have a piece that looks good as decoration and serves a purpose too.

 

Brian

[bsenn]

I love the shoe shine box.

 

I've had good luck recently finding humidors with lovely burl wood finishes. But I need to work out how to make the dividers; I'm not a hundred percent happy with the boxes I've made already, using dowels under velvet, or elastic stitched to leather (which my sewing machine really can't cope with), though the latter is good if you make a thin plywood backing and turn the edges of the leather over the ply to give it strength - otherwise the elastic gradually pulls the leather away from the box and you have to stick it back again. (Voice of experience).

 

I'm thinking maybe routing channels out of wood could work - but that of course would greatly increase the weight of the box. Anyone got other ideas? (GoPens etc doesn't cost in for Europe - postage plus horrible handling fees, plus customs)

 

If you have access to someone with a table saw, it would be easy to put channels in a board using a dado blade. They could then be lined with felt. As you say, the box would be heavier but how much do you really carry a pen box around?

 

I like the idea of using humidors. In our kitchen we have a pipe stand/humidor, beautiful old smooth worn wood. The pipe stand holders hold 6 fountain pens standing up, and in the humidor we keep ballpoints and pencils. Close the lid and gone is the clutter of those cheap pens!

 

Brian

[WateryFlow]

They look really neat

[PAKMAN]

Absolutely love the shoe shine kit, wonderful adaptation!

[igor61]

I use penfolios, i bought them in the 90's.