Cigar Box Pen Storage Case

[DWL]

Here's my project.

 

I got this box many many moons ago in my former career as a Tobacconist. It's been languishing around here forever just waiting to be used/converted. It's pretty rough right now & has some fairly deep scratches on the to upper right side of the lid. But those should sand out with no problem at all.

 

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y14/DennisLively/Cigar%20box%20pen%20case/100_1316.jpg

 

FWIW, The big green monster on the end is an Sr. Sheaffer Flat top. This is a BIG box...lol.

 

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y14/DennisLively/Cigar%20box%20pen%20case/100_1317.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y14/DennisLively/Cigar%20box%20pen%20case/100_1315.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y14/DennisLively/Cigar%20box%20pen%20case/100_1314.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y14/DennisLively/Cigar%20box%20pen%20case/100_1313.jpg

 

The inner dimensions are 20 1/4" x 7 3/4" X 5" deep. I expect it to have 3 layers of pens & hold close to 80 pens if not more. Inhaven't decided if I want to cut out the lid & install a pane of glass yet, I think I might end up in that direction though.

I've got some of Gary's beige 16 X 12 pen trays in bound now. I can't wait to get started on this.

 

This is going to be an awesome case when it's finished.

 

More pics to fllow when when i'm finished with it.

Dennis

Edited January 16, 2007 by DWL

[a11en]

Hey Dennis!

 

I'm no good with wood-working, but if you're tricksy you could set the glass in a bit, allowing the logo of the box to sit back into place if desired. Might be fun- but then again, it might be too much work to achieve it. Of course, you'd have to stash the top when not in use.

 

Great box, BTW! Wish pipe-tobacco came in nice cedar boxes...

 

I do have an old box from my great-grandfather. Very very cool.

 

Cheers!

-Allen

[AndreaDuni]

Hey guys,

what about using decoupage boxes? My gf had this idea some time ago, now I have found some pen trays 182mmx252mm and a decoupage wooden box of 200mmx300mm (1x1) and others up to double dimensions (2x2).

I was thinking about using real decoupage on that boxes but with a "male" graphic or engraving them or using pyrograph or simply painting it or to polish them with a special paint for wood.

 

there are a lot of possibility with decoupage boxes and because you do the decorations, you can avoid to paint the inside if it can damage the pens.

 

As attached file there is the best box I had found in an online store in USA.

http://fountainpens.netnemo.net/fpnpics/TW_3.jpg

Edited May 31, 2007 by Netnemo

[Mobybick2]

Got some cigar boxes from Ebay--got some of the trays from GoPens--all set for my weekend project! Thanks for the inspiration.

[Phthalo]

I've joined this bandwagon too - what a great project these DIY boxes are!

 

I've ordered my pen display trays (beige and black), and I have some nice cork matting (1mm thick) set aside, which I can use to line the inside of each box for protection against scratches..

 

I've been getting boxes like the one below from my local tobacco store for AU$5 each. They have other boxes, but at this moment I'm focusing on these nice Torano ones. Each one of these boxes will hold about 8 pens.

(I'm not using the included 5-piece divider, as it's a little awkward.)

[Johnny Appleseed]

If you can get it, Carlos Torano makes much larger 2-level boxes that are just awesome. I picked up a stack of these and made them into pen boxes. They have 2 divided trays that have ten cigar-spots each. I take out the wooden dividers in the trays and put in a go-pens liner - the result is a double-level box that holds 34 pens.

 

Monday I went by my favorite cigar-box stop and they had a stack of these, including the really oversize Churchill Box. One of the trays in the Churchill can be converted to hold 24 pens alone.

 

Here is a picture of one I used with the slots intact. They also make great holders for pens under repair - all the parts can go in one slot.

 

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a150/laridae/P1120304.jpg

 

I will try to post pics of some of the finished products this weekend.

 

For a single-layer box, these Olivaros boxes work really nicely. The only problem is that they are a little wider than 6", so you can't get two sets of slots out of a 12" wide sheet from GoPens.

 

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a150/laridae/Oliveros.jpg

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a150/laridae/Oliveros2.jpg

 

I will try to post pics of some of the finished products this weekend.

 

John

Edited February 2, 2007 by Johnny Appleseed

[Dan the man]

If you can get it, Carlos Torano makes much larger 2-level boxes that are just awesome. I picked up a stack of these and made them into pen boxes. They have 2 divided trays that have ten cigar-spots each. I take out the wooden dividers in the trays and put in a go-pens liner - the result is a double-level box that holds 34 pens.

 

 

Here is a picture of one I used with the slots intact. They also make great holders for pens under repair - all the parts can go in one slot.

 

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a150/laridae/P1120304.jpg

 

I will try to post pics of some of the finished products this weekend.

 

For a single-layer box, these Olivaros boxes work really nicely. The only problem is that they are a little wider than 6", so you can't get two sets of slots out of a 12" wide sheet from GoPens.

 

 

I will try to post pics of some of the finished products this weekend.

 

John

Hi John,

 

How do you keep the pens from flying around the box, the idea is very cool, but how to secure them from moving aroung too much? My tobacconist is great, let's me have any box I choose.

 

Also, checked out gopen, 55 bucks for 10 trays, am I hallucinating or simply can't read?

 

Dan

Edited February 2, 2007 by Dan the man

[Johnny Appleseed]

How do you keep the pens from flying around the box, the idea is very cool, but how to secure them from moving aroung too much?

 

This is a "before" picture. The "after" picture with the Go-Pens trays is still in my camera. I will try to get them uploaded this weekend.

 

Yes, Go-Pens trays are not cheap, but they are 12 x 18, so you can get a lot of milage out of one tray.

 

John

[Phthalo]

I bought only three trays, and though I love the large boxes (especially the Oliveros), I'd use up the trays too fast, and postage is expensive to AU. :/

 

I'm sticking to themes with the small Torano's - one for my Omas’, one for my Esterbrooks etc.

 

I'm going to another store today, hope I find good pickings!

[sonia_simone]

I've gone the amazingly lazy person's route with this--I'm using some soft foam cigar box liners (they have cigar-shaped slots) to hold the pens on my desk. Ugly but wonderfully useful!

 

Somehow I can't find the box they came in, that would help with the ugly problem.

[Dan the man]

Got some cigar boxes from Ebay--got some of the trays from GoPens--all set for my weekend project!  Thanks for the inspiration.

Check out this very cool box, no affiliation to the seller. Will skip on the bid this time.

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/HINGED-WOOD-CIGAR-BOX-...1QQcmdZViewItem

 

Thought you may be interested.

 

Dan

Edited February 3, 2007 by Dan the man

[johnr55]

Thanks for the excellent idea. I've got a bunch of gray plastic trays that I bought off of EBay and didn't like them when they got here--they're rather ugly.

 

Not having a cigar box I'm going looking at my local Hobby Lobby where they have a lot of wood boxes.

 

Thanks again!

[addio6]

Thanks for the excellent idea.  I've got a bunch of gray plastic trays that I bought off of EBay and didn't like them when they got here--they're rather ugly. 

 

Not having a cigar box I'm going looking at my local Hobby Lobby where they have a lot of wood boxes.

 

Thanks again!

Have you tried asking around at tobacco stores?

 

Pre-FP fascination, I'd managed to accumulate a dozen just for the hopes of keeping pencils/markers/etc.. someplace other than the floor.

 

The last batch managed to find me with more wooden cigar boxes than things to store in them. I don't live too far from this place http://www.thebriary.com and they couldn't figure out why I was elated when I got to see stacks and stacks of the type of things they had 'in the back..'.

 

and even more elated at the fact that they ended up giving them to me for less than $2 a box (for the wooden ones.. )

[a11en]

Usually the rule is that if you buy the last cigar you get the box. At my local pipe-shop there's an amazing humidor box with very expensive cigars inside that has about 4 people waiting for it. (And a doctor laughing saying he's about to snap it up before the other 3 get to it.) Of course that type of box you want to use for a Humidor, not a pen-case.

 

It's definitely worth an ask, but often the boxes are given to the purchasers when they're empty. Good idea as well... I love my pipe-shop. The owner once introduced himself at a bar to my GF as: "Allen's Tobaccanist." :roflmho: I guess I have a Tobaccanist.

 

Wonderful idea for a pen-case, guys. Love cigar boxes, and the cedar/tobacco smell is just wonderful.

 

Cheers!

-Allen

[InkWell]

What a great idea...maybe you should start production of your cigar pen boxes and put me down as your first paying customer...

[Johnny Appleseed]

Here is a picture of my finished 34 pen Carlos Torano box. Not a very artsy photo, but you get the idea.

 

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a150/laridae/Reserva-Boxes.jpg

 

And my entire collection, now housed in 4 boxes (not counting pens that are incomplete or soon to be for sale).

 

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a150/laridae/MyEntireCollection.jpg

 

John

[coolpenz]

Hi all. This is a shameless plug... after seeing this, I decided to offer an accumulation of wood cigar boxes I amassed about 12 years ago... out of 59, many have sold, but there are still a few left, and cheap! Check the Marketplace under "Future pen cases"...

[Phthalo]

Here is one of my little 5-Cigar Carlos Torano boxes. I like these smaller boxes very much - I get them in two sizes - "Robusto" and "Petit Corona" - the Robusto box is about 1" wider, but the depth and height is identical.

 

I lined the top and bottom sides with cork matting, to avoid scratches on the pen ends in case I bump them on the sides. They look pretty spiffy IMO!

Edited February 15, 2007 by Phthalo

[sonia_simone]

Laura, now I will imagine you smoking elegant little cigars.

[TMLee]

Modified this pen box to take more FPs. It was a Waterman ballpen that came in this nice hardcardboard giftbox. Removed all the innards. Created a series of triangular ridges (I just couldn't replicate the concave curves) from thin card, then stuck self adhesive paperbacked felt over them. The interesting thing abt this box is that it has a magnetic catch embeded somewhere centre and front lip. So it stays firmly closed if/when transported. Quite neat, although its capacity is rather limited at only 8 pens and 1 pen deep only.

 

A bit more tedious this way to create the ridges cause I can't get the pen display trays here where I live.

 

I am now confident of doing another one with a wooden cigar box (yet to find). Wish me luck.

 

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/pencaseclosed.jpg

 

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/pencasecloseup.jpg

 

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/pencaseopen.jpg