Pen Storage - Repurposed Cigar Box

[OakIris]

I have two wonderful cigar boxes modified by John Hubbard (BamaPen) for pen storage; I know many others here are familiar with his fine work and more than likely have one or more of his boxes themselves. One of the boxes he modified for me was actually designed so that I could securely carry pens to my pen posse meetings; it looks great and works wonderfully for that. As a happy customer, I highly recommend him if you would like to buy an already modified cigar box or a custom box he makes according to your specifications.

 

I recently tried my hand at modifying a flatware storage chest for pen storage, and had a lot of fun with it. When a friend at our last Colorado Pen Posse meeting was giving away some nice cigar boxes, I realized it was my chance to try repurposing one for myself, so one of them came home with me.

 

Here are some photos of the box:

 

 

 

 

To me, the original finish is primarily maroon (burgundy?) in color but has red and orange highlights or shading as well. My photos do not do justice to the color so you may need to use your imagination. Anyway, I find it a deep, rich color. The box has some dings and scratches in the finish, but I doubted my ability to duplicate the colour of the original finish by attempting to stain and disguise them, so I basically left the box as it was - added character, right? I did nothing more than to clean it and put a little oil finish on the dings, etc., to help preserve the "naked" wood.

 

I found this microsuede cloth to use for the box lining:

 

 

It has a pseudo snake skin pattern, which ordinarily doesn't appeal to me, but has shades of brown and maroon and gold in it that, in my opinion, go amazingly well with the colors used for the cigar box, so it seemed like just the thing to use! Here are a couple of photos of the box with the lining glued on:

 

 

 

I wanted to use wooden molding for the pen cradles, an idea brought to my attention by Michael (my63) in his "Writing Slope Dilemma" thread, but sadly the box was too shallow in depth to accommodate this design. Something like this is what I had in mind, with a strip of leather placed on the very top where the pen rests:

 

 

As I don't have the tools needed to shave off the extra wood on the base of the molding to get a proper fit, I used the tried and true method: A birch plywood base with oak dowels glued to it, then leather glued on for the pen cradles.

 

 

 

Finished box:

 

 

 

And with some pens:

 

 

In retrospect, I wish I had used smaller diameter dowels for the trays so that more of the "snake skin" lining would show. I did consider redoing the tray, but I found that I couldn't remove the first one after "installing" it in the box. :embarrassed_smile: I didn't glue it to the bottom of the box, but it fit so well that the only way I would be able to remove it would be with a pry bar of some sort, and I didn't want to damage the box. I will live with it as is - and hopefully design more carefully in the future.

 

My work is no where near as good or as fancy as John's is, or that of others I have seen here on FPN, but it was another fun project for me. I encourage others to give it a try if they would like. For a simple modification like this, it only takes about a weekend to do, once you have the materials you need.

 

I know I am not the only one that has repurposed a cigar box for pen storage. If you would like to share yours with us, please post them in this thread! Oh, and if you have cigar boxes you have repurposed for ink storage, I would love to see your photos of those as well.

 

Holly

Edited March 31, 2013 by OakIris

[Runnin_Ute]

Very nice, Holly. That really turned out well.

[OakIris]

Glad you liked it, Running_Ute.

 

Sorry that I posted the same picture of the finished box twice - didn't notice until it was too late to edit the post. This is the second picture that I meant to include:

 

 

Hoping others will show us pictures of their cigar box pen storage as well!

 

Holly

[amberleadavis]

Great job.

[my63]

Nice work Holly

You are really getting the hang of things.

It is funny when I first started trying the moldings I did exactly what you have done I laid the molding on its back just like you have done and thought I want that deeper.

I spoke to Henry Simpole and he put me right the molding lies on one edge and is glued together back to back.

 

Like this

 

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8507/8598967486_ca20477084_z.jpg

IMG_0289 by my0771, on Flickr

 

They are now in your box

 

Michael

[Kurrurrin]

I finished putting this together last week. I need to touch up the glue in a couple of the corners of the cover, but it is pretty much complete.

 

 

Edited April 2, 2013 by Kurrurrin

[beak]

I like the use of the micro-suede, and your choice of warm/neutral colours - show the pens off very well I think.

[OakIris]

Nice work Holly

You are really getting the hang of things.

It is funny when I first started trying the moldings I did exactly what you have done I laid the molding on its back just like you have done and thought I want that deeper.

I spoke to Henry Simpole and he put me right the molding lies on one edge and is glued together back to back.

 

Like this

 

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8507/8598967486_ca20477084_z.jpg

IMG_0289 by my0771, on Flickr

 

They are now in your box

 

Michael

Still learning - and I thank you for teaching me most of it by example! I saw how you were installing the molding pen cradles, Michael, but actually liked the idea of leaving much of the wood exposed and just putting a strip of leather on the top. Of course the method you and Harry use would make a deeper, more secure cradle. I did try the molding configuration you suggest in this box but the box was still too shallow and the molding wouldn't fit. I will have to get another, deeper, box to see which way I prefer.

 

I finished putting this together last week. I need to touch up the glue in a couple of the corners of the cover, but it is pretty much complete.

 

 

That's very nice, Kurrurrin. Are those ink sample vials you have stored in the back? Very cool!

 

I like the use of the micro-suede, and your choice of warm/neutral colours - show the pens off very well I think.

Thank you, beak (assuming perhaps incorrectly that your comment was about my cigar box and not Kurrurrin's. Always willing to take credit, aren't I!?! )

 

Holly

[Kurrurrin]

I finished putting this together last week. I need to touch up the glue in a couple of the corners of the cover, but it is pretty much complete.

 

 

That's very nice, Kurrurrin. Are those ink sample vials you have stored in the back? Very cool!

 

I like the use of the micro-suede, and your choice of warm/neutral colours - show the pens off very well I think.

Thank you, beak (assuming perhaps incorrectly that your comment was about my cigar box and not Kurrurrin's. Always willing to take credit, aren't I!?! )

 

Holly

 

I got inspiration to go ahead and do it from all the cigar box posts the past couple of weeks, specifically reading through the threads that my63 has been updating. Like Beak, I love your choice in the suede. It looks excellent

 

I just went with pleather (which is how I know beak is talking about yours ) I found in the remnants rack at Jo-Ann Frabrics. And yep, those are ink sample vials in the back. I wanted to incorporate ink storage into it so it could be a little more mobile. I need to find a latch for the lid, eventually.

[OakIris]

"Yes. Michael's Writing Slope Dilemma" post is what inspired me to start repurposing boxes, too. I now have more storage than I need, but it sure is fun!

 

Instead of a latch, I wonder if Michael's idea of using rare earth magnets to secure the lid would work? It might be a bit tricky, depending upon the width of the wood you have to work with, but using a small Forstner drill bit you could drill out a shallow hole in the lid and one in the body of the box and glue in a magnet.... Or, not as nice looking, you could also glue on a small strip of Velcro to secure the lid. lol - a latch might look better and be easier to install, these were just a couple of ideas in case you hadn't already thought of them.

 

Holly

[BamaPen]

SNIP...I need to find a latch for the lid, eventually.

 

There are two easy ways to do a latch, both involve a trip to Hobby Lobby or Michael's or similar craft store:

 

1. Both Hobby Lobby and Michael's sell several different styles of "brass" latches in the department where they have wooden boxes, etc. Some are attached with short brads or screws, others just have spikes that push into the wood. Either type is pretty easy to put on your box, just be very careful with the alignment of the two halves.

 

2. Both stores sell magnets that are discs about 1/4 inch diameter and 1/8 inch thick. Carefully drill a hole of the same diameter in the edge of your box - don't go too deep, then use Elmer's glue to hold the magnet in the hole. Match a second magnet in the edge of the lid.

 

I actually use rare earth magnets that I order in quantity online. Mine are 1/8 inch diameter and 1/8 inch long, so I drill a 1/8 inch hole and glue them in place. Very small, but quite strong.

 

An alternate source for latches, hinges, etc., online is Small Box Hardware

 

John (BamaPen)

[Kurrurrin]

SNIP...I need to find a latch for the lid, eventually.

 

There are two easy ways to do a latch, both involve a trip to Hobby Lobby or Michael's or similar craft store:

 

1. Both Hobby Lobby and Michael's sell several different styles of "brass" latches in the department where they have wooden boxes, etc. Some are attached with short brads or screws, others just have spikes that push into the wood. Either type is pretty easy to put on your box, just be very careful with the alignment of the two halves.

 

2. Both stores sell magnets that are discs about 1/4 inch diameter and 1/8 inch thick. Carefully drill a hole of the same diameter in the edge of your box - don't go too deep, then use Elmer's glue to hold the magnet in the hole. Match a second magnet in the edge of the lid.

 

I actually use rare earth magnets that I order in quantity online. Mine are 1/8 inch diameter and 1/8 inch long, so I drill a 1/8 inch hole and glue them in place. Very small, but quite strong.

 

An alternate source for latches, hinges, etc., online is Small Box Hardware

 

John (BamaPen)

 

Thanks for the advice, John. I'll see if I can't make my way out to Michael's in the next week or two.

[jdivitto]

Here is my version. I purchased a few cigar boxes from a local shop. At Pat Catans, I found plastic trays in their jewelry section for a dollar each. Simple cut to fit and that was it.

[OakIris]

Thank you for showing us your pen storage box, jdivitto. It looks quite nice and the trays you found look as if they work very nicely for pens. Great find! We don't have Pat Catans craft stores here, of course, and I haven't seen such trays available at those craft stores we do have, but I might need to look a bit more carefully.

 

Holly

[terminal]

Man Holly I really like the way yours turned out! The style of the cigar box you started with is so unique... great choice!

[OakIris]

Man Holly I really like the way yours turned out! The style of the cigar box you started with is so unique... great choice!

Pure luck, Jeff, as far as the style of box was concernted - I managed to grab this one before anyone else did (not that there was a free for all over the cigar boxes, but you know what I mean.) I plan to bring it to our Pen Posse meeting on Saturday....

 

Holly

Edited April 8, 2013 by OakIris

[johnjayalvaro]

Here in my city we have a cigar shop that sells used boxes for $1 a piece. The stock is always rotating, and I have grabbed a few for similar purposes. I use mine as a catch all for letter writing supplies. Stationary, envelopes, a good pen, and stamps. The whole box lives on my desk so that I can write someone everyday without much work. I have also found this to be a great way to bundle a gift for friends just being introduced to the world of quality writing tools. I don't have enough "good" pens to warrant a custom box just for them. They all fit in my briefcase still.

[OakIris]

Here in my city we have a cigar shop that sells used boxes for $1 a piece. The stock is always rotating, and I have grabbed a few for similar purposes. I use mine as a catch all for letter writing supplies. Stationary, envelopes, a good pen, and stamps. The whole box lives on my desk so that I can write someone everyday without much work. I have also found this to be a great way to bundle a gift for friends just being introduced to the world of quality writing tools. I don't have enough "good" pens to warrant a custom box just for them. They all fit in my briefcase still.

 

I wish I could find a cigar shop like that here; great price for the boxes.

 

To be honest, I don't have enough pens to justify modifying boxes for pen storage, it is just fun to do! And, I see how the number of pens owned seems to grow once FPN is discovered, so I am preparing for the future.

 

Holly

[oregano]

Nice work HollyYou are really getting the hang of things.It is funny when I first started trying the moldings I did exactly what you have done I laid the molding on its back just like you have done and thought I want that deeper.I spoke to Henry Simpole and he put me right the molding lies on one edge and is glued together back to back.Like this http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8507/8598967486_ca20477084_z.jpgIMG_0289 by my0771, on FlickrThey are now in your box Michael

Between reading this and Michael's thread, I am inspired to try making a pen tray myself. I'd like to make one with wood moulding like this but after searching through the home depot catalogue can't find or identify this shape. I was wondering if you know what kind of wood moulding it is?

 

Is it carried a Home Depot or a crafts store? I'd like to check them out in person before buying online...

[my63]

Hi paloma32

In the UK it is called scotia molding it is often used where laminate floating floors join the skirting board (base board) to cover the expansion gap.

I have used between 6mm and 12 mm depending on the size of the pens to be stored.

If you look closely you will see that I sanded the bottom section almost flush as there was a gap unless they were really close together.

I went back to dowels I cut a piece of card to the right size stick the material to it then stick the card to the dowels.

Hope that helps any questions just ask

Michael