New Pen Box

[amk]

I've just completed another 'rescued' pen box, slightly different from my previous ones.

 

The box was a very battered little artist's box, still spattered with a coat of many colours of oil paint inside, the clasps at the front torn off, with little brass tabs inside for holding sheets of board, I think. First thing to do was remove the brasswork, using pliers and a lot of 'huile de coude' (a very useful supply easily available in France).

 

Next, the outside was thoroughly stripped down, starting with 80 grit (that's bad! I usually start at 120) and going up to 360 wet-and-dry.

http://i1058.photobucket.com/albums/t411/amk-fpn/pentray3.jpg

 

This left me with a lovely grain to the wood, but there were little holes where the brasswork had fitted. There's no way of disguising those so instead I filled them with dowel (knife-trimmed cocktail sticks were just wide enough) glued and pushed well in, then trimmed and sanded off. That explains the four little white dots on the front of the case.

http://i1058.photobucket.com/albums/t411/amk-fpn/pentray1.jpg

 

Next for the inside. I don't think I could ever have made it look lovely, as the paint had stained the wood badly, so I decided to cover both bottom and top with felt. Rather than lay it in directly, as I usually do with leather, I decided to cut a piece of cardboard slightly undersize and then fold the felt over. The top was glued in.

 

I've tried a slightly different pen holding method than usual. I pierced holes in the bottom felt-and-cardboard piece at roughly 2cm intervals with an awl, and then stitched elastic through the holes. I'm afraid I botched it a bit; the elastic isn't regular - some loops are large, others are almost flat. I'm also a bit unsure how well it will last, so I haven't glued the pad in. If the stitching comes undone, I can easily take the piece out to re-do it.

http://i1058.photobucket.com/albums/t411/amk-fpn/pentray2.jpg

 

Stitching the elastic was the most time-consuming and frustrating part of the work. Any suggestions for how to attach the elastic more easily would be welcome. Rivets?

 

 

 

[Consulting_Detective]

Well, first of all, nice pen collection and nice new box,

 

I would recommend using super-super glue then clamping them down.

 

Since I'm also on a hiatus trying to find a perfect storage box, may I ask where did you pick up that, or maybe a brand new one unfurnished and undamaged?

 

-C.D

[Guernseytim]

awesome idea - i wish i was so handy!

 

lovely collection too

[amk]

I pick these boxes up at vide-greniers (French car boot sales) - they are often really in a disgusting state, so most cost a euro or two. My rule is, if it has decent dovetail joints, it's probably a good box. Once or twice I've managed to get a load of crayons, pastels or paints included as well :-)

 

My favourite boxes though are the lovely boxes for record cards that seem to be a French speciality, in lovely blond wood. All my inks are kept in a couple of them.

 

As for handiness - well, I've made quite a few pen boxes now, and the more I make, the handier I get. Give it a try Guernseytim!

[Mesu]

Love your handiwork.

 

Will giving a coat of wood polish to the box prevent future staining?

[amk]

I've used boiled linseed oil on this one - it should repel most liquids so staining is unlikely. It also has the advantage of being very easy to add another coat at any time.

 

I have started doing a little French polishing, too, but I need to get much much better at it before I use it on a box like this - I currently only do retouches on existing French polish. (Which is shellac, so it gets used for pens as well...)

[Consulting_Detective]

I wonder if I can pick some of those at a thrift store...

 

Anyway, can't you use spray-on glue to attach the velvet on the box?

 

-C.D

[amk]

I've found that attaching the felt to the box itself runs the risk of the elastic pulling it away from the box. Also, the edges don't look quite as nice. When the felt is turned over a piece of cardboard and glued down to the other side, that stretches it against the pull of the elastic, and the rounded edge at the side looks very professional compared to a raw cut edge. That's actually one of the things I've changed after making a few boxes. With thicker leather (2mm plus), I do still lay it directly in the box, and glue it down.