Made Cheep Pen Box For 20 Pens.

March 5, 2018

I wanted a box to show off and store pens. I bought a 8x10 shadow box at Hobby Lobby for $13 and then created and 3D printed two trays for the box. I tried out two different methods for adding a lining to the trays. First try was green felt with a stick on back. It was so-so, partly because I did not have enough to cover the tray in one go so I used 1" strips for each pen location. After covering six of the ten slots I found enough to do four more. For my second try I used spray glue and some gray fabric and that came out better but still not a perfect job, but it helped me learn how to do it. I tied some ribbon though holes I created in the ends of each try to help lift the trays out.

Each try hold 10 pens plus a narrow slot for cartridges or converters. On the felt tray I did not cover that converter slot. The felt was think and I am not sure it would have worked. For the gray tray the fabric was thinner and covered that slot.

20 pens is not a lot since I have 27 pens right now plus some vintage ones, but it's a nice start and I can pull a few more out of the closet.

http://driften.dragonsightsoftware.com/images/PenBox-1.png

http://driften.dragonsightsoftware.com/images/PenBox-2.png

http://driften.dragonsightsoftware.com/images/PenBox-3.png

Edited March 5, 2018 by Driften

March 6, 2018

Interesting solution. I particularly like that little slot on the left side of the box (top image) which hold the converter. I guess the money saved by building your own display cases can now be used to purchase more pens. A wise investment in my opinion.

Nice range of pens as well - Mont Blanc to TWSBI!!

March 6, 2018

Thanks. I picked up a wood box that looks like a comic book that should be able to hold 18 more pens on sale that cost me another $13. I just need to make adjustments to my tray model to fit this box.

It's been a fun project.

http://driften.dragonsightsoftware.com/images/ComicBox-1.png

http://driften.dragonsightsoftware.com/images/ComicBox-3.png

March 8, 2018

I finished the bottom tray for the comic box but will wait to apply the fabric until after I get the upper tray printed. It actually with hold 10 pens per level.

http://driften.dragonsightsoftware.com/images/ComicBox-4.png

March 8, 2018

I like your comic book!

I am particularly curions on the tray though

how do you design and print a 3D tray?

I have some empty old cardboard boxes that used to hold cutlery

this sort of thing

I would love to make them into pen holders but any attempt to make cardboard dividers was hopeless, I abandoned the project because they look so...unskilfully home made...

March 8, 2018

I used the 3D modeling software Fusion360 to create the model and then printed them in transparent PLA on my Lulzbot Taz5 printer. At one time I was good at modeling but its been too many years and I am re-learning the skills. My printer can do something about 11"x11"x10" or to be exact 280mmX280mmX250mm. It has one of the larger beds on the hobby market.

If you had a model there are companies that will print and ship it to you. Your silverware box is a bit on the large size but thin. Each slot is 15mm tall and is about 20mm wide. If you only had narrow pens both sizes could be shrunk. I might be able to help you out with a model. I have no idea how much services charge for prints. You might be better off going to https://www.pendorapens.com for pre-made trays that cheep. An 18 pen tray is only $8.

I did not have much choice in my cases since I needed two trays that stack so a pre-made one would not support an upper level. That and I wanted to start re-learning the software instead of always printing models others have made.

March 11, 2018

I finished the comic book box. I decided to fill it with my vintage pens, pens I made, and some non-fountain pens.

The project really came out nice.

http://driften.dragonsightsoftware.com/images/ComicBox-5.png

March 11, 2018

Here something different !

March 16, 2018

I considered making one and using flocking. When I get around to it, i will probably use walnut for the case, but I can work wood, so.....

March 16, 2018

I considered making one and using flocking. When I get around to it, i will probably use walnut for the case, but I can work wood, so.....

I am testing out some parametric boxes to print the box as well as the tray, but in the end I might just make the box from scratch in Fusion360. The shadow box did come out looking nice and the comic box was fun and held as many pens. I just think my next one will be a single layer setup to hold my daily rotation.

March 17, 2018

I am testing out some parametric boxes to print the box as well as the tray, but in the end I might just make the box from scratch in Fusion360. The shadow box did come out looking nice and the comic box was fun and held as many pens. I just think my next one will be a single layer setup to hold my daily rotation.

Yeah, it sure does look nice...

My first thought, since I do not have a 3D printer, was to route a rounded channel to hold the pens. Then I thought, that sounds tricky and I do not have the correct router bit to do it.

Then I saw these, which are not as nice, but very inexpensive:

Slotted pen trays, cut to size: ($7 each)

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

card board box that will hold 12, with slots in place ($6 each)

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

Not fabulous, but will do a great job and look ok, until I make time to produce something nicer.

Be sure to post what ever you make.

March 17, 2018

Yeah, it sure does look nice...

My first thought, since I do not have a 3D printer, was to route a rounded channel to hold the pens. Then I thought, that sounds tricky and I do not have the correct router bit to do it.

Then I saw these, which are not as nice, but very inexpensive:

Slotted pen trays, cut to size: ($7 each)
https://www.gopens.com/Vintage_Pen_Parts/vintage_pens_12X16Trays.php

card board box that will hold 12, with slots in place ($6 each)
https://www.gopens.com/Vintage_Pen_Parts/vintage_pens_SlotterBoxes.php

Not fabulous, but will do a great job and look ok, until I make time to produce something nicer.

Be sure to post what ever you make.

Using a router would totally work. I bet what I would do is cut the wood into strips and then run them though a router table (like a shaper) making the cove shapes. I guess you could just cut the slots into the center of a board. It would look really nice, but solid wood is not cheep these days.

Another option on pre-made ones is https://www.pendorapens.com