Pen Storage Ideas

[fabri00]

This is my solution: I bought raw wooden boxes, I darkened and protected the wood, then I did 3 drawers also in wood, for 10 pens each. Each box hold 30 pens, which is good because it does not take too much space to store many pens.

Each drawer can be easly pulled out, as the central separator is higher than others.

 

 

 

 

 

[inkstainedruth]

That's pretty nifty. Where did you get the divider drawers? (Oh, wait -- I see that you made those....). I particularly like that it doesn't take up a lot of desk space, and that the drawers have a higher center divider to make it easy to lift them out. Because I'm pretty sure I can get boxes like that at places like Michael's and Jo-Ann Fabrics in their craft/storage sections (well, I could if the stores weren't all currently closed for being "non life essential businesses, that is.... ).

Hmmm. Wonder if similar type dividers could be 3-D printed.... (Says the person who still hasn't done anything about retrofitting the spool display cabinet bought last summer in an antiques mall in Virginia, near Monticello...).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[fabri00]

I bought the raw wooden boxes in a Chinese store, for few euros each.

And yes, the solution is efficient in terms of space, so that I can have in 5 boxes 150 pens in my book shelf. This is one of the advantages of this solution.

The drawers are not difficult to be maded with just few hand tools.

[Estycollector]

Hobbie Lobbie has such wooden boxes.

[Qoan]

This is my solution: I bought raw wooden boxes, I darkened and protected the wood, then I did 3 drawers also in wood, for 10 pens each. Each box hold 30 pens, which is good because it does not take too much space to store many pens.

Each drawer can be easly pulled out, as the central separator is higher than others.

 

 

 

This is a beautiful solution. I hope I was half as skilful with hand tools as you are! ^^'

[WhiteStarPens]

Here's my Famous Five on-the-go storage solution; a 1950s leather cigar case, with 100% cotton inner-pouch.

 

The cotton lining provides a scratch free environment for five pens: Conway Stewart 77, Sheaffer 300 (iridescent red), Onoto Magna Classic (chased black), Onoto the pen 6234 (green pearl), Waterman's Ideal #52.

 

It is sewn into 5 compartments (my Grandma and her manual Singer sewing machine did most of the work!). This helps to protect the pens from contacting each other. The lining is not glued in place, so it can be removed to re-commission the cigar case, or for re-lining.

 

I've used this case now for nearly six months and it seems to stand the test of time. The 'lid portion' is able to fit over the 'body' so there's added protection on the desk and, as this case was meant to be a pocket-sized accessory, it fits as well in a jacket pocket as a smartphone or indeed any pen case!

 

It's a great way of re-purposing a vintage cigar case and a compact storage solution for your pens - it's also a creative way of learning skills from one's elders!

[gordonf]

There are a lot of really nice storage boxes pictured on this thread. I had no idea . . .

 

I don't have a large collection, but I do use most of my pens and pencils regularly. A fellow pen enthusiast I came across converts old silverware boxes into pen storage cases. He refinishes them and swaps the silverware storage set up for pen storage. The wood and construction of these old cases are generally quite nice. Many are made of mahogany with dovetail joinery.

 

I asked him to make a drawer tray to attach under my desk top. He used a silverware case top, refinished it to match my desk, and put pen storage channels in it. I attached drawer slides to it and fastened this assembly under the top of my desk.

 

For me, this works nicely. The drawer is shallow, so it doesn’t interfere with my legs when I'm seated at the desk. My pens are at hand when I want to use them, but out of the way otherwise.

 

The ziplock bags are "Intercept" anti-tarnish bags I use to keep brass and bronze pens shiny.

 

 

Edited April 2, 2020 by gordonf

[Shaggy]

There are a lot of really nice storage boxes pictured on this thread. I had no idea . . .

 

I don't have a large collection, but I do use most of my pens and pencils regularly. A fellow pen enthusiast I came across converts old silverware boxes into pen storage cases. He refinishes them and swaps the silverware storage set up for pen storage. The wood and construction of these old cases are generally quite nice. Many are made of mahogany with dovetail joinery.

 

I asked him to make a drawer tray to attach under my desk top. He used a silverware case top, refinished it to match my desk, and put pen storage channels in it. I attached drawer slides to it and fastened this assembly under the top of my desk.

 

For me, this works nicely. The drawer is shallow, so it doesnt interfere with my legs when I'm seated at the desk. My pens are at hand when I want to use them, but out of the way otherwise.

 

The ziplock bags are "Intercept" anti-tarnish bags I use to keep brass and bronze pens shiny.

 

A - Pen Drawer with Slides on Bench -Resized.jpg

 

B - Pen Drawer Installed - Resized.jpg

I like your set up! Very elegant.

[FOUR X FOUR]

 

Earlier today, I bought the Girologio 96 pen briefcase. It may be a little over board but it sure is fun. I bought it from PenChallet.

Allan 😀😀

[AGxM]

Just had this delivered....9 drawers for pens plus some drawers for boxes, ink etc. Just need to find the right liners for the drawers

 

[amberleadavis]

VERY COOL

[Barkingpig]

Thanks for sharing such a marvelous piece of storage!

 

Did you have it made or just lucky to have found it?

[inkstainedruth]

There are a lot of really nice storage boxes pictured on this thread. I had no idea . . .

 

I don't have a large collection, but I do use most of my pens and pencils regularly. A fellow pen enthusiast I came across converts old silverware boxes into pen storage cases. He refinishes them and swaps the silverware storage set up for pen storage. The wood and construction of these old cases are generally quite nice. Many are made of mahogany with dovetail joinery.

 

I asked him to make a drawer tray to attach under my desk top. He used a silverware case top, refinished it to match my desk, and put pen storage channels in it. I attached drawer slides to it and fastened this assembly under the top of my desk.

 

For me, this works nicely. The drawer is shallow, so it doesn’t interfere with my legs when I'm seated at the desk. My pens are at hand when I want to use them, but out of the way otherwise.

 

The ziplock bags are "Intercept" anti-tarnish bags I use to keep brass and bronze pens shiny.

 

A - Pen Drawer with Slides on Bench -Resized.jpg

 

B - Pen Drawer Installed - Resized.jpg

 

I went to an estate sale last year because one of the items shown in the photos for the listing online had a five or six drawer silverware cabinet on legs. But the price was pretty steep (although not nearly as steep as the antique dental cabinet I saw at an estate sale in March... ).

Of course now I'm thinking that a nice looking wooden dental cabinet (presuming I could figure out where in my house to put something that large) would be IDEAL -- enough drawers for pens, notebooks and journals, possibly with some deeper drawers for ink bottles or sample vial trays....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[AmandaW]

I was inspired by the pictures in this thread to make the pen storage I'd been thinking about for a while. The wooden drawers came from Kmart stationery dept. It's two sets, stuck together with double sided tape. I'm planning to add little feet when I find or make something suitable. It holds 52 pens.

 

The liners I made with 6mm MDF, quad moulding for the ends, and half round moulding for the rest. The mouldings were attached with hot-melt glue. The felt was from the fabric store just a half metre.for the whole thing, glued down with spray adhesive.

 

[IThinkIHaveAProblem]

I was inspired by the pictures in this thread to make the pen storage I'd been thinking about for a while. The wooden drawers came from Kmart stationery dept. It's two sets, stuck together with double sided tape. I'm planning to add little feet when I find or make something suitable. It holds 52 pens.

 

The liners I made with 6mm MDF, quad moulding for the ends, and half round moulding for the rest. The mouldings were attached with hot-melt glue. The felt was from the fabric store just a half metre.for the whole thing, glued down with spray adhesive.

 

base.jpg felt.jpg finished.jpg

Those trays look great! (boxes too!)

[sandy101]

The plastic boxes ferrero roche chocolates make excellent pen trays.

[LiquidInk]

haven't read all the pages, but in case people didn't know, cigar/smoke stores tend to have empty cigar boxes that they throw out. you can ask if you can have the box. sometimes they give it for free, other times they sell it for $5 or so. the cigar boxes tend to be made well with dividers already in them

 

edit: well finished reading the thread, looks like people already mentioned picking up free cigar boxes

Edited May 16, 2020 by LiquidInk

[inkstainedruth]

The plastic boxes ferrero roche chocolates make excellent pen trays.

 

This makes me think of years ago I was teaching a class in making netting (to do embroidery over, but it's the same technique as for making fishing nets and basketball hoop netting). And one of the participants said that she liked using popsicle sticks from Dove Bars for the "mesh stick" (what you make the loops around) because you get to eat the Dove Bars first....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[mke]

@AmandaW

I like your storage boxes and the way you made pen trays from it.