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  1. #1
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    Default Pen Box/es to hold 24 pens - Tassie Blackheart Sassafras

    Hi gang,

    I referred to this on another post some weeks ago. A chap bought a box from me (very expensive box) for his wife for Christmas. Then later he come back and wanted me to make him a box to hold his 24 pens in. After a lot of toing and froing tossing around ideas, which he wasnt happy with. I decided I would just make this box the only way I could see myself making one and if he liked it, well and good, if not, oh well. Thing was for my idea it took a lot of work and mucking about. I even made an overhead router in order to make the little grooves/hollows for the pens to sit in, all equally spaced apart. So much mucking about was involved I decided I would make 3 boxes at the same time. I used mitre joints which I don't normally do, and splines I made from Blackwood, then did matching banding on the boxes also Blackwood, plus also used the Blackwood on the little pen holder thingies. Those little thingies were blackwood/golden sassafras/blackwood.

    The amount of lovely Tassie Blackheart Sassafras I used here pretty much cleaned out my stock of that. I can get more later on if need be.

    After a lot of time and work and timber, I am pretty happy with the end results. Boxes are 285mm x 200mm x 100mm. Tray will take pens up to 145mm long, and bottom section will take pens up to 170mm long.

    Paul
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  3. #2
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    Very nice indeed Paul. BHS has been a favorite of mine for a long time and what you have done with it looks top notch. Surely your client has got to be happy with at least one of those, if not all.
    Do I take it that those handmade pens are some of your creation?
    Dallas

  4. #3
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    Thanks Dallas, He hasnt got back to me yet, sent him an email earlier today. Those 8 pens in my pics, two of them a couple of mates gave me a few years ago. I made the other 6. Its all trial and error, still playing around with finishes. Funny thing the first pen that I put on that other thread has turned out the best so far. Of my CA finishes it had a few drops of accelerator in between CA, I havent been able to buy a spray one. One of the pens I tried Shellawax with EEE over it, several times. It come out very nice, more of a natural finish, but not the glossy finish.

    Still playing with finishes. I am finding that this pen turning (even with my pocket lathe) is a pleasant distraction from making boxes all the time.

    Paul

  5. #4
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    Well i'm impressed, that is beautiful work. I hope it doesn't take too long to sell the other two.

  6. #5
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    Thanks double.d for that very nice comment. A lot of pulling hair out during the making but,.............all good in the end.

    Paul

  7. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
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    Kew, Vic
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    Hi Paul,

    Lovely work. So much effort in that lot!

    A couple of questions if I may. Are the hinges AC’s smartHinge or something else? And what is the thickness (and type) of glass in the third box?

    Thanks,

    Brian

  8. #7
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    Hi there Brian,

    Thanks for your nice comments. I have now gone to using these hinges for my larger boxes, $20 per pair, solid brass, 8mm wide and about 5mm shorter than Andrew's ones. Not sure if Andrew's ones are back up and running or not.

    https://mcjing.com.au/searchresult.aspx?keyword=strap%20hinge

    The ones at the bottom of that page $20 a pair. I've bought quite a few now, and I must order some more, down to only 2 pairs left at present. For Andrew's hinges as you know you set your spacer to 34mm. For these I set my spacer to 28mm. There is a trick to these though. You have to allow for the fingers to swing open. (unlike Andrew's). I bought a set of 10mm x 2mm diamond tipped files which I use on the lid part of the box. A nice filing at a 45 degree angle allows for the outside fingers to pivot open. For the bottom of the box (for the middle finger to pivot open, I router a very small cut using my 4mm spiral bit (which I use to slice my lids off). Only just go in far enough so you don't see the cutter and that's sufficient.

    Yes a little bit of fiddling about, but, $20 per set compared to around the $60 per set, I am very happy with these.

    The glass on the third box is just picture frame glass 2mm. I raided an op shop recently and bought a pile of his photo frames (most were new) for ten bucks the lot.

    Paul

  9. #8
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    Apr 2014
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    Thanks for that, Paul.

    Op shops can be a treasure trove, can’t they? Hadn’t thought of getting glass that way, though

    Background to that question is that I have some polycarb I want to use in the top of a box but I’m not sure how scratch resistant it is so I’m thinking of glass over the top. A few other boxes to finish first and certainly one WIP report to write.

    I might give those hinges a try. As you say, $20 is a good price. When I last looked a couple of days ago Andrew’s site said hinges should be available in January........ I’m not panicking though - I have 17 pairs of his hinges in the cupboard with a 24 hour armed guard outside and helicopter security hovering overhead........

    Look forward to seeing your next creation, Paul.

    Best regards,

    Brian

  10. #9
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    Hey Brian, Yes I have two pairs of Andrew's hinges left, they will get used one day. the only difference to the eye with those $20 hinges is looking from behind. (not that many people would want to look at the back of their boxes). Andrew's hinges are nicely rounded at the back. These ones are square, and protrude out about the same distance as Andrew's. I buy the same screws that Andrew supplies and have a good stock of them at present. I'd have to rack my brain to remember where I got them from now, maybe its on the packet. The screws that come with these hinges are a tad small for my liking.

    Last time I was up at Gifkin Col's place we were talking about hinges, he said he knows the owner of the company that sells them. They are made in China. I said well they seem pretty good to me, he agreed that yes, there is nothing wrong with them.

    Paul

  11. #10
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Auckland New Zealand
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    Nice boxes Paul. The pen trays fits nicely with the turned pens as well.

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