# Show me your shop made boxes please!



## Dan Masshardt

If you make your own wooden pen gift boxes, I'd love to see a picture.  Any chance you're willing to share?


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## TimS124

I'm working on a set now for PSI's new "Deer Hunter" bolt action pens because the "oversized" box I ordered aren't oversized enough to hold that kit (d'oh!).  

I cut my own design on a CNC router including a dado for a specific hinge from Woodcraft.  They're due to be laser engraved tonight (by me) and then I have to decide if I'm going to color-fill the engraved area or leave it laser darkened, add a spray finish, and ship them....they're due at a wedding next weekend (gifts for the groomsmen)!

I'll post pictures once I get them completed.


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## MesquiteMan

Here's a few I have done.


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## plantman

MesquiteMan said:


> Here's a few I have done.
> 
> View attachment 128368
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Curtis; That Spanish Oak is to die for.   Fantastic !!!    Jim  S


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## Dalepenkala

Awsome looking boxes and order Curtis!


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## brownsfn2

Wow Curtis.  I have tried so many times to make a box in that style with this different color ends.  I just can't make it as nice as that to be able to use with customers.  

Really nice work.  I agree that the Spanish Oak is awesome!!


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## wyone

WOW Curtis..  just WOW


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## Dan Masshardt

MesquiteMan said:


> Here's a few I have done.



Sweet.  Thanks.  Do you use brass pins to hold the kids to the sides?

That's just the sort of examples I was looking for.  

Thanks again.


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## MesquiteMan

I typically use the "shaft" of an aluminum pop rivet.  I find them to be the perfect size for what I am doing.  I drill the hole deeper than needed and then push it in and use a nail set to recess it just a little.  I then put a small drop of CA in the recess and sand with the ROS.  This makes dust from the wood that fills the hole and makes it disappear.


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## resinman

Wow is not enough!!! You are one talented man!!!!
Are customers willing to pay for that kind of work?


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## kruzzer

Holy WoW.... I don't know if I like the boxes or the pens the best... BYW both great


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## Turned Around

Those are awesome. Here's the first box I made. I used scrape walnut and some kind of burl drop off, can't think of what it was. I need more practice, this was more of a "lemme see what I can do on the fly" type thing. I think I only measured one thing on the whole box, lol. Thinking about staling my dad's dovetail jig set for a while, he's had it for about 5 years, never taken it out of the box. It was for my sister for a wedding gift.


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## Dan Masshardt

Turned Around said:


> Those are awesome. Here's the first box I made. I used scrape walnut and some kind of burl drop off, can't think of what it was. I need more practice, this was more of a "lemme see what I can do on the fly" type thing. I think I only measured one thing on the whole box, lol. Thinking about staling my dad's dovetail jig set for a while, he's had it for about 5 years, never taken it out of the box. It was for my sister for a wedding gift.



I like the burl accent strips.


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## Turned Around

thanks, I used the same piece of burl and made some small dowels for some extra inserts on the sides.


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## wood-of-1kind

I have been making my "own" pen cases almost as long as I have been turning pens. Too many to choose from but I have a few photos on my website. Feel free to peruse.


http://www.penturners.org/photos/file.php?n=449&w=s


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## TimS124

Here are a couple phone photos of the cases I made for a set of Penn State's new "Deer Hunter" bolt action pens.  They're gifts for the groomsmen at a wedding next weekend.  

Each case was laser engraved as shown in the second photo...also shown in that photo is an empty, spare half-case so you can see the pocket I created for the bolt action which allows the pen to basically sit with the deer head logo facing straight up.

Normally, the bolt forces the pen to rotate quite a bit unless you extend the pen's tip (which is not how most people likely store their pens).  Even with the tip extended, the bolt action still causes some rotation.

The pocket fixes that as shown in the first photo.  If the pen wiggles a bit off center, it can still cause minor rotation of the clip/face of the pen.  But if the pocket were deeper, the clip could over-rotate towards the front (which might be better, but when situated properly, the pocket is pretty close to spot-on).

A pair of .25" rare earth magnets hold the case closed.  The top and bottom are interchangeable currently.  I plan to flip the pocket's location on half of the future pieces so the case could be used for left-handed bolt action pens (the kits allow the bolt to be flipped around for left-handed use so the case needs to support that as well).

A simple piano hinge holds the top and bottom together.  The depth and lenth of the hinge pocket is exactly right.  The ends of the hinge pocket should be refined to match the curve of the piano hinge better.  I just need to scan the hinge and then I can nail that curve!


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## magpens

I am in awe of the talent and workmanship of all you guys that make boxes for your beautiful pens !!!!!


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## dogrunner

here some iv made


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## wood-of-1kind

Want more?

http://www.penturners.org/photos/images/1363/1_penniecase.JPG


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## Dan Masshardt

wood-of-1kind said:


> Want more?  http://www.penturners.org/photos/images/1363/1_penniecase.JPG



Yes. .  Keep them coming.  Nice boxes and I feel that this is a good thread to have around for those interested and wanting to be inspired.


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## Cloven

I have made a couple on my CNC machine so far;


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## wyone

I love the pen boxes.. the only issue I see is that for me at least it will take longer to make the box than the pen that goes in it.


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## larryc

I made several, like Curtis posted, some time ago and I need to make some more but darned if I can find the plans and I hate to reverse engineer.

I think I got the plans here on the forum but I can't find them now. Anybody point me in the right direction?

Why does it flip the photo when I post it to the forum?


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## wood-of-1kind

*Maple box*

Maple pen cases


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## Dan Masshardt

wood-of-1kind said:


> Maple pen cases


thats cool. Is there a reason for the interchangeable leaf?


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## Dan Masshardt

I posted these in another place but I made a few as trials.  I'm going with a lift lid style.


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## Ted iin Michigan

Here's a link to the ones I make:

http://www.penturners.org/forum/attachments/f22/61419d1318472131-pen-boxes-newpic.jpg

I posted it a while back and in that conversation I also posted the plan and instructions.


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## wood-of-1kind

Dan Masshardt said:


> wood-of-1kind said:
> 
> 
> 
> Maple pen cases
> 
> 
> 
> thats cool. Is there a reason for the interchangeable leaf?
Click to expand...


I can offer a custom logo to a potential customer by having their logo 'lasered' on the wooden buttons. Gives me flexibility to 'offer' more but yet maintain just one box design.


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## Dan Masshardt

wood-of-1kind said:


> I can offer a custom logo to a potential customer by having their logo 'lasered' on the wooden buttons. Gives me flexibility to 'offer' more but yet maintain just one box design.



That's cool.  Couldn't you just laser it on the completed box after the fact though?


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## hcpens

Dan, here are two links I found while searching for pen boxes in the IAP Library:

http://content.penturners.org/library/other_things_we_make/barrelhingeboxes2.pdf

http://content.penturners.org/library/other_things_we_make/barrelhinge.pdf


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## wood-of-1kind

Dan Masshardt said:


> wood-of-1kind said:
> 
> 
> 
> I can offer a custom logo to a potential customer by having their logo 'lasered' on the wooden buttons. Gives me flexibility to 'offer' more but yet maintain just one box design.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That's cool.  Couldn't you just laser it on the completed box after the fact though?
Click to expand...


Not cost 'efficient' to laser after the fact. The buttons are too reasonable when comparing cost for doing it the 'traditional' way. I love to $ave money.


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## Dan Masshardt

wood-of-1kind said:


> Not cost 'efficient' to laser after the fact. The buttons are too reasonable when comparing cost for doing it the 'traditional' way. I love to $ave money.



You outsource the laser work then?


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## wood-of-1kind

Dan Masshardt said:


> wood-of-1kind said:
> 
> 
> 
> Not cost 'efficient' to laser after the fact. The buttons are too reasonable when comparing cost for doing it the 'traditional' way. I love to $ave money.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> You outsource the laser work then?
Click to expand...


All outsourced to Stan Cook. The work that he does is second to none. All the way from Canada to Virginia. He's worth it.


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## Dan Masshardt

wood-of-1kind said:


> All outsourced to Stan Cook. The work that he does is second to none. All the way from Canada to Virginia. He's worth it.



He is top notch.  

I bring my items local  now (save in shipping) so it would be a time disadvantage to me to do the coins seperately.  

Great thinking though in that design.  It does give a cool aesthetic too.


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## D.Oliver

Dan, I have a couple thoughts on your and Peter's conversation. Even though you take your items to someone local, it may still be in your best interest to use a design like Peters. By having the boxes all completed and in stock you would only having to create and finish a button which would be quick. You only have to finish one side of a button. Where as if want to laser the the box, you could have them built beforehand, then you receive the order, then you send it the engraver, then you finishing it (multiple sides x multiple coats). This all adds to the turnaround time, or the time from when you get the order to completing it. You're probably not saving much overall time, but with Peter's design you could really cut down your turn around time.  A shorter turnaround time equates to a better customer experience and the more you can have done before the order comes equates to shorter turn around times.  Just some thoughts.


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## TimS124

I updated the design for the cases I posted in this thread back in late January.  There was about a half inch of extra length on the right hand side of the cases that's been removed.  The new cases are 7" long...everything else is still pretty much the same.

I have a couple more minor tweaks planned so that fussy materials like these were made with (Bamboo) hopefully won't be as prone to tearout around the bolt's socket.

Here are a couple shots of the shortened cases with my two most recent "Deer Hunter" bullet pens.


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