# Pen Station



## workinforwood (May 23, 2008)

This is the first part of my new pen display with one coat of finish.  It is 33" wide and 17" deep.  I now need to build the drawer that goes in the backside with a lock on it for cash and supplies.  It's a bit downsized from my original plan, holds 56 pens.


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## nightowl (May 23, 2008)

Very nice.  I have made a very small one but nothing like yours.  Your stand puts mine to shame.  Again, Great job.  To make the upper part of the holders do you drill a certain size hole and then split the board so that the half hole shows?


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## thewishman (May 23, 2008)

Great design! Love your idea - display, storage and cash drawer all in one.

Chris


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## Grizz (May 23, 2008)

A Pattern/Plan would be a good thing.  That is super nice!


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## workinforwood (May 24, 2008)

I wouldn't really say a plan is necessary.  1/2" forestner bit in the bottom and 3/4 at the top seems to hold any pen and nib that I have with ease.  Set the bottom hole out about an inch and the bottom of the shelf is 3" up.  There's some room to work with in your measurements.  I'll be able to make another much simpler and narrower 2 layer stand as well with the other half of the two panels that are the opposite halves of the shelves in this one, and only have to drill bottom holes.


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## Jim15 (May 24, 2008)

Great work. Super looking rack.


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## workinforwood (May 24, 2008)

Thanks for the comments.  Finished it today, drawer fits good and locks in place.  Loaded it with everything I have made at the moment, just two pens short then back to filling the pen cases.  I want to do a craft show in the fall, which I've never done before and figure I need at least twice this many and hopefully more than that.  Daddy needs a motorcycle &lt;me that is&gt;


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## johnnycnc (May 24, 2008)

Jeff,that's a great looking display
you have made!
I hope it brings you a lot of sales.
Very nice,and thanks for sharing it with us.


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## bitshird (May 25, 2008)

Great looking display Jeff, I wish you much success with it


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## ahoiberg (May 25, 2008)

that's downright awesome. great job on the rack & pens. i think the display itself would make me want to buy a pen!


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## workinforwood (May 25, 2008)

Thankx.  You know, I was at a craft show which was all woodworking and there was a pen turner there.  I never even knew and never saw him.  Apparently he was selling them from the black brief case holders and he was also selling a bunch of scrolled items.  The way I see it, pens are small and can disappear in a sea of arts and crafts.  You don't want a display that is so incredible awesome segmented magic that it takes away from the pens, but you do want something half decent and large enough that it can't be missed.  Now, I could be wrong in my thoughts of course, but this is how I view it based on my personal sense of how things should be.  I think maple is one of the best choices in a situation like this since the colors are very subtle and mostly light so that pens don't get lost in it.  Pine would probably be ok, but it dents easy and I want my display to last decades and not be all beaten up.


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## Texatdurango (May 26, 2008)

Jeff, you had me with the very nice stand until you posted the photo with all the pens and those God awful white tags hanging all over the place!  Sorry but the tags cheapen the look of the whole display.  Just my honest opinion!

Have you ever considered the small clear snap lock tags like the ones shown here... http://www.jewelrysupply.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=15_154&products_id=13114

I use them because they dont detract from the beauty of the pens.


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## workinforwood (May 26, 2008)

Excellent suggestion Tex..I agree with you and appreciate the tip and lead.  Thanks!


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## THarvey (May 26, 2008)

Beautiful Display.

I would like to see a picture of the bask also.

T


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## Rifleman1776 (May 26, 2008)

> _Originally posted by Texatdurango_
> 
> Jeff, you had me with the very nice stand until you posted the photo with all the pens and those God awful white tags hanging all over the place!  Sorry but the tags cheapen the look of the whole display.  Just my honest opinion!
> 
> ...



As much as I like your stand, I have to agree with Tex. I use those big string tags. And, until seeing your photo didn't realize just how tacky and unprofessional they look. Only advantage is that they are large enough to write a lot of information on to. Alternate would be small tags like he suggested and log the info on a book.


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## 1JaredSchmidt (May 26, 2008)

How do you make one of those?


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## Texatdurango (May 27, 2008)

Jared, think of this display as nothing more than a fancy modified spice rack!  You have made your mom a spice rack haven't you?

If not, why not?  You have access to a shop don't you?  A spice rack for mom goes a LONG way in making life easier!


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## 1JaredSchmidt (May 27, 2008)

I have not. I guess I have lots to learn. Actually,we made our own cabinets so we have a upper lazysusan that Mom has all her spices in.


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## workinforwood (May 28, 2008)

Pretty much like Tex says.  I planed the lumber.  Jointed and glued it into 3 panels plus two shorter side panels, then sanded panels.  Start at top panel, mark the center.  Use arch template - you may need to make a template for an arc using a string and pencil of course.  Determine how wide you want the top to be and trace the arc across that board.  Measure your way across the arc marking an x as you go for where the holes will be.  I used 3/4 forestner bit for the through holes as I find it fits every size pen easily.  Drilled all those holes, then cut the line of the arc and you have half a hole.  The next layer measure up from the back maybe 1.25 " and set back of the top flush with that.  Mark all the holes, these are for your bottom holes, 1/2" forstner bit drilled maybe 1/4" deep.  Come ahead another 1.5" or more if you want and trace the arc again, drilling the 3/4 holes....cut, then to the next layer and so on.  The sides simply have dado's that hold the shelves in.  I think 3" of space between shelves is pretty good to hold any pen that isn't a midget.  You can put a drawer in the bottom to face the back of the display like I did, or not bother, which would mean your display can sit lower.  My drawer is 4.5" deep.  I can't take a photo of the drawer without moving the stand.  It's nothing special to see anyhow.

Now...you can recycle the other halves of the panels with the holes drilled all the way through.  You can make a matching stand with an outward arc instead of an inward arc!  That's what I'm doing.  My other stand will not be so deep and not have a drawer, which I don't need 2 drawers anyhow.


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## MobilMan (May 31, 2008)

A piece of paper, sissors & string.


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## 1JaredSchmidt (Jun 3, 2008)

Yup! I'll have to build it.


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## workinforwood (Jun 3, 2008)

If you make your panels wider than needed, this is what the scraps look like put back together with barely any more cutting or drilling.

Please excuse the mess, it keeps growing.


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