For a long time I have been looking for a good way to store my pen collection. I wanted something relatively small, but able to hold my entire collection in one place. I found the solution in one of the unlikeliest of places: a hardware store. What I found is a wood tool chest. This is from Harbor Freight. The first photo shows it with a Moleskine large notebook and a large Habana notebook in front of it to give a better idea of the size. The second shows it open.
The drawers are a great size and already felt lined. It is compact enough to sit on a small filing cabinet, but large enough to hold at least 100 pens.
I have pens that are inked in the top compartment, along with some pen cases. The lower drawers are for storing pens that are empty. I did not buy any dividers to keep the pens completely separated. I don't think it would hold as many pens if there were dividers in the drawers, and since the pens are just sitting there, I don't mind not having them.
Ironically, I ordered the chest online and then found out there is a Harbor Freight store right in my hometown of South Bend, IN. Fortunately, I was able to cancel the online order, save some money on the shipping, and get the chest immediately.
Lovely - they are having an sale online right now an this chest is about 35% off. Great idea.
ReplyDeleteReally? Maybe I need another ;)
ReplyDeleteHello StyloBug33, I want to thank you for this idea of re-purposing this tool box. I went to the store today and bought it. I'm a newbie in the world of fountain pens, so I was able to organize the pens I have, i.e. fpens, pencils and my calligraphy nibs.
ReplyDeleteThanks again, and hope that someday your wish of having a store will come true.
Is the top compartment, the largest one, big enough to hold ink bottles?
ReplyDeleteYes. this is my question too. How deep is the top compartment where you have your inked pens?
ReplyDeleteThe top compartment is 2 1/2 inches deep. Noodler's bottles are too large, but Waterman bottles are not.
ReplyDeleteI hope this helps!