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November 25, 2006
pencil holder
by sven at 3:31 pm
Just got back from Thanksgiving in Phoenix yesterday. Tackled a nice little project in the evening: making a new holder for my colored pencils.
(Or rather, my "pencils of color," as I affectionately refer to them.)
The top piece is 1/4" thick hardboard, the bottom is a scrap of MDF. The side supports are just attached with hot glue. There are 160 holes, all 5/16" in diameter, spaced 1/2" apart.
To get the holes evenly spaced, I taped a piece of graph paper on top of the hardboard, and then pressed a sculptor's needle tool in at all the appropriate points. The pin-point marks were all I needed to guide the battery-powered handheld drill.
The whole thing took about 3 hours to make.
The design was inspired by a drill bit index that I've been looking at... But it leaves a lot to be desired:
- Being held in place at only one point, the pencils have a tendency to lean.
- I'd really like it if there were tiers, so it'd be easier to see the back rows.
- You don't really need a separate hole for every pencil. Having a slots for groups of five pencils would allow you to throw pencils back into the holder with less hassle -- while still keeping things nicely organized.
My holder's a step up from the tin that the pencils came in. The way they came, the pencils lay in four plastic trays, stored in a tin box. You couldn't see them all at the same time unless you put all four trays out on the floor.
I have an idea for a revised design that I may attempt. If/when I get around to making it, I'll be sure to post about the pencil holder's second incarnation.
posted by sven | November 25, 2006 3:31 PM | categories: miscellany, sketchbook