Upscale Pipe Cabinet - Any recs?

[pipehunter]

I'm in the market for pipe cabinet that I can put in my office...so it needs to be upscale and probably modern-ish. This one came up in a few searches. It's not cheap, but it doesn't run in the thousands like some of the custom furniture I've seen.
Cabinet
Has anyone used one of these?
Any suggestions for another cabinet?
While I have a couple of old-fashioned/rustic racks and cabinets at home, if I want to keep pipes at the office I'll need something sleeker.
Thanks in advance!

 

[carolinachurchwarden]

I'm afraid I don't have any recommendations for you, because I've never seen one built that small for that task, but I have to say your need just struck a nerve in me. I really like the way that cabinet looks! Mine at the office didn't need to be too sleek, so it's just an open rack top with a pull down door for tobacco storage.
I've built my own pipe racks and have been working on perfecting my wood working skills, so your post here has inspired me to try my hand at making a small cabinet like this. I love a good challenge and this is something I have yet to try my hand at. Looks simple enough, but sometimes something that looks simple can be a real PIA.

 

[npod]

I'm still looking myself after many years. I settled on Bisley metal cabinets eventually. I also use an airline trolley to store the bulk of my pipes in the closet. But for classy cabinets there are not many solids options. I have consulted three cabinet makers to make a custom piece for me, but we were unable to make it work on separate occassions.
THESE are what I want. From the Danish Pipe Shop. Once I saw them I knew what I wanted. But alas, nobody seems to be able to make something similar with nice pull out trays and ventillation slots.

These are my Bisley metal cabinets. They look kind of up scale, but not perfect. They do hold 40-50 pipes each set and are roomier than they appear.

 

[pipehunter]

Thank you all for the ideas.
npod, those Bisley cabinets look great (as do your pipes). For my office, I probably need to go with wood or wood veneer. The space might best be described as blonde wood investment bank. :roll:
Those Danish Pipe Shop cases are terrific. I also spoke with some custom furniture makers (although it was years ago) and just never found the right fit.
Cheers!

 

[npod]

You can also contact Bob Staebell at Aristocrat Humidors http://www.aristocrathumidors.com/
Bob does fantastic work and I have commissioned two humidor cabinets from him over the years. One is a large cigar humidor and then I did a matching pipe tobacco cabinet. They both have pull out drawers and "could" be used for pipe display. The only problem is that they are air tight and thus aren't ideal for pipe storage where ventilation is needed.
Here is an example of the humidors I commissioned.

 

[jguss]

here's another idea. look for (new or used) an architect's flat file cabinet. they're often made in light or dark oak, but can probably be bought in other woods too. you'd need to arrange for dividers, and the standard 2" depth might not be enough. Plus you'll probably want a felt lining.
Still, anyone who makes these is in the right ballpark. here's just a random example: https://www.rexart.com/jck_flat_files.html?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI-MKLuaCq3wIVRkCGCh0uoQKpEAQYASABEgK3yfD_BwE#20600. Realistically you might be best off finding a small shop off of a site like etsy.

 

[npod]

@jguss! I like it! I will have to explore these cabinets a bit. The 2" height of the drawers is a good size and these look intriguing. If they came in a darker stain or even black that would be a very valid option. Still, they lack good ventilation, but that can overcome by drilling holes in the back I suppose.

 

[captpat]

Check out ETSY, there are a number of folks on that site that make pipe cabinets, at least there'll be some other ideas. I know some of them will do work on commission if you don't like their standard offerings.

 

[iajaffe]

I have one of these. Real classy.
http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/savinelli-36-pipe-cabinet

 

[npod]

@iajaffe! That is a sweet cabinet!!!

 

[iajaffe]

I love it! I tell myself that I will not buy more pipes than I can fit in it, but now I tell myself...well...club pipes don't count, right? And the Marty Pulvers Human Tragedy series...that can't count, right?

 

[chilllucky]

Search for oak machinist's chests. Some of them will have drawers that are too thin for pipes, but they will already be lined with felt. Available from $50 flea market finds to $600 brand new and everything in-between.
If that line of inquiry doesn't pan out, I know a guy.

 

[ssjones]

Harris also has one of those Savinelli cabinets.
If you are in the US, this member, Gecko13 makes some incredible cabinets, from plain to just wow.

http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/new-custom-oak-pipe-cabinet
Here's one he built for another member a few years ago, of the "wow" category.

http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/my-dream-cabinet-handcrafted-by-douglas-beeks

 

[chilllucky]

Along the lines of that second link, the "white spot" rep at a recent trunk show showed me some pictures of the sort of desk cabinets that dunhill made in the 50's and 60's. Exquisite.

 

[tfdickson]

Here is mine. I bought an old mahogany secretary desk with a fairly shallow upper section, about 5-6” deep, then discovered that Ken Lamb’s standard 60 slot rack was a perfect fit and had one made in mahogany to match.

 

[butsiethesungo]

Those are some beautiful cabinets! I love them!
@carolinachurchwardens, I saw your recent cabinet that you built (in another thread) and you did an amazing job!!! I was very impressed. This may sound like a silly question but what tool do you use to cut the slots for the bowl and the rack that holds the stem?
(In the picture below, I circled the areas)
pipe rack

 

[charf]

This may sound like a silly question but what tool do you use to cut the slots for the bowl and the rack that holds the stem?

A CNC woodworking router will produce those shapes.

 

[ssjones]

Yep, I love those rounded divets, like on my Fairfax racks, but it's tough to duplicate at home.

 

[carolinachurchwarden]

That's not a silly question at all, as I had the same question myself. For the rack that holds the stem, I take a full board and drill the full diameter through with a large paddle bit, then I put it through the table saw to create the semi-circle. Then I sit down with my dremel and some sanding tubes and soften the edges.
For the divot at the bottom, yeah, those are tough to duplicate at home. I use my dremel with a flat bit and cut into it straight down and then soften the corners, cut down the bottom with a carving bit.
It ain't perfect, it doesn't look as sharp as a lot these machine cut jobs, but it's 100% done by hand and I'm happy with the result.

 

[litup]

For a modern look, I would go with the Brigham Stackers if you can find them. I bought some from smokingpipes a few years ago but they've been sold out for a while now.
Smokingpipes Video on Brigham Stackers