Corn Cob Order

[Old Griz]

Got an order for 3 corn cob pens... just finished them today... these are not from the 40 yr old cobs.. but from cobs dried this year... I found out the older ones are easier to turn..
Pics are of both sides of the pens..

 

[Doghouse]

Looks great. One day I hope to get back to turning pens. Hopefully this spring.

 

[darbytee]

Really nice Tom. I've been through about a half a dozen corn cobs so far without a single complete pen to show for it.

 

[WoodChucker]

Nice work, I like 1, 2, & 3 the best! []

R.T.

 

[Fred in NC]

Now all we need is someone to come up with an idea for making a case out of the husks . . .

 

[low_48]

Darby,
Try soaking the ends of the cobs with thin CA when you glue in the pens. Watch out though, the CA will wick all the way out to the chaff. You'll stick that stuff to your fingers if you don't wear gloves. I put the tubes in with thick CA also. I didn't have any luck with Gorilla for these. You might also want to soak them with CA when you get to within 1/8" or slightly less of your final diameter. Sounds like lots of CA doesn't it, wish I owned stock!!

Yikes, almost forgot Really nice job Griz!!! Just picked up some cobs tonight. The farmer stopped and thought I was picking up squirrel corn. Wish I had a pen to show him, but I'll give him a couple pens for all the cobs.

Rich

 

[PenWorks]

Very cool Tom, never made a corn cob pen or even thought of it. Are they smooth or do you feel any bumps on them? Also, do you put a disclaimer on them like CS does " not for consumption" lol. Anthony

 

[Efletche]

Fred, for the case, can't you dip the entire ear, husk and all (dried out of course) in some resin and cut it in half, lengthwise and bore out a spot for the pen to rest?

 

[Old Griz]

They are as smooth as a baby's bottom... no bumps and lumps.. of course it takes a couple of coats of CA with sanding between coats to get that way, but it is worth the effort..
Had one of my wife's "city friends" ask me if they were snakeskin.. LOL.. Now I am originally from NYC and even I would not have thought they were snakeskin... LOL

 

[Fred in NC]

Edward: I think you have the start of a great idea! Stabilized corn husks... How are we going to attach a hinge?

 

[jkirkb94]

Has anyone tried stablizing corn cobs? The couple of corn cobs that I tried were failures with lots of thin CA used up. Figured out that my cobs were too big in diam. Only had pith when I turned them down to the bushings.[] Kirk[8D]

 

[Fred in NC]

Kirk: I am not sure how well this will work, I have not used it for this purpose. It is WHITE carpenter's glue (such as Elmer's) diluted half and half with water. It has been used to hold bark together, and for punky wood.

I would reduce the diameter of the cob to 3/4" to 1", and soak it overnight in the diluted glue. Then let it dry.

At any rate, I think this would be a lot less expensive than other stabilizing solutions, especially CA.

Like I said above, I have not had a chance to try it, mostly because I don't have any corn right now.

 

[its_virgil]

I have friends guess at what my corncob pens are made of and the #1 guess is snakeskin.
do a good turn daily!
Don

Originally posted by Old Griz
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Had one of my wife's "city friends" ask me if they were snakeskin..

 

[jkirkb94]

Fred, I'm like you. I don't have any cobs. Learned about doing them too late in the season. Might try to look at some cobs for bird feeders. I hear they are a good size[?] Will look into your idea if I can find some cobs. Kirk [8D]