green-eyes
Member
I have a quick question about turning corn cobs. Do you just cut them to size and drill then turn them like a pen blank or do you have to stabalize them with CA first?
Corn Cob
- Thread starter green-eyes
- Start date
Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad
- Status
Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad
dozuki
Member
I have only made one or two corn cobs. I cut it to size, drill it out, start to turn to diamater. You turn all of the fuzz and hairy bits off untill you get down to the harder material. once you get down there you can stabalize it with the CA wait for it to harden or it will spray off and continue to turn. I think there are more complete instructions on the home page. good luck
Czarcastic
Member
becky:
Pat Lawson wrote an excellent set of instructions, which can be found in the "Articles" area of the forum.
Pat Lawson wrote an excellent set of instructions, which can be found in the "Articles" area of the forum.
It was almost a year ago I made my first CC pen per Pats Article.
I do them a little differently now which allows me to use le$$ CA.
I do them a little differently now which allows me to use le$$ CA.
GregD
Member
Becky,
I've done a few corn cobs. I've found it best to stablize them before turning. I start by cutting the cob in half. Then trim the ends so that you have a resonable size area to drill. Caution: The cobs will shrink. Cut them longer than needed !!! Then I put them in minwax fast drying polyurathane and put them under a vacuume. Hang them up to dry for a few days. Run your drill bit through them to clean out the hole and glue in the tubes.
This may sound like a lot but with the cost of CA it's worth it... to me anyhow.
I've done a few corn cobs. I've found it best to stablize them before turning. I start by cutting the cob in half. Then trim the ends so that you have a resonable size area to drill. Caution: The cobs will shrink. Cut them longer than needed !!! Then I put them in minwax fast drying polyurathane and put them under a vacuume. Hang them up to dry for a few days. Run your drill bit through them to clean out the hole and glue in the tubes.
This may sound like a lot but with the cost of CA it's worth it... to me anyhow.
green-eyes
Member
Thanks for the tips, I am hoping to get back into the shop tomorrow. Now I need to go and check and see if that CA bulk buy is open yet! LOL
lkorn
Member
Becky,
Check with Tom about the blanks he gave you. Some of his have already been stabilized. he may have mixed one in for you. If not, Drill, glue, trim and turn. Stabilize on the lathe with CA. Be VERRRYY careful when squaring the ends, the cobs will fly apart on you.
Check with Tom about the blanks he gave you. Some of his have already been stabilized. he may have mixed one in for you. If not, Drill, glue, trim and turn. Stabilize on the lathe with CA. Be VERRRYY careful when squaring the ends, the cobs will fly apart on you.
green-eyes
Member
It doesn't look like any are stabilized. I will just have to give it a go and hope it all works out! I have a few extras for error I guess! Off to the shop!
green-eyes
Member
Okay I turned my first corn cob, into tiny little pieces which flew all over my shop!!! It definately was not a rewarding experience! I went to put CA on the cob after I turned it down some and forgot to turn the lathe speed down. Yup, you guessed it, CA glue EVERYWHERE! Good thing I have extra! I may be able to save a small portion of it but, at this point I am DONE! I think I will try the Minwax method tomorrow and hope it turn out better! Off to remove CA from my hands, faceshield and wall!! Go ahead and laugh, I did! LOL[
]
]GregD
Member
That makes for a sticky situation. BTW I glued my fingers together today. Nothing a little Acetone couldn't take care of.
I make a lot of corn cob pens. Probably my best seller! I cut them, create a hole using a phillips-head screwriver, rough turn to get rid of the fuzzies, soak overnight (or a couple) in polycril. I use Gorilla Glue (filling glue) on corn cobs. Go ahead and turn. I will blow up one of three, but have not had them spin out of control. If you wait a couple of days after gluing it works even better.
It goes without saying, so let me say that I only use raw corn cobs. The squirrels love me.
It goes without saying, so let me say that I only use raw corn cobs. The squirrels love me.
JimGo
Member
OK, I'll bite...why only raw cobs?
wdcav1952
Activities Manager Emeritus
OK, I'll bite...why only raw cobs?
Squirrel fetish.
Squirrel fetish.
Originally posted by green-eyes
<br />Okay I turned my first corn cob, into tiny little pieces which flew all over my shop!!! It definately was not a rewarding experience! I went to put CA on the cob after I turned it down some and forgot to turn the lathe speed down. Yup, you guessed it, CA glue EVERYWHERE! Good thing I have extra! I may be able to save a small portion of it but, at this point I am DONE! I think I will try the Minwax method tomorrow and hope it turn out better! Off to remove CA from my hands, faceshield and wall!! Go ahead and laugh, I did! LOL[
If you were putting thin CA on to stabilize it leave the lathe off until it cures.
Spin by hand. It won't take take long for thin to set up on a corn cob(woody part).
It should take repeated applications on an unstabilized cob.
Much Harder! The other day i was doing a little clean-up, removing blown-up blanks from tubes, grabbed one of the corn cob blanks that had busted up, put a chisel to it - it was the hardest thing my poor old chisel had ever hit!!!
In my experience, the cooked cobs will break down. BTW, just thismorning, I rough-turned a cob without treating it first - worked fine. I just worry about long-term effects.
In my experience, the cooked cobs will break down. BTW, just thismorning, I rough-turned a cob without treating it first - worked fine. I just worry about long-term effects.
- Status