Corn Cob pens

[gt64155]

I'm interested in trying to turn a corn cob pen. Does anyone know the process of what it take to dry them. I've read the they are cured in some sort of resin. Is that something that's hard to do or is it just easier to buy a ready to turn cob?

TIA,
Bill

 

[rherrell]

I bought a whole box, maybe 100, of already dried small corn cobs off Ebay. I think I turn them different than most in that I don't use any thin CA before or during turning. I like to dye them with food coloring and the dye doesn't take to the CA. I apply a Med. CA finish when I'm done.
The curing in resin that you mention are stabilized cobs. They cost more and work well but they don't take dye very well either.
The smaller the cob you can get the better, IMO. Big one's only show pith and won't look much like corn when you're done.

 

[Skye]

Go to WalMart, go back to the pet section. There will be bags of corn cobs for feeding squirrels. When you get them home, pull out the straighter ones, pluck the corn off it (sore thumbs) and then turn them.

I've always used CA to stabilize them while turning, but as said, they won't take dye well. I suggest at least turning one with CA to get the idea of turning them, then you can brave the CA-less route and dye them.

 

[Woodlvr]

Iowacobb, Tim sells the best corn cob blanks that I have tried. PM Tim and maybe he can give you a few hints or a good deal on some ready to turn blanks.

 

[gt64155]

Well, I've got a farmer friend that has an endless supply of cobs. I'll get some from him and try the food dye. I assume the cobs that he has are pretty dry. Do I need to keep tham near a heat souce to dry them out some or (God forbid if I get caught) try the kitchen microwave. He said that most of his are a red color, although I think he said some are also white. I assume the white one are the ones that you would dye.

Bill

 

[gt64155]

I just thought of something else. What tool do use use to turn the cob. For the wooden pens that I have done, I've used a 3/4 rough gouge and then do the fininshing up part with 1 round nose scraper. This seems to have better results (for me anyway) that using a 3/8 spindle gouge.

Also, I've never tried CA for a finish. I assume one would need to really wax the bushings well of they would stick to the piece.

I'm learning something new about turning every day. This place is great!

Bill

 

[MobilMan]

I turn all my pens with nothing but a 3/4 spindle gouge start to finish, except occasionally on a Slimline I'll use the 3/8 spindle. Never used a scraper on a pen but would be afraid that using one on a cob [unstabilized] it would tear the kernel depressions up. I've made cob pens but stayed with the gouge. And like Mike said, Iowacobb's cobs are tops. To me, it's just easier to get the stabilized ones & be done. The cobs are a reddish color, but only the outer part. Turn out more yellowish.

 

[Robert Taylor]

i've made several. the first i drilled the cobs and put them in a pickle jar with a small block of wood cut to even with the top of the jar. i poured a 50/50 mix of deft lacquer and acetone to cover. after three days i removed them and hung them on a coat hanger in the cellar. it took about two weeks til they were dry enough to turn. while they were harder they still needed quite a bit of ca to get done. the process gave them a nice tan color. then i read (probably on this forum) of a guy that used only ca and in thirty minutes voila done. works great but the color is not as nice. to this day the home stabilized is the only corn cob pen that i've sold. i got some from tim (iowacob) but have not turned them yet.

 

[Darrin]

He said that most of his are a red color, although I think he said some are also white. I assume the white one are the ones that you would dye.

Bill

That Red will all turn away and you will find a nice yellow underneath. Im a CA fan myself but heck, give it a whirl and lets see a pic of what you make

 

[wdcav1952]

Bill,

If I may, a piece of advice on the turning. Learn the skew!! It will always leave a better surface on anything you turn.

 

[hunter-27]

Depends on if using stabilized or unstabilized blanks as to the best way to proceed.
I have done both ways. IOWACOB is the BEST source for professionally stabilized blanks

 

[Skye]

Well, I've got a farmer friend that has an endless supply of cobs. l

Keep in mind that the corn you eat and the field corn used for pets are two different types of corn. The kind you eat has a larger diameter pith (spongy stuff in the middle) so it's usually only viable of use on fat pens. The field corn is thinner and you'll get more of the snakeskin looking pattern.

 

[gt64155]

I've got a skew chisel, but really haven't used it much. Maybe it's tme to learn. One question about using CA for a finish. I'd think that you would really need to wax the bushings, otherwise it wold just stick everything together. Also, what flavor of CA do tou use, thin or medium and how many coats?
Do you just sping the piece fairly slow and wipe on the CA and then sand again using MM?

Trying to learn something new,

Bill

 

[TellicoTurning]

Go to WalMart, go back to the pet section. There will be bags of corn cobs for feeding squirrels. When you get them home, pull out the straighter ones, pluck the corn off it (sore thumbs) and then turn them.

Skye,
I guess you're not a farm boy if you get sore thumbs from shelling corn... although the squirrel corn from Wally World is a little harder to shell... Next time you shell corn, take a fairly large dowel or another corn cob and lay it parallel alongside the cob to be shelled. Grasp both cobs, with the empty cob or dowel against the heel of your hand and the corn in your fingers... Usually a good twisting motion will peel the corn off the cob and save your fingers too... As a kid, and before we got a corn sheller, I would have to sit for half a day at a time shelling feed corn for the chickens, hogs and horses... my dad showed me how to do it so as not to make my fingers sore.

I also got a supply of cobs from a guy doing corn meal at a local craft fair... he was going to throw them away and they were already dry and relatively small. They're also all white so I will be able to dye them when I get around to working them up.

 

[TellicoTurning]

I've got a skew chisel, but really haven't used it much. Maybe it's tme to learn. One question about using CA for a finish. I'd think that you would really need to wax the bushings, otherwise it wold just stick everything together. Also, what flavor of CA do tou use, thin or medium and how many coats?
Do you just sping the piece fairly slow and wipe on the CA and then sand again using MM?

Trying to learn something new,

Bill

Bill,
If you're using the CA to stabilize the cob.. I suggest the thin.. either turn your lathe off and rotate the headstock by hand, or if you have a very slow speed, go down to that and drizzle the CA onto the cob to coat and soak in... then you can smooth it a little more with the skew.. or what ever tool you are most comfortable with... the skew will actually skin the surface very smoothly and leave a great surface to put the final CA finish on.

You'll get a multitude of answers as to what to use next... I would use the medium CA for about 5 coats, allow them to dry thoroughly between coats, or use an accelerator.. my system is that I use the accelerator about every two coats and after the final... I then wet sand with the MM.. I actually use the little square foam pads from PSI.. follow the last grit with a plastic polish. That's my method and you'll get a dozen or more others from other turners... biggest thing is practice until you get something that suits you.

 

[rherrell]

I turn them with a skew and remove them from the bushings to sand and to apply the CA finish.

 

[Rochester]

Bill,
If you want to use unstabiized cobs you might try Indian Corn. The cobs tend to be smaller in diameter (thus less pith) and some have different colors naturally.

Dale Pace (rochester)

 

[bitshird]

Bill,

If I may, a piece of advice on the turning. Learn the skew!! It will always leave a better surface on anything you turn.

William, you make it sound so easy