corncob pen?

[tinybr]

can anyone tell me about this? my partner mentioned this once, and i must say im intrigued, any comments, DIRECTIONS, or antthing else that may answer a few questions i have (like arent they to soft to turn?(will they last?)) etc.

 

[Johnathan]

Welcome. If you try a search I'm sure you will find plenty of information.[8D]

 

[loglugger]

some use CA glue, top of page hit search and put in corn cob, there has been a lot said on this.
Welcome to penturners.org

 

[DocStram]

In addition to searching the files you can also check out the Fall, 2005 issue of Woodturning Design. There's a great article by Emory McLaughlin on turning corncob pens.

 

[gerryr]

You'll also get more responses if you post this under Penturning.

 

[its_virgil]

We have a very well written article by Patricia Lawson in our own archives. You'll find it in the articles section...click on articles at the top left on the home page.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

Originally posted by DocStram
<br />In addition to searching the files you can also check out the Fall, 2005 issue of Woodturning Design. There's a great article by Emory McLaughlin on turning corncob pens.

 

[jeff]

Moved this to the Penturning forum.

Here's the article link:
http://www.penturners.org/content/CornCobPen.pdf

 

[Skye]

I've found that the key to drilling them is to just hold the cob in your fist, drill about half way in letting the cob steer the bit. Flip it over and drill the other half the way from the other end. Let the two holes meet in the middle, but dont push the bit all the way out the other side.

I've used plain field corn bought at walmart in the bird seed section.

 

[jeff]

Originally posted by Skye
<br />I've found that the key to drilling them is to just hold the cob in your fist...

There are much safer ways to do this. I could be wrong, but I don't believe it's good practice to hold the workpiece in your hand when using a power tool, especially with your hand essentially encircling the bit. The flutes will cut you too.

 

[smoky10]

I agree with Jeff. If the cob were to shatter you would have your hand around a spinning bit and that could be very unpleasant.

 

[JimGo]

Originally posted by jeff
<br />

Originally posted by Skye
<br />I've found that the key to drilling them is to just hold the cob in your fist...

There are much safer ways to do this. I could be wrong, but I don't believe it's good practice to hold the workpiece in your hand when using a power tool, especially with your hand essentially encircling the bit. The flutes will cut you too.

Then there's the fact that Skye must have much steadier hands and a better eye than me; I don't think I could "freehand" drill two 7mm diameter holes (or even 1", for that matter) and get them to line up even CLOSE.

 

[Skye]

If your using a variable speed hand drill, you can drill a cob with about the same speed you could generate with your hands. I'm using a 9.6V at maybe 200rpm. It takes very little effort or speed to drill the core. For a cob to "shatter" would take 20 times the speed I use. If you go slow enough, there's minimal risk. Now, if you're using a 120V electric drill wide open, no, I wouldent use my hand.

Oh, and I generaly use 10mm but I did a 7mm last night.

Here's an action shot if you want to lose some sleep tonight. lol
http://www.thepenshop.net/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1322&PN=1

 

[Gary Max]

Trust us-----Never hold a pen blank in your hand when drilling ----that is very unsafe.

 

[mick]

Heck I won't even hold a stablized corncob blsnk in my hand to use the barrel trimmer on it ...the ones that Steve White sells have very sharp edges from the poly or whatever he uses to stablize and if they spin..... well you can imagine how that would feel ...DAMHIKT! []

 

[JimGo]

Originally posted by Skye
Here's an action shot if you want to lose some sleep tonight. lol
http://www.thepenshop.net/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1322&PN=1

Wish I could see it, but it's members only.

 

[Skye]

Didnt know it was members only.

 

[Glass Scratcher]

[/quote]

Wish I could see it, but it's members only.
[/quote]

And he apparantly doesn't like my domain so he won't let me join!

 

[DocStram]

Drilling a cob while holding it in your hand? Whoaaaaa .. very inadvisable to say the least. I have plenty of scars to show what happens when you get sloppy around tools.

 

[rtjw]

Originally posted by Glass Scratcher
<br />And he apparantly doesn't like my domain so he won't let me join!

He does not on the forum. As far as I know no domain are banned from the forum.Please email me and let me know what the problem is and I will make sure you can join.

 

[PDoug]

Originally posted by gerryr
<br />You'll also get more responses if you post this under Penturning.

OK, I'm new here and you already got me confused![] Believe me it is easy to do. But I thought this is the penturners forum, least that is what it says at the top of the display of this forum[?]

 

[pssherman]

Originally posted by PDoug
<br />

Originally posted by gerryr
<br />You'll also get more responses if you post this under Penturning.

OK, I'm new here and you already got me confused![] Believe me it is easy to do. But I thought this is the penturners forum, least that is what it says at the top of the display of this forum[?]

PDoug,
Jeff (forum administrator) moved this topic for us. See his post on page 1 of this topic. All replys before his were made with this topic in the Introductions Forum.

Paul in AR

 

[Skye]

Originally posted by DocStram
<br />Drilling a cob while holding it in your hand? Whoaaaaa .. very inadvisable to say the least. I have plenty of scars to show what happens when you get sloppy around tools.

Are your hands made of wax?

In an example of the kind of drilling I'm talking about, while everyone was talking a nap at my house, I drilled a cob, while holding it in my hand. I took my 7mm bit, took it out of the chuck, and turned it throgh the cob by hand. It got a little tough so I had some grippy material and used that to help me turn the bit past the hard spot. I came out unscathed, turning the bit by hand at about 20 RPM. If you can hurt yourself doing that, you may as well go live in a padded room.

 

[alamocdc]

Originally posted by mick
<br />Heck I won't even hold a stablized corncob blsnk in my hand to use the barrel trimmer on it ...the ones that Steve White sells have very sharp edges from the poly or whatever he uses to stablize and if they spin..... well you can imagine how that would feel ...DAMHIKT! []

Don't have to imagine... been there. Dried CA will do the same thing. [:0] Almost healed now. I won't be doin' that again!