drying cord cobs for pens

[jahlg]

Hey everyone, thanks for the help on my last issue. Does anyone know how long to let corn cobs dry before they can be turned, or is there a quicker way to dry them?(IE the microwave method??)

Joe

 

[its_virgil]

Are you drying cobs from the corn you had for dinner? No, NO, No....guess it will work, but go to Tractor Supply, the local feed store (for farm animals), Walmart, or some place similar and buy corn for feeding squirrels and other rodnets. I get a bag of 25 ears (cob + corn) already dried for $3.50...remove the corn or let the squirrels remove it for you (from a feeder) and you have a dried cob ready to turn. Pick out the bag with the most "whole" ears as some will be broken...guess you could use those for sierras.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

quote]Originally posted by jahlg
<br />Hey everyone, thanks for the help on my last issue. Does anyone know how long to let corn cobs dry before they can be turned, or is there a quicker way to dry them?(IE the microwave method??)

Joe
[/quote]

 

[JimGo]

I've done the corn I had for dinner. I used a dehydrator to dry them. With all the butter that was on the cobs, they really smelled good while drying! [] However, for the money, I think I'd go with Don's suggestion. You could even turn off the cobs, if you don't like squirrels.

 

[laspringer]

Are you using sweet or feed corn cobs. I waite until they harvest the feed corn from the field and pick up the cobs. I would think if you cut the cobs to size and drill it out to the size you need it would take a week to dry out.

Alan

 

[its_virgil]

What I get at tractor Supply is field corn. I've noticed a difference in the cob in different pkgs I've bought from various places. Some varieties have a better looking cob than others (after turning), but I have no idea what the variety is. Just drive down the road in corn country and each field seems to have a sign with different variety information on it..such as the seed company and the variey information. No, corn is not just corn. But, they make one hansome pen....we're having "corn on the pen" for dinner. Pass the butter.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

Originally posted by laspringer
<br />Are you using sweet or feed corn cobs. I waite until they harvest the feed corn from the field and pick up the cobs. I would think if you cut the cobs to size and drill it out to the size you need it would take a week to dry out.

Alan

 

[Rifleman1776]

I can just imagine a stranger overhearing a conversation where Don talks about better looking corn cobs. Then asks for butter. [:0][:0]

 

[alamocdc]

ROTFL! Good one, Frank. Thanks for the tip, Don. I didn't know where to get them. I recently bought a small batch from Johnny, but I think I'll go this route from now on. It's less expensive. And I like less expensive.

 

[ldimick]

Originally posted by its_virgil
<br />we're having "corn on the pen" for dinner. Pass the butter.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

Thanks for the chuckle[]

 

[jahlg]

Yes i was gonna try the corn i had for dinner!! Never even thought about feed corn to use! Once again i am humbled by the advice!!!!!!! Thanks everyone
joe

 

[Charles]

On the corn cob pens do you have to CA/BLO the finish or what are you guys usually using. Wanting to turn one of these but have not as of yet?

 

[byounghusband]

On the corn cob pens do you have to CA/BLO the finish or what are you guys usually using. Wanting to turn one of these but have not as of yet?

Charles,
I only used CA on my corncob pens. But that's just me.....

Prep the blank just as if you were turning a wood pen (drill, glue tube in w/CA, true up ends with a trimer or sander, and mount on mandrel. You might consider waxing your bushings. Trust me on this one...[])

Turn the fuzz off.

With lathe OFF, coat with thin CA. Soak it in. Spray with accelorator. and let it sit for a few minutes.

Turn some more (Make sure you have a Face Shield[xx(], as I got glue EVERYWHERE (didn't have any accelorator the first time) and had glue on the floor, the cabinet behind the lathe, on the lathe, and on me)

Turn some more, and glue some more.

If you have a void, glue and shavings make agreat filler.

Turn to final dimensions, sand to 240 grit, lathe off, put med CA on a paper towel and spin the lathe by hand to spread the CA evenly.

Lathe on and then sand again to make slurry.

I put a small amount of yellow analine dye on a Qtip and wiped it on the blank. Let it dry for a minute.

Then sand 320, 400, 600, and then MM to 12000.

You can use a friction polish if you want.

 

[Ron Mc]

I got some corn cobs from Johnny that worked well.
He may jump in here.