Worst Day of Turning yet... how do you drill corn cob

[RyanNJ]

I got the only corn cob blank i ordered in the mail yesterday so i figured i would turn a cigar with it today. I could not drill it any way i tried it ended up in pieces. so How do i drill this stuff if i ever decide to order another piece


so i figured let me turn a cherry pen i got it almost done and the blank blew up, it seemed damp in the center, is this normal or do i need to let them dry?

 

[DavidA]

Not so bad, Wait until you have a catch and destroy a segmented bowl with over 600 segments! that is a bad Day

DavidA

 

[ed4copies]

Was your corn cob stabilized?

Makes a difference in how you drill, and turn.

 

[mbroberg]

Hey, if it were easy, everyone would be doing it!! Hang in there. I'm sorry that I can't offer you any advice on how to drill the corncob. I'm not sure about the cherry, don't know how damp you mean. But I can offer encouragement................try, try again.

 

[PenMan1]

Keep trying and hanging in there! Pretty soon you will be blowing up $25 and $35 blanks like the rest of us.

On the serious side, if the cobb had not been stabalized, it is a booger to drill. Tried to do it with a fresh cobb once, that's when SWMBO moved the shop out of the house. Keep trying- there ARE NO MISTAKES, JUST LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES!

 

[David M]

............try, try again.

$ try $ try & $ try again .... and some ask where is all the money your making with your hobby .
i have to cut cobs long befor drilling , they are soft and the bit walks. then i cut the end off that is oversized. but the more you do , the less you mess up . i do have a few that are to short for anything but key fobs . i do order extra in the same color to use for such problems .

David

 

[RyanNJ]

was stabilized corn cob

when the cherry burl blank blew apart i decided to feel the piece of wood and the shavings, the were both damp

 

[ed4copies]

was stabilized corn cob

when the cherry burl blank blew apart i decided to feel the piece of wood and the shavings, the were both damp

ONE way, turn between centers until it's round, relative to the centerpoint. Then, drill on the lathe, using a collet (if you have one) or scroll chuck. DON'T try to hurry.

This is NOT how I do it now, but it is the safest way I know.

 

[RyanNJ]

ok. i guess i need to wait until i get a different chuck to try turning the corn cob again

 

[ed4copies]

Ryan,

I don't mean to discourage you. Drilling cobs is NOT REAL difficult, but it IS easy to stray from the center and "blow it up".

You are trying to keep your bit in the center "hard part" (pith?). If you can aim on your drill press, you can accomplish the same thing.

One other possibility, the hole has to be SMALLER than the pith part. IF you are trying to make a larger pen (Jr gent??), that could be the cause of your issues.

 

[RyanNJ]

i was progressively drilling with bigger bits but i guess i was not holding it tight enough in the drilling jig i made the bit went out of the side of the blank making a U where it blew

 

[ed4copies]

A brad-point bit will help, although they ARE aggressive, so that can cause issues too. IF you use brad points, don't progress, drill the right size hole in the first try.

Many people are successful with enlarging holes a step at a time---I am NOT. So, if it makes you feel any better, I have done EXACTLY what you describe, too.

 

[ed4copies]

Another thing that CAN help: Drill a hole just a little smaller than the diameter of your corn cob through a 2 x 4. Then cut the 2x4 in half, through the center of your hole. This gives you a clamping device to hold the cob straight while you drill. You can hold the 2x4 clamp you have made with any bar clamp you have available. Keeps the cob vertical.

 

[RyanNJ]

thanks for the tips

 

[low_48]

Can't help with a stabilized cob, but for regulars...........
If the center is very close to correct diameter, I use a piece of brass tubing as a drill bit. Put the tubing in the drill press, then feed the cob up by hand. The brass tube stays pretty much centered in the soft pith and makes a really clean hole. You just have to take out the tube after two blanks, and knock out the plug.