Thread: Corn Cob Pens

There is a web site for the pen turners association set up in the USA that has a FREE article on this topic. Unfortunatley when I formated my pc last week I didn't save the favourites.

Google should be your friend.

The 9th post in this thread may interest you..... http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com...highlight=corn

Then have a look at this thread...... http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com...ad.php?t=18462

http://www.penturners.org/forum/topi...ID=9031&#92490

Kevin,

I have turned some corn cob pens and have posted some stuff about it on this board, including a picture. Not really different to normal turning except that it is a good idea to stabilise the cob with some superglue. After drilling the hole through the blanks, run some thin CA into the hole. Once it has gone off, run the drill bit through the hole again, then glue in the tubes as per normal. It is also a good idea to finish with superglue after sanding to 400. Once the CA has gone off, lightly sand with 400, then go through the grits from 600 w& dry to 2500 or whatever grit you want. If you sand through the CA, recoat and sand to finer grits once the CA has gone off. Do not apply the CA while the blanks are on the mandrel!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You'll find my original post and pic here:http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com...ad.php?t=15497

Thanks joe. since I posted this I have looked at your posts.. very impressed.. Just one thing.

On the pen turners site, they make reference to Field Corn as opposed to Sweet Corn.. WHATS THE DIFFERENCE? and where can you get Field Corn

This may be a silly question, but I really want to know; are these cobs from fresh uncooked corn or can you use cobs that have been cooked?

My fave corn is "on the cob" and I don't particularly wish to change just to get a few cobs...

Originally Posted by Brudda

On the pen turners site, they make reference to Field Corn as opposed to Sweet Corn.. WHATS THE DIFFERENCE? and where can you get Field Corn

Brudda. As with most other things the yanks call things differently to 'normal' people. I would guess that field corn would be corn that is grown for animal feed or milling into maize meal.........white or yellow and bigger kernels. Sweet corn have smaller kernels and from memory I would say that the cob is picked earlier, the 'field' corn cobs are usually left to 'dry' on the plant.

I have turned both and the smaller cobs in both worked fine. Larger cobs have a larger soft center which means one has to use more CA to stabilise it.

Skew......: From memory I have turned cobs that were cooked with no ill effect that I can remember. They take longer to dry but maybe the cooking process will make them less prone to fungus growth.

Small cobs are the best to use as they have a small soft center and the grain from the kernel attachments goes closer to the center which gives a nice pattern. Try both cooked and raw cobs, you have nothing to loose except a few minutes. If you don't like the result, turn them down to the brass tube and start again.

ue

Originally Posted by Brudda

The other day I was browsing the local newsagents and noticed a magazine that had a Corn Cob Pen on the cover.

I tried to read the article but the newsagent got a bit stroppy with me.

Has anyone ever tried this? and if so what are the tricks and tips

Unfortunatly I did not want to purchase the mag.. not at $15.00 :eek:

www.woodturningdesign.com is the mag