I recently saw an illustration of some lathe turned pens made from corn cobs and am interested in trying it. Does anyone know, are these the cobs obtained from fresh corn on the cob from the produce section (or even frozen corn)? Also, is there any treatment (drying, etc) prior to turning?
Your advice is appreciated, as always. Gary
Replies
DM,
These recently became available from Penn State Industries, I'm not sure if they have them exclusively. Theirs are dyed and stabilized with an acrylic hardener, and supposedly turn like an acrylic pen blank. I haven't used them, this is only what I know from reading the description in the catalog.
Lee
A long time ago, when I was a kid on a farm in Iowa, I can remember turning a corncob to get a clean side.
Your average dry corn cob isn't very strong, and would probably shattter when you tried to turn it. I'm sure that they have to be impregnated with some kind of resin first.
-Steve
I have seen the corncobs you are describing, and was told that they undergo some pressurization, or other, process to make them hard enough to turn and be used as pens, etc.
Alan - planesaw
I Googled "corn cob pens," and the very first link was
http://www.woodturningdesign.com/onlineproject/corncobpen.shtml
If it's not what you're look in for, at least it looks like a good start.
Dan
Great post. I do not turn anything but knobs or other small objects if I have to but I just loved this post.. Everybody going 'Green' as they should (I admit I use lumber from a rain forest' Or someplace like that.)But who would have thought of PENS! Only thing I made from corncobs is pipes for me and my friends!By the way.. Great link!
Thanks to all who answered. I have some cobs drying now under the eaves, I'm going to give it a try.
Also have a question about what pen turning equipment I need, but will repost. Thanks Gary
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