# Dyeing Corn Cobs



## bajacrazy (Jan 23, 2005)

I know somewhere I saw a post on what someone used to dye corn cobs. Canâ€™t seem to find it. If I was seeing things how bought of some suggestions for some nice colors.


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## smoky10 (Jan 23, 2005)

Gary max has pictures of dyed corn cob pens in his album. When he sees this I'm sure he will respond.


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## Guest (Jan 23, 2005)

Don't know what kind of look you want but Iused magic markers on these






I covered them entirely with magic marker and then blended the colors with an alcahol dipped t-shirt.
Once you add the ca for the finish you need to sand it back down,


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## Gary Max (Jan 23, 2005)

I just use plain old food color--it is in the baking/cake aisle at your grocery store. I apply it by holding my finger against the blank as it is spinning. Just a tiny drop on your finger tip and spread it out. I color the blank after it is sanded and is ready to finish. The stuff I bought even has a chart on how to mix different colors.


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## Mac In Oak Ridge (Jan 23, 2005)

You may find the dye in food coloring is not fade resistant.  In fact will fade quite quickly. Find your favorite colors and get some good quality wood dye that has a much longer lifetime.


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## Gary (Jan 23, 2005)

The TransFast and TransTint dyes available from Woodcraft should work well.


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## Old Griz (Jan 23, 2005)

About the best dyes I have found are the Chestnut Brand dyes sold by CSU... light fast and really bright... thin them a little and you can get an even more transparent tint... and they dry quick too..


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## woodscavenger (Jan 23, 2005)

I still laugh at the corncob pens, but they look so cool I may have to break down and try it.


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## KKingery (Jan 23, 2005)

This may sound like a silly question, but how long do you dry out the cobs before you can start working them?


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## Gary Max (Jan 23, 2005)

I buy them at Walmart in the pet food section---already dried to 12%.
Just shell them and start making pens.


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## penhead (Jan 23, 2005)

I know there has been a plethora of posts about how to make a corncob pen...but is there a "how-to" article somewhere...??


JohnPayton


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## DCBluesman (Jan 23, 2005)

See Pat Lawson's article. http://www.penturners.org/content/CornCobPen.pdf


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## penhead (Jan 23, 2005)

Thanks, Lou...


Johnpayton


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## Fleabit (Jan 23, 2005)

I cant access Pat's pdf.  My adobe doen't like it for some reason.  Can someone just give me the quick version of making cob pens.


Thanks


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## bajacrazy (Jan 23, 2005)

> _Originally posted by Gary Max_
> <br />I buy them at Walmart in the pet food section---already dried to 12%.
> Just shell them and start making pens.


 Gary, I knew someone here mentioned Wal-Mart as a source for corncobs. Thanks I took your advice they work great.[8D]


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## KKingery (Jan 23, 2005)

At Wal-Mart? I'll have to take a look next time I make a trip over. Thanks for the tip!


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## bajacrazy (Jan 23, 2005)

Thanks all for the input on this matter. I wanted to dye some colors into the next batch of corncobs.

Tom, please excuse my ignorance, CSU is ?


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## BogBean (Jan 24, 2005)

Craft Supply USA

http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/index.html


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## bajacrazy (Jan 24, 2005)

Thanks Chuck
I must have been tired or something, I should have figured this one out.[:I] I bought my jet mini laths and a lot of pen kits from them before going to BB at AS. I think we should have an Acronyms page for reference, especially when youâ€™re tired and not thinking straight.[]


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