DIY corn cob pipe

[Leftynick]

Just want to share picture of my diy corn cob pipe. I know for most of you corn cob pipe is quite cheap, but in my country, the price has been doubled if not tripled. I use a simple design, using only hand tool like pocket knife and bamboo stem. I managed to make around 7 pipe from a few cob and all of them smoke wonderfully. I made several of them to ensure I can rotate them for daily smoke.




however, there is one problem, the cob were easily burnout on the side during smoking. I smoke quite slowly with these pipe but it still easily burn out. Any advice on making my pipe stronger? Rather than applying plaster of paris to my cob? I hear MM pride cob is all natural cob pipe and can handle smoke pretty well.

 

[Smokin Harley]

MM uses a variety of corn that produces a bigger thicker cob. No plaster at all. They age them so they end up hard like wood. I have a few . Nice cheap little pipes. My favorite so far is the Country Gentleman.

 

[deluxestogie]

Very nice little pipes.

Yes, Missouri Meerschaum does spackle their corn cob pipes with plaster of Paris, to create a smooth exterior to the bowl. Also, their cobs are dried for a year or longer.

A wider corn cob will allow you to carve it leaving thicker walls. If you have access to only small cobs, but they are inexpensive, then just plan for them to burn through, and make more of them.

Bob

 

[MarcL]

I got to love some DIY! Your pipe looks great. Rustic. I like it. I think Bob hit the nail on the head. They're inexpensive enough. I would go ahead and give the plaster of Paris a try.

 

[Leftynick]

Thank you MarcL. Considering plaster of paris is hard to come by here, I think I will stick with making plenty of them. I read somewhere on the internet people are using wood filler to repair crack on corn cob pipe. Wondering if I could use wood filler as plaster of paris subtitute.

 

[MarcL]

You bet. check it >> https://www.google.com/search?q=las...utf-8#safe=off&q=how+to+make+plaster+of+paris

Plaster of Paris is made with the combination of warm water and calcium sulphate hemihydrate. The main ingredient in homemade plaster of Paris is still water, but substitute in flour instead of calcium sulphate hemihydrate.
Warm 2 cups of water and slowly stir in 3 cups of white all-purpose flour. Continue stirring to remove any lumps, until the mixture has a smooth pudding texture.

 

[Leftynick]

Made some improvement to my DIY corn cob.



After looking out for a while, I now know my design flaws. Last time I stripped the cob until there were only wooden core, that is why it burn out quickly. So this time I only remove the kernel. give me a thicker wall for my cob. I also use wood filler to further enhance the sturdiness of the wall and apply a thin layer of lacquer on the outside to prevent them from mold. It last longer, except for the bamboo stem, which cannot be cleaned properly making the pipe ghost easily. But, it can easily replace because there are plenty of bamboo here. As you can see, it is easy to make medium sized and small sized pipe. Oh and I used a regular sweet corn from grocery to make this. I think with the right variety, I can make a bigger sized pipe. I did find organic sweet corn that are bigger sized that this that I would consider trying.

 

[pukulsesuatu]

Nice corncob, How long to dry the cob?

 

[Leftynick]

Nice corncob, How long to dry the cob?

I dry the cob for a month under sun after removing the kernel to eat. Raining season prevent me from drying longer, it will mold. The longer you dry it the better. I also let it dry for 2 months after applying lacquer. This to ensure no lacquer smell when smoking them, and help drying the interior better.

 

[deluxestogie]

Missouri Meerschaum corn cobs are coated on the exterior with plaster of Paris. Some other brands of cob pipes don't use the plaster.

I think that for most regions of the world, an uncoated exterior of a well-dried cob will not mold.

Your pipes look excellent. How are you drilling the cobs?

Bob

 

[Leftynick]

Missouri Meerschaum corn cobs are coated on the exterior with plaster of Paris. Some other brands of cob pipes don't use the plaster.

I think that for most regions of the world, an uncoated exterior of a well-dried cob will not mold.

Your pipes look excellent. How are you drilling the cobs?

Bob

Thank you. Actually, I used the wood filler actually to increase the appearance rather than technicality. Tried to get Missouri Meerschaum like smooth finish.

I think my mistake was trying to dry the cob during heavy raining season, which contribute to the mold. Maybe if I dry it during hot season, it will be okay.

I don't drill my cob. Just use a pocket knife to remove the pith, and use the same knife to make a hole for the stem.

To get a good size, I always pick the biggest corn. From my experience, if I can't touch my thumb while gripping the ear of corn, it is big enough.

 

[MarcL]

Looks good! thanks for posting.

 

[Gavroche]

Good and nice merci !

 

[deluxestogie]

You have inspired me, Leftynick. I reached into my pocket and brought out the little Schrade pen knife that I've carried for 20 years, grabbed a section of dried cob and a piece of bamboo (from an untreated tomato stake), and sat on my front porch, whittling. It took about 30 or 40 minutes to make the pipe. The stem is tightly pressure fit into the cob.

The bowl is fairly small, but smokes well with some home-blended English pipe tobacco. I used an old tamper that I had whittled from a maple twig some years ago.

I've pondered various approaches to making corn cob pipes for years now, but my scenarios always include a vise, a drill press or a lathe, and various exterior coatings. This is just a bare naked corn cob and a piece of bamboo.

Thanks for the motivation.

Next up, I'll have a try with one of the fat cobs of Boone County corn that BigBonner sent me.

Frosty the Snowman (He's a smoker, you know) would be proud.

Bob

 

[greenmonster714]

Nice pipe Bob. I keep hearing about how good cobs are. I may have to buy one soon and give it a try.

 

[Gavroche]

[QUOTE = Deluxestogie; 134354] Il a fallu environ 30 ou 40 minutes pour faire la pipe . It took about 30 or 40 minutes to make the pipe.

Bob [/ QUOTE]


Sérieux? ... gentil!

 

[deluxestogie]

I may have to buy one soon and give it a try.

Just get a dry corn cob, and poke a couple of holes. Or you can be lazier, and buy one of these kits: http://aristocob.com/COBFOOLERY-Cob-Kits-C335637.aspx to make a fancy pipe.

Bob

 

[Leftynick]

You have inspired me, Leftynick. I reached into my pocket and brought out the little Schrade pen knife that I've carried for 20 years, grabbed a section of dried cob and a piece of bamboo (from an untreated tomato stake), and sat on my front porch, whittling. It took about 30 or 40 minutes to make the pipe. The stem is tightly pressure fit into the cob.

The bowl is fairly small, but smokes well with some home-blended English pipe tobacco. I used an old tamper that I had whittled from a maple twig some years ago.

I've pondered various approaches to making corn cob pipes for years now, but my scenarios always include a vise, a drill press or a lathe, and various exterior coatings. This is just a bare naked corn cob and a piece of bamboo.

Thanks for the motivation.

Next up, I'll have a try with one of the fat cobs of Boone County corn that BigBonner sent me.

Frosty the Snowman (He's a smoker, you know) would be proud.

Bob

Looks good Bob. I wish I have some colored corn too, but most of colored corn seed I see on ebay are fairly small to make a good sized pipe. I think I can try MM approach of using wood stain for some of their line.

I am inspired by the old American farmers story where they use whatever available to them at that time. I think the other corn cob pipe maker in the US use non-coated cob and bamboo stem as well.

Cheap DIY pipe beats 20 dollar corn cob pipe(yes, that is the price for the cheapest MM corn cob pipe in my country, converted to dollar).

I am thinking on venturing to making my own wooden pipe after this. I have collected some durian wood, rose apple wood and tembusu wood (Fagraea fragrans)to start and will buy some briar block from ebay.

 

[MarcL]

nice Cob Bob! .. that sounds good..

 

[greenmonster714]

Those kits are pretty cool. I'll probably just buy one. Got a question about cobs though. I've read a lot of reviews and sometimes folks try a tobacco in lets say a briar pipe and don't like the blend. Then they throw it in a cob and suddenly they like it. Does the pipe really make that much of a difference? I notice a big difference between a new pipe and one caked up. Of course the one caked up always tastes better to me. Am I missing something?