Repairing a corncob?

Captain_Call

I know cobs are so cheap that buying new ones is the standard route. But just to satisfy an itch I want to fit a hardwood plug into the bottom of a burned out cob to give it new life. What kind of adhesive will hold up to the rigors of smoking, or should I try to pressure fit my little Frankenstein together?

Captain_Call

This little guy came with the bottom of the bowl so thin that I can't pack it hard or I'll push the bottom right out. I want to drill it clear through and fit in a new bottom but I'm not sure of what I can use to keep the new bottom in that won't poison me if heated to amoking temperatures. It's the perfect little 15 minute morning smoke size and I'm kind of attached

silvermouse

Elmer's glue.

Wylaff

Cigar ash mixed with water into a paste. Not only do you get to enjoy a stogie, but it's strong enough to sand when it dries.

Captain_Call

Works for me. Thanks guys.

Bob_Luken

How about you don't drill it out and don't use any adhesive. How about you attach something to the flat bottom underneath to keep you from poking through. Maybe a metal plate with some wires or small C clamps holding it up against the bottom. Now, I know we're REALLY gettin into Frankenstein territory here but you don't have to worry about glue fumes. 

Captain_Call

The other problem is the draft hole in the sidewall part way up the bowl. I want to raise the bottom to that level so I don't have to waste a quarter bowl creating a spacer out of good tobacco. I'm not dependent on this being a good smoker. It's just an experiment I'm clinging to. Wires and exterior contrivances are a last resort since they will take the weight and bulk up to match my other cobs. In which case I would use one of them. Of course none of it is ideal but a man has to have his bad ideas every once in a while

Bob_Luken

Can you get your hands on a corn cob? Maybe whittle it down to get a plug you can insert . I would still suggest staying away from any type of adhesive.

(Also, I may be the least qualified to help you figure this out. I'm not a pipe guy. I tried to smoke a few bowls in a cob. Never got past that point. Maybe someday I'll try again but, I didn't like it even 2% as much as I enjoy cigars.)

Captain_Call

I certainly could get my hands on some cob and pressure fit a chunk in. I hadn't thought of using cob to fix a cob pipe. Now I feel a little dumb. I have 4 of these minis to experiment on so I'm sure I'll get it eventually

Captain_Call

Maybe I can pair the cob with the ash paste noted by wylaff

Markwell

I'm very very new to this, so take my suggestions with a grain of salt. I've seen a lot of guys on the web using pipe mud (literally just cigar ash mixed with a few drops of water). If you do a quick youtube search on corn cob pipe modifications, you'll see what I'm talking about.

They file the shank down so it is flush with the side wall of the bowl, then lay in the mud to be level with the shank hole. A pipe cleaner is then inserted down the shank to act as a mold for your new hole, which should come out of the new bottom around dead center. 

Captain_Call

That would have taken way more ash than I could produce in the time frame I gave myself. I needed a plug nearly a half inch round and a half inch thick. So I drilled the bowl all the way through and shaved a piece of hardwood down to pressure fit. I tapped it in flush with the top of the draft hole and now I will drill a new draft hole in my plug once my high temp epoxy sets up. I gave it a good smear across the bottom to ensure any voids were filled. I was worried about fumes and such until I figured out that Missouri meerschaum puts these together with wood glue. I became much more relaxed after learning that

Captain_Call

Once I get the new draft hole drilled I will mud up the new floor to make it all pretty

Captain_Call

I got my hands on some pieces of cob but they all suffered the same problem I had in the first place, the center is a soft pithy material that when thin can be pushed right out.

jsnake

Step 1 - throw away corn cob pipe
Step 2 - buy new corn cob pipe for $8
Step 3 - relax and smoke

I don’t mess with cons. I’ve heard of guys using various epoxies and such but I don’t think they know of the potential harm it might do to you when you smoke. 

Cobs are great and I have a couple but to me they are disposable and not worth the effort. 

Wylaff

I think he’s just playing with it.

Captain_Call

Pressure fit a hardwood plug. Used the shank as a guide to drill a new draft hole through the side of the plug and then milled the top of the plug down to expose my new draft hole. It's not ideal but it's functional and I had fun messing around.