BL Workshop
Make a homemade twig pencil
Twig pencils are fun, easy and cheap to make. And the expressions on your friends’ faces when you start scribbling with a stick will be writetious!
YOU’LL NEED
- pruning clippers
- drill and 3⁄32-inch bit
- clamp
- scratch awl or nail
- white glue
- 2mm-diameter drafting lead, 2B grade (at art or office supply stores)
- utility knife or pocketknife
- adult permission or supervision
STEP 1: Find a twig. Look for one with interesting color, texture or with a forked shape. (The length of the twig, though, must be straight.) Hold the twig as you would a pencil to find the right size. Use pruning clippers to trim away unwanted parts. Check the twig for bugs (you don’t want any).
STEP 2: Clamp the twig to the edge of a workbench or piece of plywood. Be careful! Too much pressure can crush the twig.
STEP 3: Use a scratch awl or the point of a nail to make a dent at the center of the twig’s end. The dent will become the starting point for the drill bit.
STEP 4: Drill to a depth of 1 to 1 1⁄4 inches. Make sure to keep both hands on the tool!
As you drill, you may need to back out the bit to clear wood chips from the drill’s flutes (its spiral grooves). To do this, stop the drill and scrub the bit with an old toothbrush.
STEP 5: Squirt a small puddle of glue on a scrap of wood or cardboard. Roll the end of the lead in the glue, then work it back and forth in the hole to spread the adhesive.
STEP 6: Trim the lead by breaking it sideways against the twig. Let the glue dry overnight.
STEP 7: Sharpen the pencil with a sharp utility knife or pocketknife. Whittle away from your body, removing thin shavings as you work around the pencil. Use your imagination to personalize your pencil, or simply enjoy the colors and textures that nature provides.
Want to learn one of the easiest card tricks ever? You do?
Jun. 15, 2009 at 12:34 pm
That is cool
May. 18, 2009 at 6:30 pm
gotta try it
May. 18, 2009 at 10:55 am
I might have to try that sometime
May. 17, 2009 at 3:53 pm
Yes I must admit, it is very good, but THE QUESTION IS, WHERE WILL WE FIND THE LEAD???!!!???
May. 16, 2009 at 6:11 pm
awsome
May. 16, 2009 at 7:31 am
AWESOME. My summer camp makes these. They are really cool
May. 15, 2009 at 12:28 pm
I’ll have to try that some time!
Apr. 20, 2009 at 5:54 pm
cool
Apr. 19, 2009 at 9:36 am
Cool! I’m doing this…NOw
Apr. 14, 2009 at 3:45 pm
Im going to tell our cubs about this, they will love it
Apr. 13, 2009 at 6:28 pm
^.^ this i cool! i MUST try this soon!
Mar. 25, 2009 at 3:25 pm
now THAT is cool!
Mar. 24, 2009 at 1:50 pm
well that’s a 1st
Mar. 23, 2009 at 8:31 pm
Interesting…similar to my feather pen I’m famous for at school!
Mar. 17, 2009 at 5:15 pm
cool idea. might try someday.
Mar. 14, 2009 at 7:11 pm
this thang is awsome