Make a twig pencil
By Robert J. SettichFrom the March 2000 issue of Boys' Life magazine
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.
its fun and esasy guys!!!!!!!!!!11
I wish i could make it but…
I’m going to do that with the arow i made in archery merit badge the arrow is long as a piece of paper
thats pretty cool
looks pretty cool but it sound pretty expensive for the supplies
I might try this
going to try making one.
I got one from a suvener shop once and wandered how they made them,
but now I know!
Looks hard, but COOL! I might try it!
I mighr try this! Looks very cool!
I think I’ll try it some time looks cool!!
i found a pack of 12 leads on sale for $8 but that didnt include shipping. thats sort of expensive for a twig pencil isnt it?
If the lead is loose just put some elmers glue in the hole first and let it dry for 1 day before sharpening. COOL!
it is hard to make
Well anonymous if you glue it the glue mite get all over the lead.
looks hard