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How to Make Twig Pencils

SAFETY FIRST: Ask an adult to help with tools you haven't used before.

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!

twig-550

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

  • Pocketknife or utility knife
  • 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)
  • Adult permission or supervision

WHAT YOU’LL DO

twig-1STEP 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).

twig-2STEP 2: Clamp the twig to the edge of a workbench or piece of plywood. Be careful! Too much pressure can crush the twig.

twig-3STEP 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.

twig-5STEP 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.

twig-7STEP 7: Sharpen the pencil with your pocketknife or a sharp utility knife. 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.


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50 Comments on How to Make Twig Pencils

  1. wethebrickfilmers // March 12, 2009 at 1:25 pm // Reply

    Cool

  2. Does anyone know of a store that you can get the lead at?

  3. NICE!! I cant wait to try this and show my freinds

  4. Coastercrazy // February 3, 2009 at 10:25 am // Reply

    Can’t you just take a pencil and widdle away at it to get a like effect?

  5. I tried it, but the drill wouldn’t go in strait

  6. I made it and when i brought to class my teacher told my to throw it away. she thaught it was a real stick

  7. that is cool, i have 1 from a school feild trip and npw i can make my own!

  8. princcess girl // January 21, 2009 at 3:35 pm // Reply

    this sounds awesome! i will have to make !

  9. it was a lot of fun and i added a pen to the other side and gave it to my sister and now everybody wants one

  10. itis just a pencil 🙁 , but a cool one 🙂 ,it also saves $$$$

  11. its sorta hard but i think i can make it

  12. eagleorbust // January 3, 2009 at 5:27 pm // Reply

    but how do you sharpen it???

  13. eagleorbust // January 3, 2009 at 5:25 pm // Reply

    my friends will say ”what is that?”

  14. Clint Eastwood // January 3, 2009 at 3:55 pm // Reply

    It is totly cool

  15. this is really cool

  16. (man) it's teribal ! // December 23, 2008 at 9:43 pm // Reply

    its cool, but it was hard !

  17. Sweet! XD Sadly i cant make it

  18. It’s just a pencil, it really isn’t that amazing.

  19. bald man 201 // December 8, 2008 at 7:17 pm // Reply

    it saves some money!1

  20. those look so cool i should make one and use it at school

  21. COOL

  22. I personally like using a twig and berries more.

  23. it loks cool 🙂

  24. PONED!

  25. awsome roy

  26. Very uniqe and unusual… And very cool!!! I’ll make one now!

  27. awesom!!!!!!!!!!!! :mrgreen: 🙂 😉 🙁 :cat: 😥 >:)

  28. I think a homade pencil is great!

  29. i am very exided about boy’s souts i am going to do it

  30. coolist

  31. thi was kind of cool and boring

  32. amsome i might make one!!!

  33. get up and go // October 4, 2008 at 1:06 pm // Reply

    Digg it!

  34. this thing ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  35. doctorwhofan101 // October 3, 2008 at 3:42 pm // Reply

    im gonna try this soon! yay boy’s life.

  36. awsome!

  37. the me-person // September 30, 2008 at 5:56 pm // Reply

    This looks sweet. I’m gonna try it when I can

  38. That is ahhhmazing. My friends at school ‘ll flip!! 🙂

  39. I think that’s cool, even if I can’t make it.

  40. COOL i’m gonna try that.

  41. That’s pretty awesome!

  42. I want to make that!!!

  43. I think that is cool. I’m going to tell my mom (she is a boy scout den leader) that. I think she would like doing that in boy scouts.

  44. Now I don’t need to by pencil !

  45. I can’t wait to show this to my den leader!

  46. i like it

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