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With all that intricate sanding, I can only assume that a case of crippling arthritis is in his future.

A while back Tyler wrote a post about some of the negative aspects of the forum that were driving people away from PMF (whether right or wrong). I think he was correct when he mentioned that referring people to the search function can feel like a dismissal instead of a helpful direction. I personall...

What I was planning on doing was using the stainless steel at the junction of the stummel and bamboo extension, but I wasn't sure if it was necessary to line the rest of the bamboo. I have been told that if Buddha belly is left without a liner it will crack, but I wasn't sure about the bamboo root ...

Let me know when to expect it back in the mail! I have full confidence in your skills, and I'm very excited to get it back in original form!!!

Nice pipe, Will. I agree with a few points that George made. I think the lines on top and bottom of the shank could/should be dead straight, and it does appear that the shank is slightly offset. This is pure preference, but I think a little less weight in the shank would add more grace to the compos...

1) when you guys drill a block, do you drill the mortise & airway first or after the chamber? and the "why?" 2)for those that do hand cut, do you cut the bowl shape first or the shank? 3)staining: I have heard and read a little about using a darker stain at first to identify scratches...

Yeah Man,
I'm sure we can make something happen. My schedule is completely full through the holidays, but maybe Jan or Feb? Give me a call in early Dec, and we'll get something on the books. My contact info is on my site.

Hey Ryan,
We'll have to get together some time. I'm up in Phoenix.

Great execution, George. Sadly, the original was, uhhh... lacking in aesthetic value; nevertheless your stem is excellent.

That's a very nice 9th pipe - keep it up! Yes, I would certainly offer it for sale if I were you. Don't get too hung up on early pipes, sell, accept constructive criticism, sort out dodgy pipes later on if needed and put your profits back into tools and raw materials. This is really important. You w...

I managed to get the hand drilling centered at least... With all this said, this pipe will not be sold, but remain with me. (Fyi, 3rd attempt at freehand drilling so don't be too rough ;) ) For a third attempt at drilling, I'd say you did fine, but "centered" isn't the word I would use to...

I don't think you necessarily need more bend in the stem, but you do need more shank on the pipe. Consequently, the bowl looks heavy relative to the rest of the pipe. I would want the shank to flow a little more out of the bowl than yours does. The bottom front of your bowl (the part farthest from t...

Thanks Ernie! That particular one doesn't have a safety edge, but after perusing that site, I found the following which is perfect, AND at an awesome price. I do have a few grobet needle files, and they are amazing. Thanks again. http://www.artcotools.com/american-pattern-files-hand.html I just gri...

I have an 8" Nicholson safe edge file that I use on stems that is not cutting at all the way it used to. It's seen a good 5 yrs of use now. Is there an economical way to rejuvenate the cutting ability or, at $12, should I just buy a new one? Upgrade to a Grobet; you won't be disappointed. This...

My advice is to hold off on buying high quality wood until you're very confident in your drilling and shaping skills. There's no sense spending the extra money while you're learning the basics. This. There's just no point in spending good money when you're learning. Frankly, all of our first pipes ...

You've done some good work on this pipe, but you have a few basic things that need to be addressed. Your drilling is off. Bruce mentioned the face of the shank/mortise drilling, and that is throwing the stem out at an odd angle. Also, your chamber doesn't meet the air hole correctly. It is off-cente...

You can do this with a pickup truck. All you have to do is drive it to someone's house who owns a lathe, pay them for the lathe and take it home. Though I've never done it, I'd guess you could do it with a drill press with a vise. Face it with a forstner bit; drill it out to the size of your tenon; ...

Another thing, tak a bit more off the bottom of the bowl right where it meets the shank. It makes it look like the bowl sags below the line of the shank. Tape some sandpaper to a granite counter top (or buy a single granite tile), press the pipe into it, and you can sand a flat line all the way fro...

I don't see the rim as a problem; it's a look. It's not a great look, but I don't think it puts you in the "turd" category as mentioned above. As a few others mentioned, your lines need to be dead straight. Weak lines detract from the composition, and strong, true lines lend confidence to ...

I really don't think this is a big deal. Like a lot of things in the pipe world (not all), this is preference. Sometimes I like my stems "underbent" (which I believe means it wasn't bent enough and not that it was bent under the line of the bowl or something similar?). As Jeremiah said, it...