pipemakersforum.com

I have done three hand cut stems so far, and I will do more. I don't know if you remember them, Tyler, but of the pictures I sent you, I hand cut the stems on pipes 6, 7, and 8. Those were my first, second, and third hand cut stems, respectively. The stem can significantly contribute to how a pipe l...

Good point about the drill press, Artguy. I am using the exact setup you describe. I do the bowl last, and stick a wooden skewer down the draft hole and I can feel when the spade bit gets near the bottom. After that, I use a mirror to see the bottom of the bowl, then drill a little more and check ag...

Hi Larch. Regarding your question on spade bits, I grind them to the profile I want on a grinder, then touch them up by hand on a stone to make sure they are fairly sharp. I can get the profile I want, and they are inexpensive. They will not leave a really smooth bore, and if you want a smooth bore,...

I never thought of how much time I spend with each, but if I were to guess, I would say, 30% power sander, 30% files, and 40% hand sanding. This ratio changes somewhat with the shape of the pipe I am making. If I am doing a panel, or something with flat portions, I do these almost exclusively on the...

Yes, I would be surprised if anyone that is doing oil curing discloses their methods or points me in the direction of their methods. But, I just had to ask the question. Thanks for the reply.

I am curious about oil curing briar. I have never tried it, nor do I know where to start. I would assume that you would not use any type of oil that you could not use in food preparation, but I know some of these can turn rancid over time. I am aware that pipemakers spend a lot of time experimenting...

Hey Tyler, thanks for putting up the board. I hope to positively contribute to the discussions.

I have dabbled in woodworking for a few years, and I have been smoking a pipe for almost 20 years. Late in 2002 I got the bug to make a pipe or two. I ordered a kit from Mark Tinsky and started sanding. Many hours later, I came up with something that resembled a pipe. I met Paul Tatum at the 2003 TA...