Project idea for beginners
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Project idea for beginners
Why kill yourself and waste all that wood trying to make new pipes when there are so many stem-less stummels lying about? Ebay sells 'em by the basket at giveaway prices.
Just chop off a couple dollar's worth of ebonite, fiddle with it for a few minutes, and voila! A pipe!
Hell, you might even decide you like doing it so much you'll get into repair work instead of designing spaceships, getting your ankles bitten by PMF reviewers, and having to deal with emotional Italian briar sellers. It's far simpler, much easier to do, hardly takes any tools at all, and the money is insanely good. (Some of the biggest yachts in the world are owned by pipe repairmen.)
Anyway, here's an example. This pipe's owner wanted a shorter, wider, and flatter stem for comfort---Pete stems tend to be long, narrow, and round, and some people don't like the way they feel---and since the shank was long enough, the pipe could be converted entirely into a lovat. (This one wasn't stem-less, but I've bought similar stummels off the Net for under twenty bucks. The principle is the same.)
PS --- don't worry about the impressed "P"... you just get a stamp made and stab in on there. Nothin' to it.
Just chop off a couple dollar's worth of ebonite, fiddle with it for a few minutes, and voila! A pipe!
Hell, you might even decide you like doing it so much you'll get into repair work instead of designing spaceships, getting your ankles bitten by PMF reviewers, and having to deal with emotional Italian briar sellers. It's far simpler, much easier to do, hardly takes any tools at all, and the money is insanely good. (Some of the biggest yachts in the world are owned by pipe repairmen.)
Anyway, here's an example. This pipe's owner wanted a shorter, wider, and flatter stem for comfort---Pete stems tend to be long, narrow, and round, and some people don't like the way they feel---and since the shank was long enough, the pipe could be converted entirely into a lovat. (This one wasn't stem-less, but I've bought similar stummels off the Net for under twenty bucks. The principle is the same.)
PS --- don't worry about the impressed "P"... you just get a stamp made and stab in on there. Nothin' to it.
UFOs must be real. There's no other explanation for cats.
Re: Project idea for beginners
Wow, that looks soo much better than the original.
Re: Project idea for beginners
Nice work as usual, George.
Ryan Richardson
R2 Pipes/Ryan's Luxury Goods
______________________________________
"You can't convince a stupid person that what he's doing is stupid, because the stupidness inside him is telling him that it's smart"
R2 Pipes/Ryan's Luxury Goods
______________________________________
"You can't convince a stupid person that what he's doing is stupid, because the stupidness inside him is telling him that it's smart"
Re: Project idea for beginners
as an aside, how do you make two stems for the same pipe, ensuring flush fit for both, without constantly having either one stem or the shank out of fit?
This is particularly relevant for me as I just finished a pipe and I'm not happy with the stem so I'd like to make a second stem but I can't imagine how to do it without refinishing the shank, thereby changing the fit to the first stem....
This is particularly relevant for me as I just finished a pipe and I'm not happy with the stem so I'd like to make a second stem but I can't imagine how to do it without refinishing the shank, thereby changing the fit to the first stem....
- sandahlpipe
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Re: Project idea for beginners
I bought a box of stummels to put stems on and they ended up just sitting in the box because I decided biting ankles was more fun.
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Re: Project idea for beginners
That is indeed the fussy part.calsbeek wrote:as an aside, how do you make two stems for the same pipe, ensuring flush fit for both, without constantly having either one stem or the shank out of fit?
This is particularly relevant for me as I just finished a pipe and I'm not happy with the stem so I'd like to make a second stem but I can't imagine how to do it without refinishing the shank, thereby changing the fit to the first stem....
The smartass answer is to avoid affecting the shank, don't touch it when fitting the second stem.
How that is accomplished, though, is a gold-plated pig bitch to figure out and master, and requires a fair amount of specialized tooling. (If it could be done quickly and well as a general thing, there would be more than one good repairman for every hundred-plus pipe makers. )
Your best bet? (I'm not being a dick, here, it is the right answer) If you want/need such a second stem from time to time, just send it out.
UFOs must be real. There's no other explanation for cats.
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Re: Project idea for beginners
Is there anything you do that's not more fun?sandahlpipe wrote:I bought a box of stummels to put stems on and they ended up just sitting in the box because I decided biting ankles was more fun.
UFOs must be real. There's no other explanation for cats.
- sandahlpipe
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Re: Project idea for beginners
More fun than biting ankles? Nope!LatakiaLover wrote:Is there anything you do that's not more fun?sandahlpipe wrote:I bought a box of stummels to put stems on and they ended up just sitting in the box because I decided biting ankles was more fun.
More fun than fitting stems to someone else's stummels? Maybe a root canal? Doing my own stems for my own stummels is fine. But I enjoy the shaping part, so repairing pipes is something I'm happy to leave to a professional. But maybe when I'm ready to get my yacht, I'll change my mind...
Re: Project idea for beginners
Exactly! I happen to have gotten my hands on about a dozen stummels which were preshaped in a factory somewhere decades ago, but have no stummels.
Making stems for them and finishing them feels like someone bought me a present, then unwrapped it and got it out of the box before handing it to me, claiming that it's a better present that way because I don't have to go through the effort of unwrapping it!
(I'm one of those people that likes to read everything on the box 3 times before actually opening the box)
Making stems for them and finishing them feels like someone bought me a present, then unwrapped it and got it out of the box before handing it to me, claiming that it's a better present that way because I don't have to go through the effort of unwrapping it!
(I'm one of those people that likes to read everything on the box 3 times before actually opening the box)
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Re: Project idea for beginners
I do this quite a bit for friends and pipe club members. It's good practice and i hate it with a passion.
I'm not fantastic, but good enough that i turn down all the half cracked reject brand stuff now, and only do it if i like the person AND the pipe!
Nothing more soul destroying than spending 5 hours making a new stem for a shitty stummel that cost £10 as a new pipe!
I'm not fantastic, but good enough that i turn down all the half cracked reject brand stuff now, and only do it if i like the person AND the pipe!
Nothing more soul destroying than spending 5 hours making a new stem for a shitty stummel that cost £10 as a new pipe!
Re: Project idea for beginners
Beautiful stem, George. I agree with Jesse; yours is way better than the original. Keep it up and you'll make a fine repairman some day.