My Latest Creation

[bvartist]

Finally!! Managed to get the time to finish a pipe! After several months not being able to work on pipes its great to get back into it. Although costly. Been away from pipe carving due to work demands and motor burn out on my lathe. Finally got a new lathe and chucks and more importantly time to do some work on one.

This one is my 11th, I think, ran out of counting fingers at 10 and still had a pipe to count. The major accomplishment for me on this one is I didn't make any "major" mistakes on it(until the last thing). Its my second attempt using delrin for the tenon. GREAT STUFF!!! But I found out that a buff with white diamond compound running at 3500 rpm and delrin don't mix. I was buffing the Bocote shank cap and managed to take off half of one side of the delrin. (note to self, delrin melts at that speed!) So I'll probably have to make a new stem for it. Kind of a cross between a rodesian and author shape was what I was going for, a large, chunky bowl.

My photography doesn't do justice to the grain. Although its not great, it is pretty good. Although I was hoping for a little tighter birdseye on the top of the bowl.

Anyway, take a look and let me know what you think.
David

[flix]

David,

Looks great, esp. the ring very nice.

BTW, aren't you supposed to run your buffer at 1750rpm? No wonder you're burning it up, assuming that you're using a 6" disc...

[bvartist]

BTW, aren't you supposed to run your buffer at 1750rpm? No wonder you're burning it up, assuming that you're using a 6" disc...

Supposed to? Probably! Able to?? No!!! My buffer at the moment is a single speed motor and it only runs at 3750 rpm. Does fine for buffing with tripoli and White diamond with a light touch, a little tricky with carnuba but I'm used to it, but as I discovered will absolutely eat up delrin. One of these days when I have some extra money, I plan to get mandrels so I can buff on my lathe and have speed control!

Thanks! I especially like the ring as well. Bocote usually looks good on a pipe, makes a good contrast.

David

[flix]

Too bad, maybe you can get someone to re-wire it so that it runs slower. I've heard of some people doing that, it would save some money. Have you tried that? or called the mfr? Sometimes it's really simple (or maybe not?

[bvartist]

Yeah, I've thought about getting it rewired to slow it down. Should be a matter of wiring in a new capacitor to change the speed I think. (I'm no electrical expert) I actually like the high speed for buffing with tripoli and white diamond. Gotta be careful not to burn the ebonite, but it will take out small scratches in no time flat. What I want to get to is using my present setup for applying compound and then two buffs on mandrels, one for carnuba and one dry buff for final polishing that I can chuck in my lathe. Would be a time saver so I didn't have to switch buffs all the time. But I've blown my equipment budget for a while so it will have to wait!

[Tano]

Very nice looking pipe. I find that the bead adds a distinctive touch to it. I'm still trying to find info on how the beads are made and attatched. If any of the more experienced makers could help, I would appreciate it.
Thanks in advance...Tano

[bvartist]

Very nice looking pipe. I find that the bead adds a distinctive touch to it. I'm still trying to find info on how the beads are made and attatched. If any of the more experienced makers could help, I would appreciate it.
Thanks in advance...Tano

Thanks Tano,

I "cheat" on the bead or shank cap. This one is actually a trim ring on the stem. I just faced off a piece of bocote with my forstner bit on my lathe, drilled a 5/16" hole through the center to fit over the delrin tenon, cut off the length I wanted with a parting tool and epoxied it to the stem material(ebonite). Another way to do it would be to turn a small tenon on the end of the shank and epoxy the cap to the stummel. Thats the procedures I'd use.

David