Replacing the stem on a meer

bvartist · Post by **bvartist** » Wed May 17, 2006 2:04 pm

I bought this little meerschaum about 8 or 9 years ago. Its a Carey's Magic Inch system pipe. (has a paper sleeve that goes around the tenon and air holes in the stem thats supposed to precipitate out any moisture in the smoke.) My problem is it doesn't smoke very well, the air holes in the stem make it difficult to smoke, and I get no flavor out of it.

I would like to replace the stem and tenon on the pipe with one of my hand cut stems, but don't know where to start and my knowlege of meer construction is limited. So thought I'd ask the experts for some advice. Ideally I would like to remove the tenon assembly from the shank of the pipe and replace it with a delrin mortise/tenon. Anyone have any experience with these Carey's pipes? Is the tenon on the shank threaded? Epoxied? Or Both? Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated. I like the pipe, and would like it to be a good smoker. (pics below)

David

The stem fits on the shoulder of the tenon, the long skinny piece is the Carey magic inch where the paper sleeve goes, has 4 holes in it and is inside the chamber made up of the saddle on the bit.

Nick · Post by **Nick** » Thu May 18, 2006 11:21 am

I'd just drill it out. The material is probably lucite or vulcanite. Hack off the tenon, drill your mortise into the chunk of material there. Might work, might not. No clue really. I've never messed with the Carey pipes.

bvartist · Post by **bvartist** » Thu May 18, 2006 11:29 pm

Thanks Nick, thats one of the things I had thought would be a possibility. The material looks like its probably molded vulcanite so it should work ok. If I can figure out how to clamp it into my lathe without breaking the bowl. But nothing ventured nothing gained, and at worse I'll have a bigger hole to give me a look at the inner works of it and may give me a clue on how to remove the piece. If it works, great! If it doesn't I'm no worse off than I am now.

Smitty · Post by **Smitty** » Sat May 20, 2006 5:28 pm

One of my friends got one of these pipe at a yardsale and gave it to me. It was like trying to play the flute somking it. I have no Earthly clue what those slits were or what they did. I got rid of it pronto. You might just screw in a self tapping screw and use it like an "easy-out" to pull it out.