First ring insert

[Tano]

This is my first attempt at a ring insert. I found it very laborious, lots of measuring, and more stressfull because everything else had to be completed before the ring is applied and glued. I'd be curious to hear how others perform the various steps.
The pipe is: 5& 7/8" long bowl is: 1&1/4" deep
1& 11/16" high 3/4 " wide

[KurtHuhn]

I normally do end caps like that as I make the pipe. The first step is usually to make a very short (anywhere from 1.5 to 2mm long) tenon on the shank right after facing it. This will provide support and centering for the end cap, that way you don't have to worry about getting all the holes perfectly aligned after the thing is already all made.

You can do this wether drilling first or shaping first, and the exact procedure differs from there.

If shaping first, when you put your stummel back on the lathe for facing the shank, leave it there and use a very sharp 1/16" (1.5mm) cutoff tool to face the shank and cut the tenon. Make it big enough that the hole in your decorative material will fit snug, but not tight.

If drilling first, I cut the tenon after facing the shank, but before drilling the mortis. This reduces the risk of grain tear-out.

From there, you just drill the hole in your decorative material, shape a ring, and it's off to the races. Just be sure to apply it last, and use a "dummy" ring on the shank to prevent rounding over of the edges.

[LexKY_Pipe]

What material is the ring?

[Tano]

Craig its boxwood. I got a whole wack of it from the UK.