As I have been gaining experience with my pipemaking I have wanted to create a pipe that is mine from start to finish. My next step is the stem. Since I am really just getting started with this pipemaking obsession I have only have a small arsenal of tools. A drill press, dremel, sandpaper, various files and a hand drill is all I have for now. I plan on obtaining more tools in the future but funds are pretty limited for now. My question is whether these tools are enough to make some quality stems or am I better off buying my stems until I get the more appropiate tools? Any imput is greatly appreciated, thanks in advance.
With the addition of a PIMO tenon tool, those tools are exactly what I used to make my first stems. It was time consuming and sometimes frustrating, but I managed to make it work.
A vertical 1-2" belt sander will make hand carved stems much easier to make. If at any point you plan on selling your pipes it's a must to cut the time down. If time isn't a factor then the tools you have will work fine albeit slow.
