First pipe

[Daniel Y]

In the spirit of Kurt's "Just Do It" advice. and with the request to not be "That Guy" and all it entails. I have spent the last few days, Reading, planning , laying out a practice block of Walnut burl. Let me stop here and point out that I have already read many comments concerning using other woods to practice. And although I agree completely with the points made. I don't agree there is no value in practicing on other woods. Keep in mind I am discovering if the equipment I currently have is even up to the task as much as anything else. at this point the entire process is a mystery.

I also set a very specific indisputable goal to achieve. several days later I read a comment on how one master trained apprentices with just this sort of message. I did not want to practice making a pipe by accident. So I set my goal at reproducing a Dunhill, Dr. Gaybow pipe. at least as far as craftmanship and my resources of materials allow. the photo below is the example of what I am trying to achieve.


this is the result of my attempt to reproduce it so far.



Tobacco chamber was trilled with a 3/4 inch forstner bit so it is flat bottomed. air way is successfully rilled as well as the mortice. all holes where drilled on my drill press and so far I have not used my lathe for any part of the work. shaping was done with a belt sander. disc sander, dremel tool files and sand paper.

At this point the bowl is still a bit square and thick on one side. I will work on correcting this as I progress. I just wanted to share what I have so far and invite comments in the interest of heading off bad habits before I practice them to much. sorry I know the photo does not show the transition of the stem and bowl all that well.

I was actually surprised with how quickly the shaping has gone. The walnut is actually probably going to be to soft to make a pipe that will last very long. But I am learning some things about reaching my final desired shape. the, things I will do differently next time sort of things.

[JMG]

My first pipe was dubbed "the Gonad" on another forum I'm on...so I'd say you are light years ahead of my first pipe as it doesn't look like a testicle at all, One thing I would say is that you will want something to round the bottom of the tobacco chamber out with. Typically, you're not going to want a flat bottomed chamber for a few different reasons. Keep working and let's see it when it's all finished up! Good work so far.

[RadDavis]

So far, so good.

"Dunhill, Dr. Gaybow"?

Rad

[Sasquatch]

Time to mount silver or get a stem in there if you are not going to put the silver on. If you are shaping any further, you need to have a stem for reference.

[Daniel Y]

speaking of stem. being a penturner I have lots of acrylic rods around. would these work for a stem? Not looking for the best material or even long lived. But mainly something to get the correct shape out of. In the event Acrylic does work is it bent the same way as Ebonite or Vulcanite? I did realize that at this point I need to get the stem added. may have gone a bit to far already. but this is practice after all.

[KurtHuhn]

Hi Daniel. It's good to see you here!

Acrylic is absolutely suitable. It and ebonite make up the bulk of stem materials out there. A lot of the wilder stems I've made have been done from acrylic pen blanks I got at Woodcraft, and even polyester resin like Ed and Dawn sell at Exotic Blanks is suitable for stems as long as you don't plan on bending it (most examples tend to straighten out over time, no idea about alumilite though).

[Sasquatch]

Acrylic is just a little weird to bend - it is inflexible right up to the point where it is suddenly buttery-soft. Easy to burn, and bad results if you do. But it's good stem-stuff as Kurt says.

[Daniel Y]

Thanks guys, I will give the Acrylic a shot. I have a piece of quality rod here that I really like. would sort of sting if it straightens back out but I can't say I wasn't warned. The stem will look better than the pipe if it works out. I do plan to make this pipe in Briar eventually anyway so a nice stem would not go to waste.

[Nate]

After tenon/drilling/shaping is done and before bending, put a pipe cleaner in the airway. I haven't bent acrylic, but I assume the pipe cleaner technique is true for all stem bending. It will keep the airway from collapsing.

[RadDavis]

After tenon/drilling/shaping is done and before bending, put a pipe cleaner in the airway. I haven't bent acrylic, but I assume the pipe cleaner technique is true for all stem bending. It will keep the airway from collapsing.

There's really no need to do that. I've never put a cleaner in a stem to bend. Use your thumb like a tube bender, and you won't collapse the airway.

Rad

[flix]

Ah-hah! The ol' thumb trick! All these years using the index finger wasted. Thumbs, who woulda thunk...

[Nate]

After tenon/drilling/shaping is done and before bending, put a pipe cleaner in the airway. I haven't bent acrylic, but I assume the pipe cleaner technique is true for all stem bending. It will keep the airway from collapsing.

There's really no need to do that. I've never put a cleaner in a stem to bend. Use your thumb like a tube bender, and you won't collapse the airway.

Rad

Oh, ok, thanks Rad!

[daniel]

Ah-hah! The ol' thumb trick! All these years using the index finger wasted. Thumbs, who woulda thunk...

you made really laugh my ass of.

[flix]

Ah-hah! The ol' thumb trick! All these years using the index finger wasted. Thumbs, who woulda thunk...

you made really laugh my ass of.

Sorry you lost your ass, my bad...imagine life without a donkey, not good!