Very first steps...

[diogenis]

Hello everyone! I don't know why i write in this forum, i'm not i pipe maker but i want to be. This is an idea that worked and i think now it's the moment! The problem is that i'm very beginner and i know almost nothing about pipe making. Search to the net find some information but very little about the very first steps of pipe making. I find and the pimo's book. Do you believe this book would be helpful? I would appreciate any help and advice. Thank you.

[Ocelot55]

I DID NOT find the Pimo book helpful at all, but that was only my experience. The best way to learn is to do. Don't feel like you have to start practicing on briar. You can use another inexpensive wood to start, just make sure not to smoke it unless the wood is nontoxic. Pre-molded stems can be found on Pipe Maker's Emporium.

You can also start by buying several kits with the drilling done and the stem fitted already. Mark Tinsky sells some very nice kits.

[Massis]

For absolute beginners, predrilled blocks with a prefab stem are by far the best way to start in my opinion!

PME has them, but you can get them from danpipe (europe, Germany), Mark Tinsky, PIMO (I believe) and many other places.

[the rev]

I have purchased many kits from Mark Tinsky and they are a very good way to start learning to carve. Like most things you really can't concentrate on too many things at once. By buying the kits, you can focus on your carving and finishes, then start working on drilling and other skills a bit later. This route is not only very fun... but it will yield some results that for sure can be smoked, and will encourage you to keep at it

rev

[wmolaw]

Let me pipe in as I am still a newbie.

I started with a pre-drilled kit, as noted, a great way to start!

I bought the PIMO book,did not find it very useful.

As noted, buy some cherry wood or some other cheap wood that you can actually smoke, and try your carving skills on those pieces of cheap wood.

Read through this site, search this site, and that will be the best way you can learn to carve pipes.

Note, I wish to advise you that carving is addictive, and expensive as you begin to tool up! The more you do, the more you want to do, the more you want to buy a metal lathe, new bits, rod stock, more briar, and on and on and on!

[d.huber]

Skip the PIMO book and just read every thread on this forum. You'll learn worlds more than the book would teach you.

[waznyf]

+1 Uber!
I have not found much useful info in PIMOs book. Everything I've learned has been on this forum.

Regards,
Frank


"Without music, life would be a mistake." -Friedrich Nietzsche

[OregonCustom]

I bought Pimo's book.... The book will give you some ideas, this forum will tell you how to turn your ideas into a functional pipe to smoke. In short, skip the book read the forum.

[PremalChheda]

There is more than enough information on this forum to learn how to make pipes. Videos on youtube are also abundant to see some of the procedures in action. Ultimately, you have to get your hands dirty, and the easiest way is to get a pre-drilled block and go at it.

[The Smoking Yeti]

Amen to what they say, pre-drilled block= awesome start. Once you get first pipe pics up, things'll snowball and you'll be taking TJ's job in a year.

[diogenis]

thank you for the useful replies! Which wood do you reccoment for the start?

[wdteipen]

I started with the PIMO book and didn't find it useful either. I learned more from Tyler's old website but I don't think it's still accessible. The forum is a superior source of info although it doesn't spell it out in step by step instruction so it will take a bit more effort to line up a process.

[wdteipen]

thank you for the useful replies! Which wood do you reccoment for the start?

Honestly, I would still start with briar. Find a source for cheap, lower quality blocks to start. Tinsky and PIMO sells some. I'm sure there are other good sources for cheap briar. Don't worry about the quality of the wood in the beginning. That's a mistake I made and wasted too many expensive and nice blocks early on.

[somedumbjerk]

i bought the reject blocks from pimo for my first two pipes. they smoke great! had some flaws of course, but they where like half off. i think JH has some cheap briar, but it isn't predrilled. actually carving the block was the only thing that let me grasp what i was getting into. nothing made sense until i went at it. the wood is like, aluminium or brass, it's not like a wood. cutting it with a crappy coping saw is pretty difficult. plus around $30 for a predrilled block that will smoke better than most pipes, and you will have pride because YOU made it is a pretty good deal. you can blow $30 in a bar in like 20 mins, might as well spend it on something that you can learn from and will have for the rest of your life! sorry i'm only two pipes deep but cheesin' on the hobby. i haven't been this jazzed since the first time i brewed good beer.

[Charl]

Congrats on getting the bug!

[Massis]

Jaume hom's Ebauchon blocks are quite a good starterset too! They set me back about $85 for 30, including shipping. They're not huge, but certainly big enough to make decent pipes out of them.