Repair workshop photos (it'll look funny to most of you)

[LatakiaLover]

...what models are those benchtop buffers?

They're all Baldor 114's. (1/4hp, 1800 rpm)

The arbors (shaft extensions) came from Tim West.

[UncleDraken]

Aye, you have a good eye.

I no longer drink at all---and never did much or often---but when I did it was Laphroaig, Lagavulin, or Ardbeg.

And you have good taste! I remember Laphroaig and Lagavulin to be quite peaty. I haven't had the chance to try Ardberg yet, although I have a small taster bottle in my collection at the moment.

Well, if there's any fuller bottles you'd like to get rid of I'd be happy to take 'em off your hands

[wdteipen]

Awesome setup, George. A pipemaker could learn a lot in your shop.

[The Drinking Yeti]

Woah!

[oklahoma red]

GREAT setup!
I am curious as to how you came into possession of such a huge collection of old stem blanks.
Also, what is the narrowest belt you run on the Burr King? Do all of the various widths run on the same contact/drive wheel?
Chas.

[LatakiaLover]

I am curious as to how you came into possession of such a huge collection of old stem blanks.

It was a storage unit discovery situation, where the estate of a pipe repairman who'd had a shop in Colorado in the 1950's and '60's was found to include several chests filled with pipe stuff, and was liquidated by his grandkids. Everything was kept dry and dark the entire time, and was in mint condition.

Also, what is the narrowest belt you run on the Burr King? Do all of the various widths run on the same contact/drive wheel?

The catalog widths are 2", 1", and 1/2". They use the same idler wheel because it's crowned and doesn't care, but each width must have its own drive wheel when the machine is used for stems. Takes about 30 seconds to swap from one wheel & belt size to another. The Burr-King people say they'll make any non-standard width drive wheel you want, but be aware that obtaining belts in an odd size means working directly with 3M, and they require a 50 belt minimum order before they'll do it.

The narrow ones seem like a luxury until a saddle stem comes along... then they are essential. They also let me do some tricky "virtual lathe" work that a wide belt won't allow.

[oklahoma red]

Wow, what a stroke of luck getting those stems. Are you close to running out of any of them?

Have you ever attempted to split a wider belt to get a custom width?
Chas.

[LatakiaLover]

Wow, what a stroke of luck getting those stems. Are you close to running out of any of them?

Not yet. I doubt I'll live long enough to worry about it, either.

Have you ever attempted to split a wider belt to get a custom width?

It's easy enough to do with a two-part-metal-box-that-contains-a-blade-thingie you screw together around a belt, then pull the belt through and remove, but I've never seen the need. 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 cover things pretty well.

If you ever end up calling Burr-King, btw (I know pointedly curious questions when I see them), ask for Paul. A total pro. He rocks.

[caskwith]

Making your own belts is not to difficult if you make a jig to hold the edges together while you tape/glue them. Just depends if you really need those special sizes. I am happy with my 2" belts but I am going to set up for 1"......... one day