Spoon Bits

[T. Pollock]

Hey guys, I'm making a few spoon bits for pipe maker friends. I don't have a website but I do have a FB page for my pipes. If you would be interested in one of these shoot me a message on FB on my personal page Tim Pollock or my pipes page:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/TPPipes/
When I finish this group of bits I won't be making anymore for awhile as it's too much trouble changing back an forth from machining metal to doing pipes so if you're interested please let me know now. No price listed here as I wasn't sure it was OK to do so, but you can find all the info on my FB page.

[T. Pollock]

66 views with no replies. I got the same response when I posted here before, A lot of overly friendly pipe makers here! Oh well I just accepted my last order on these for now, was just trying to do a favor for a few fellow pipe makers, not sure if I'll make anymore later or not as they're a pain in the ass to make. Don't blame you guys I'd rather pay $100 for a lesser bit too, the name is surely worth wasting another $25.

[W.Pastuch]

Well, maybe your spoon bits are great. Maybe they suck. We don't know.
When a known pipemaker offers spoon bits for sale most people assume he knows exactly how they work because he successfully tested them on hundreds of chambers.
I looked on your fb profile and the only demonstration of your bits is drilling some wood (not briar) chucked on the lathe with the bit mounted in the tailstock. For this type of work you don't need a spoon bit. Almost anyone can make a bit that will work in that configuration, there was even a tutorial here on the forum somewhere.
The reason for using spoon bits is they are supposed to cut smoothly and easily into a previously shaped piece of briar that you hold with your bare hands- if you make a demonstration showing that your bits can do that, then you might get more people interested.

P.S.
Nobody ever said we're friendly. Some people here would get very offended if you called them friendly

[T. Pollock]

Well, at least I pissed somebody off enough to respond, maybe I just took the wrong aproach. You know what they say about ass uming... just because you've never heard of me doesn't mean I'm not a known pipe maker. If spoon bits are made for free handed drilling "only" as you say, there's a shit load of "Well Know" pipe makers using them the wrong way. Maybe you could straighten all these guys out.

[W.Pastuch]

Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realize you were a master carver with 30 years' experience in pipemaking. I apologize.

About the spoon bits - I never said they could be used only for freehand drilling, you can use them on the lathe for standard tailstock drilling as well. However, their shape is developed specifically for the purpose of freehand drilling. This means they are in a way overkill for tailstock drilling - any bit, either reshaped S&D or spade bit will work. So if you have a drill bit that was designed to do freehand drilling, but it only works on the lathe it kind of makes no sense, you see my point?

And I'm not pissed off, I don't know why you ass ummed that.

[d.huber]

Well, at least I pissed somebody off enough to respond, maybe I just took the wrong aproach. You know what they say about ass uming... just because you've never heard of me doesn't mean I'm not a known pipe maker. If spoon bits are made for free handed drilling "only" as you say, there's a shit load of "Well Know" pipe makers using them the wrong way. Maybe you could straighten all these guys out.

Maybe we should. They're using their spoon bits incorrectly.

If I use a hammer to open a box, it definitely works but I wouldn't claim that's its intended use.

Spade bits should be used when drilling as you've described. Spoon bits for pipe making are designed specifically for free hand drilling. You can use them as you've described, but that doesn't mean they're being used correctly.

Also, I'd like to see some names of "Well Known" pipe makers using spoon bits this way.

[d.huber]

Tim, is there anywhere that we can see some of your work?

I admit I didn't dig very deeply, but I was only able to find a YouTube video of some older work and a few photos on your FaceBook Page.

[RobEsArt]

I'm trying to be helpful..

Posting images isn't difficult. You need to use the image brackets only once on either end of the web address.






I'm curious, what is the purpose of the "blood groove" on the backside of the bit?

[wdteipen]

The groove is to reduce friction and therefor reduce heat. It's a good design although I think you could cut the grooves even wider. I'm not crazy about the profile of the tapered bit. That's just personal preference. But, I like the rounded bits. If I didn't already have a bunch, I'd buy yours.

[Joe Hinkle Pipes]

For what its worth I didnt comment because the photos wouldnt load.

[d.huber]

Oh! Lol! I meant your pipes.

Your original post didn't load the spoon bit images but the links still did. Just clicked through to see them.

IAWW about the profile on the longer bit.

[Alden]

I'd be willing to bet most here who wanted spoon bits already have Brads, Kens, Todds or Jeffs bits.
If you had offered this 2 or 3 years ago when there was not an easy souce for them there would have been a lot more interest.

[T. Pollock]

Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realize you were a master carver with 30 years' experience in pipemaking. I apologize.

About the spoon bits - I never said they could be used only for freehand drilling, you can use them on the lathe for standard tailstock drilling as well. However, their shape is developed specifically for the purpose of freehand drilling. This means they are in a way overkill for tailstock drilling - any bit, either reshaped S&D or spade bit will work. So if you have a drill bit that was designed to do freehand drilling, but it only works on the lathe it kind of makes no sense, you see my point?

And I'm not pissed off, I don't know why you ass ummed that.

Relax Dude, I never said I was a master carver nor how many years experience I had. I have a pretty good sense of humor and was being sarcastic and over exaggerating the facts to get some response.

[T. Pollock]

Tim, is there anywhere that we can see some of your work?

I admit I didn't dig very deeply, but I was only able to find a YouTube video of some older work and a few photos on your FaceBook Page.

Tyler I'm trying to get more YouTube videos up and more photos on FB. I don't have a website yet. I'm disabled and not able to do a bunch of pipes but I love making them, talking pipes, and helping new makers anyway I can to get started.

[T. Pollock]

Thank you RobEsArt!

[T. Pollock]

The groove is to reduce friction and therefor reduce heat. It's a good design although I think you could cut the grooves even wider. I'm not crazy about the profile of the tapered bit. That's just personal preference. But, I like the rounded bits. If I didn't already have a bunch, I'd buy yours.

Thanks Wayne! The profile on the tapered bit was specified by the customer, I'm not very fond of it either but that's what he says he likes.

[Charl]

The way I see it, Tim is just trying to be helpful and what better place than here?
Thanks for the offer, Tim!

[T. Pollock]

Thanks for all the responses guys! I really don't want to get into making a bunch of spoon bits, I'd rather be making pipes with what little time I have. Just thought I'd offer while I was already making some in case someone needed one but couldn't afford the more expensive ones.

[T. Pollock]

The way I see it, Tim is just trying to be helpful and what better place than here?
Thanks for the offer, Tim!

Thank you Charl, that's all I was trying to do brother. I have Narcolepsy and am disabled so I'm not able to make as many pipes as most other makers, but I love helping other makers any way that I can especially new makers!
I was being sarcastic as a way of cutting up with you guys to try to get some response... it may have not went over very well with everyone but my intentions were good.

[Tyler]

Tim, is there anywhere that we can see some of your work?

I admit I didn't dig very deeply, but I was only able to find a YouTube video of some older work and a few photos on your FaceBook Page.

Tyler I'm trying to get more YouTube videos up and more photos on FB. I don't have a website yet. I'm disabled and not able to do a bunch of pipes but I love making them, talking pipes, and helping new makers anyway I can to get started.

How'd I get swept up in this?