Billiard attempt

[RiverWader]

Seeing the fine pipes being posted for critique and the associated comments, I debated whether I should be posting anything. Then I figured 'what the hell'. This is really my first attempt at taking a block and creating something from scratch. I had a hell of a time with the stem before finding the tutorial and that helped me recover somewhat (those Sally nail files are great!). Still a whole lot of flaws but, with any luck, I will be able to look back one day and laugh. Even so, the pipe smoked pretty well so not without merit.

Thanks for looking.

-Pat

[W.Pastuch]

This pipe is not finished.
Take those sandapapers back out and sand the stem again, carefully, 320, 400, 600 grit, then polish with red compuound and white compound. Before you do that take a file and give an actual shape to the button, look at some mid grade pipes for reference on what a very basic button design looks like. Take some photos when you're done and look at the difference, you will learn a lot.

[Joe Hinkle Pipes]

now THAT is what I expect to see on a first pipe. No doubt about it, its your first. As was previously stated the stem needs a lot of work. The stummel doesn't look too bad. I have seen much worse. You need to remove the bulge on the bottom of the bowl where it dips below the line of the shank. The bowl is probably at 90 degrees, which makes it look like its leaning back. Cant the bowl forward a few degrees to eliminate that effect. I will make a suggestion that I haven't seen mentioned before. Finish your pipes as smooths, no matter how bad the grain is. it will give you practice with finishing, but more importantly it will allow you (and everyone here) to see the true shape of the pipe and where to help on shaping.

[RiverWader]

Thanks guys. Yeah, the stem is trash. Truth be told, I was into my third piece of acrylic before I looked at Kurt's photo tutorial. I did everything from misuse the lathe to break a bit off in one piece. The button on this is so thin I can't do anymore without breaking into the air hole area. I think there is still more I could do to improve the stem (wavy top instead of straight, still too much material in general, and the sanding is marginal at best). For me, I'd reached a point that it was just time to take my learnings and move on.

Joe- Thanks for your feedback on the stummel. I noticed the bulge you are referring to but not until after applying stain. This will definitely give me something to pay closer attention too. I drilled for a 90 degree stummel/shank angle and agree that it is too severe or something. I'll try the offset next time.

-Pat

[sandahlpipe]

The button on this is so thin I can't do anymore without breaking into the air hole area.

The button is still too thick. Get yourself a dial caliper and don't settle for anything less than 4mm behind the button. If you can't get the button thinner, make sure you're drilling the slot with a 1/16" drill bit for the last inch or so of the stem and funnel to the sides.

[RiverWader]

I got too aggressive with the a slot funneling tool I got from Steve Norse. And ended up with a less than straight, off centered slot. Lack of a picture of that part of the pipe was not an accident!

-Pat

[Ratimus]

For me, I'd reached a point that it was just time to take my learnings and move on.

I promise I'm not trying to be a jerk, but what does this mean? If you don't properly complete a project, what do you hope to gain from doing the next one? Put another way, if you do not put the effort into e.g. finishing the stem, you will learn nothing about finishing stems.

Is the purpose of this pipe to learn? If so, I would keep working on it and learn the most I could before moving onto the next one. If the purpose of the pipe is just to have a cool pipe, why not make it as cool as possible?

They say the first 20% of your effort takes you 80% of the way to completion. If you skip out on the majority of the hard work toward the end, you will never make anything that is more than 80% awesome.

Sorry if I come across as harsh; I just know how hard it is to fight the urge to settle for mediocrity and keep pushing into the stuff you don't like to do but know that you need to do. All I can say is keep pushing. The end result is TOTALLY worth it.

[RiverWader]

Ratimus-

I totally agree with your perspective but have a different approach to the solution. My belief is that regardless of the work I put into that stem, I will still have something that I am dissatisfied with. So, when one learns that the path taken won't get you to your destination, change course as soon as possible instead of continuing down the wrong path. I would learn some good things to be certain but still wouldn't have my 'cool pipe'.

My path forward involves throwing it out and crafting a new stem that will satisfy me. As soon as my order for more acrylic gets in, I'll do just that. I like to think I'm harder on myself than any of you will ever be (although reading some of the critiques, that belief may be challenged at times ). In that vein, I have already filed down the bump Joe mentioned and will to reduce the radius between bowl and shank (not mentioned but after looking at other billiards, a needed modification).

BTW, love that quote!

-Pat

[Ratimus]

That I can respect. As Brooks Jensen (publisher of LensWork magazine) says, "Practice does not make perfect...PERFECT practice makes perfect.

Probably a good call on starting over; sometimes a project is beyond redemption and you just need to start over. I just wanted to encourage you not to quit on account of frustration something that you could see to the end and possibly benefit from.