My latest creation

bvartist · Post by **bvartist** » Wed May 18, 2005 6:03 pm

Been away from posting for a while. Off working on other things. But thought I'd post a pic of my latest creation. I am still very new at this pipe making thing but I think this one is ok. Would like some constructive criticism also. None of us can get better if we don't know what to work on! And before someone says something, the chamfer between the shank and bit was planned. Just trying something different. What does everybody think?

achduliebe · Post by **achduliebe** » Thu May 19, 2005 8:36 am

Hey nice pipe. Cool looking stem (hand-cut?). Nice stain also. The stem looks to be a tad bit off in relation to the lines of the shank. Almost like the mortise is a little cocked. Still a very good looking pipe though.

What is the transition piece between the stem and shank?

Nick · Post by **Nick** » Thu May 19, 2005 8:51 am

Very nice pice. I see what brian is taslking about too. The mortise looks like it was off a hair. Additionally the bend looks a bit jerky. Its not a single smooth line. All in all a really nice piece though. The stummel is well shaped and looks really sharp.

bvartist · Post by **bvartist** » Thu May 19, 2005 9:43 am

HI,
Bryan, thanks for your comments and suggestions. Yes the mortise in the shank is a little off. I knew that happened when I drilled it. I am not sure what happened but it ended up the same angle as my draft hole. Maybe I used the wrong layout line???? I don't know. The stem isn't hand cut. I'm still working on completing a stem from scratch. Can't quite get the slit in the lip right. This stem started life as a standard round saddle and I did some modifications to it.

The transition piece between the stem and shank is a material called starlight metal-flake. Its a resin based product with what looks to be either mylar or maybe mica in it. Bought it from Woodcraft. The only problem I encountered using it was polishing compounds tend to stick to it and it takes a lot of buffing to clean it up. But its different and interesting to use!
Thanks again! And if you have any suggestions on stem cutting I'd like to hear them.
David

bscofield · Post by **bscofield** » Thu May 19, 2005 10:22 am

It really is a nice pipe... I have to get that out of the way before the rest. But I mean it too...

Your shank has a bend at the end of it (deja vu?)

The stem problem you know. Are you drilling your airway first? If so, you might to try and do the mortise before the airway.

The angle at which the bowl flows down (as seen in pics #1 & #3) are neither matching nor complimentary. They are almost there, but then the shank side of the bowl does a sort of flare.

The bowl seems to have some issues with it's overall shape (from what I can see in pic #2). Like you were going for some sort of oval meaty shape in the back, but it seems like the symmetry is off...

That's what I can see from the pic. If I were you I'd work on the lines on the bowl (flowing down), the straightness of the shank, and the lines on the bowl as viewed from above.

My $0.02.

Seriously tho, you have lots of good stuff in there. Just needs some refining (don't we all!?).

bvartist · Post by **bvartist** » Fri May 20, 2005 7:54 am

Thanx for your $.02 Ben. At this point of my pipe making its worth a lot more than that. This one being just my 5th pipe I'm very happy with it. And for any of us to get better, we've got to know what to work on. With each one I make I learn a little more about it.

I can't slide anything past you can I? Most of the problems with the shape are the direct result of the problem I had with the mortise (the bend in the shank, and also the top of the shank is more oval than I wanted toward the bowl). Except the shape of the stem side of the bowl. I got a little carried away with my bandsaw removing the waste and didn't leave myself enough briar to work with. I was hoping to get away with that one!

I've wondered if it would be easier or better to drill the airway after the mortise, but everything else I've read or heard says to drill the air hole first. Thanks for the suggestion, I'll give that one a try. Anything in doing things that way I need to watch out for?
Appreciate any advice!
David

bscofield · Post by **bscofield** » Fri May 20, 2005 9:04 am

Yes. Same thing only less difficult, IMO. Instead of the mortise wanting to follow the airway, the airway may want to follow the mortise. But since the mortise is larger, it's not really a guide path like it is in the reverse. All you have to do is watch and make sure you don't use the mortise walls as an unintentional guide. If you mortise bit is pointed it's going to try and slide to the center of the mortise point. If that's the case I find it's sometimes helpful to use something to make an initial inditation at the entry point you desire. That way the drill bit will tend to settle in that indentation rather than the bottom of the mortise.

bvartist · Post by **bvartist** » Fri May 20, 2005 10:52 am

Do you drill the holes on a drill press? I use a chuck on my lathe and use an end mill that gives me a flat bottom to the mortise. And when you mentioned drilling the airway after the mortise, I though of using a punch to start the airway hole. I think that would help the bit from walking off center. The difficulty I see for my setup is cutting into the mortise walls while drilling the airway. I don't always get my block centered perfectly in the lathe chuck. Other than that, it seems to me an easier method. That way there is no previous hole for the bit to follow. I will give it a try!

David