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You are correct, of course, but as an engineer I believe in efficiency i.e., using the right tool for the job.

I'm still impressed though.

Todd

fuchi_jeg wrote:or just rip off some dunhill shape and make it look like a cheap peterson. I have to try to make the stem/shank fit better, but I think this is my PITH pipe. I have some touching up to do tomorrow. I will post in the gallery when it is totally finished.

I got fuchi_jeg's pipe a few days ago and finally had time to smoke it. It's a nice little pipe. There are quite a few scratches on the stem, particularly near the button. The stem/shank junction also has a gap around the edges. The draw is adequate, but could be just a hair more open. The button could also stand to be thinner and have a slightly lower profile. All that being said, the shaping on this pipe is really great. It's very symmetrical; the diamond shank is really well done and looks perfect. Other than the aforementioned gap, the shank shape transitions very nicely into the stem shape. And the stem is very, very well shaped. Really crisp lines and, despite the small scratches, a very shiny finish. The stummel is well finished and doesn't seem to have any scratches that were overlooked. The pipe smokes really well, with no whistles or gurgles. Thanks fuchi_jeg, it's a pleasure to smoke. Nice work!

Thanks Tim. I spent quite a long time trying to make the junction fit better, but it ended up just shifting the gap to a different area. It was my first integral tenon and I hadn't quite figured out how to square the shoulder on a wood lathe. I resanded the stem to try to remove the scratches, but was afraid to do too much and throw the symmetry off on the diamond. I am not 100% sure they weren't from the buffing wheel. I apologize for the bad finish, but it was in An attempt not make a bad pipe worse. After looking at the pipe I recieved from Andrew closely I now have a better grasp on button size. I was making them monstrous because I though they looked cleaner.

Also, I pmEd Andrew with a review of his pipe. Did you ever get it?

fuchi_jeg wrote:Thanks Tim. I spent quite a long time trying to make the junction fit better, but it ended up just shifting the gap to a different area. It was my first integral tenon and I hadn't quite figured out how to square the shoulder on a wood lathe.

Even on a metal lathe you won't get a perfectly square shoulder, nor should you attempt to. The radius on the shoulder there acts as a strain relief in the event that the pipe is dropped, and when the tenon/stem junction is under any sort of stress. A sharp, square shoulder will actually promote the tenon snapping off by concentrating all the forces in that one tiny area, while a radiused shoulder spreads the load out over a comparatively huge area.

To solve the problem of the shoulder interfering with stem fitment, just countersink the mortis to fit the shoulder. A 60-degree countersink will usually do the job as long as the shoulder is a reasonable size.

KurtHuhn wrote:Even on a metal lathe you won't get a perfectly square shoulder, nor should you attempt to. The radius on the shoulder there acts as a strain relief in the event that the pipe is dropped, and when the tenon/stem junction is under any sort of stress. A sharp, square shoulder will actually promote the tenon snapping off by concentrating all the forces in that one tiny area, while a radiused shoulder spreads the load out over a comparatively huge area.

To solve the problem of the shoulder interfering with stem fitment, just countersink the mortis to fit the shoulder. A 60-degree countersink will usually do the job as long as the shoulder is a reasonable size.

This is something I've been working on as well. I've been going over pipes in my collection and squinting at tenons online. Does this diagram sum it up correctly?

I've seen a few like this as well:

You want the transition from the face to the tenon to be a radius. ANY sharp corners creates a stress riser.

And you will need a countersink on the shank to allow clearance for that radius to eliminate the shank to stem gaposis.

Well, I think its about time I posted some comments on AaronC's pipe. I've run about 7 bowls through it now, so I think I have a pretty good idea how it smokes. I've already pm'ed Aaron about my first impressions, but let me give the board a run-down:

The first thing that struck me was how small it was. I was expecting a larger pipe, but there was nothing in the photos that could give some scale. It looks like something Caminetto would make, in other words a pipe a 6+ inches, but this thing is a diminutive 4 5/8"

I scoured the pipe, looking for something to critique on right off the bat. I am honest when I say I found nothing outside of aesthetics and personal preference that I would change. The drilling is almost perfect, the shape is symmetrical, the rustication provides a wonderful texture, the stem is perfectly polished, the tenon is chamfered, the bit is thin, but has a nice open slot.



Smoking this thing is a breeze. Perfect wide open draw as long as I pack it right. I'm breaking it in with some PS English Luxury. I got a lot of great flavour out of this pipe along with clouds of thick creamy smoke. She can smoke a little hot, but that's not unusual. I think the craggy rustication really helps dissipate some of the heat.

Two things that bothered me: First, the tenon on the pipe is rather long for its size. Second, the stem is a little narrow, too narrow for me to put a softie on. I know a lot of guys don't like softies, but I hate tooth marks on my pipes.

Overall, If I didn't know where this pipe came from I would not be able to distinguish it from some other high grade pipes. I definitely would expect to pay some big bucks for it, in any event.

Conclusion: Mr. Aaron Chase makes a damn fine pipe.

Ocelot, you are too kind sir! Thank you very much. I truly appreciate your feedback and the kind words. Most of all, I'm very happy to hear it's smoking well. I can't wait to do it again next year!