question about air hole below mortice

[calsbeek]

drilled a full bent today and the angle for the airway put the entry point a little lower below the mortice than is probably ideal. I've got about 1mm of clearance to the shank.

I am going to put an inlay/spacer/adornment (whatever you call it) in the stem and I wonder if I'm better off epoxy'ing the finishing slice of ebonite directly to the shank to cover that hole. maybe it doesn't matter?

I'm a little concerned that when i sand the shank to round it flush with the stem that I'll enter the end of the airway. That won't affect the smoke since the tenon enters the airway lower down, but it'll put a hole in the shank
any advice?

[Sasquatch]

Advice for the future: don't drill like that. Using a 5/16" mortise (and deep it looks) on an Oom Paul is just silly. 3/8" or wider, and a less deep mortise, and you can have the drilling angle you need without the theatrics.

Advice for now: cut a tiny briar dowel and glue it in there. Shape the pipe as needed, and sandblast if you expose the area.

[Sasquatch]

Oh, and as is, your mortise is weak like powderpuff, so filling that drill hole isn't merely optional imho. Fill it, cap it, don't do it again!

[calsbeek]

If I use delrin tenons whats my other option?
and why is it weak if thats the standard delrin? Its .5" deep or so. Is the mortice the problem or the messed up airway drill?

sorry to be dense....

[calsbeek]

oh wait, you're saying its weak because its going to break into the airway entry hole?

[Sasquatch]

Correct. You must fill that hole or the walls will break I guess.


Delrin or not - buy 3/8" stock for the next. I stock 1/4" to 1/2" delrin. Big mortises save lives!

[calsbeek]

ah, only just found delrin in diameters other than the 5/16 I've been buying.
stupid.

thanks oh yee of large feet.

[RDPowell]

Just to add and maybe clarify, I always try and make the draft and mortise intersect at a point where the draft always meets the base of my mortise
no matter what size mortise I use 5/16" or 3/8" on bent pipes that way I don't run into problems like yours. I know I haven't made many pipes and my knowledge is lacking to say the least but, I think most will agree with me on this...............well maybe most.

[notow1]

ah, only just found delrin in diameters other than the 5/16 I've been buying.
stupid.

thanks oh yee of large feet.

Did You just call Sasquatch stupid? Norm.

[calsbeek]

it was more of a self-reflection.....

[Sasquatch]

Just to add and maybe clarify, I always try and make the draft and mortise intersect at a point where the draft always meets the base of my mortise
no matter what size mortise I use 5/16" or 3/8" on bent pipes that way I don't run into problems like yours. I know I haven't made many pipes and my knowledge is lacking to say the least but, I think most will agree with me on this...............well maybe most.

Try a larger airway, your pipes will smoke better!

[RDPowell]

Just to add and maybe clarify, I always try and make the draft and mortise intersect at a point where the draft always meets the base of my mortise
no matter what size mortise I use 5/16" or 3/8" on bent pipes that way I don't run into problems like yours. I know I haven't made many pipes and my knowledge is lacking to say the least but, I think most will agree with me on this...............well maybe most.

Try a larger airway, your pipes will smoke better!

What size do you suggest sir?

[wdteipen]

Sasquatch's advice is one option but consider that if you plug and cap the hole the owner won't be able to ream the airway. As it is, it isn't completely out of the realm of acceptability. I think your best option is to use a dremel or drill bit and remove the thin sliver of briar between your mortise and airway and continue with the adornment on the stem side. Sometimes this is your only option with certain designs. The better option is to drill your airway higher in the mortise then ramp it if your design allows it. Bent pipes (especially more severely bent ones) typically require some form of compromise ie. shortening the shank, ramping the airway, using a larger diameter mortise, shortening the mortise and tenon, or notching the mortise. Your best option will depend on your design.

[Sasquatch]

Just to add and maybe clarify, I always try and make the draft and mortise intersect at a point where the draft always meets the base of my mortise
no matter what size mortise I use 5/16" or 3/8" on bent pipes that way I don't run into problems like yours. I know I haven't made many pipes and my knowledge is lacking to say the least but, I think most will agree with me on this...............well maybe most.

Try a larger airway, your pipes will smoke better!

What size do you suggest sir?

Something thicker than a pencil line.


Acutally because of how the airway terminates in pipes like this, I use a small airway than normal on these, 1/8" or 5/32" at biggest. Seeing a huge big oval where they holes meet is kind of ugly and I worry about tobacco jamming it up.

[RDPowell]

Something thicker than a pencil line.


Acutally because of how the airway terminates in pipes like this, I use a small airway than normal on these, 1/8" or 5/32" at biggest. Seeing a huge big oval where they holes meet is kind of ugly and I worry about tobacco jamming it up.

Okay, so my drawing skills aren't so good anymore nor have a machinist's accuracy but, it was just as an example.
I've been using a 9/64" and although the drawing shows the draft going into the bowl much deeper then it really does or should I can understand what you mean about a oval draft hole at the entrance to the chamber when using a larger bit.

[calsbeek]

Interesting Sas, that you use a narrow airway in this pipe shape. I used 11/32 based on your other points about large airways being better. The lessons continue i guess.

Wayne, why go through the exercise of removing the sliver of briar? Is it just to avoid having it break later and leave an unfinished form there?

As an aside, I'm still nowhere near producing a sellable pipe so this will either be mine or something I give away to a buddy.

[Tyler]

All other issues/opinions aside, you need to take some length off the end of the shank so you have some room to work with on the bottom of the shank. As is, you'll either expose the draft hole or have a paper thin area.

I am more with Wayne on the acceptability of this type of drilling...no big deal. You have an exterior problem more than interior, IMO.

[wdteipen]

Wayne, why go through the exercise of removing the sliver of briar? Is it just to avoid having it break later and leave an unfinished form there?

Yes. By removing it you eliminate the unpredictability of the break. In someone else's hands it may break out a big chunk of the mortise, have a partial break that keeps the stem from fitting flush, it may break off and look bad, etc.

[calsbeek]

Ok I think I'm going to try to combine the best of all of these ideas.
I took a slice off the shank which brought the air hole closer to the mortise. Now I plan to reface the shank and then re-drill the mortice with a larger bit (3/8" per Sas). This plan is:

a. excellent
b. a shit show waiting to happen
c. theoretically a good idea but you'll screw it up anyway

[kamkiel]

I say D. It'll be a nice problem solving exercise and experience. I have learned a lot about making pipes by fixing (or trying to fix) the areas I screwed up, broke, etc.

Kiel