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A billiard for comment/critique please

Posted: Sun Aug 11, 2019 6:36 pm
by shikano53
Haven't made anything in a long while. I have been practicing on maple and cherry wood. I decided to chuck up a piece of briar and work on a billiard.
Any comments or critique would be appreciated.
Thank all in advance.

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Re: A billiard for comment/critique please

Posted: Sun Aug 11, 2019 7:41 pm
by Sasquatch
That long flat slop on the back of the bowl has to go, it's killing the upright gesture that a billiard is:

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Other than that basic proportions are all right - sometimes a slightly shorter shank is required on a billiard with a saddle stem - there's extra visual weight at the saddle.

The stem looks like it's about 1 mm bigger diameter than the shank. Could just be the lighting, but it actually looks like you found a stem and plugged it into this stummel.

The rustication is awful, looks like a combination of wormy wood and cheap lacquer. Texture until the whole thing has texture, those flat areas scream "basket pipe", all the more because they aren't finished well.

Cheeks and bowl shape look pretty even and pretty good, the hard stuff is done well.

Re: A billiard for comment/critique please

Posted: Sun Aug 11, 2019 8:22 pm
by shikano53
Thanks Sasquatch. All points noted and will be taken into consideration on the next try.

Re: A billiard for comment/critique please

Posted: Mon Aug 12, 2019 3:11 pm
by shikano53
Here are a few pics of my change up trying to incorporate the comments made.
You are correct Sasquatch; the stem is up by a tiny smidgen. The finish is just Natural Danish Oil.
On with the learning curve.
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Re: A billiard for comment/critique please

Posted: Mon Aug 12, 2019 3:37 pm
by RickB
Definitely better. When you're carving the front (or back ;) ) of the bowl - the chin, in either regard - mark a point on the underside of the center of the chamber. That's where the chin starts, and then everything behind that through the shank should be dead flat. You'll want to bring that back (or front?) of the bowl in more too - it should be pretty close to a 90 degree angle with the shank... depending on the amount of taper in your shank (refer to the pic from Sas on that).
Get ready to make like 50 of these before you feel like you can really nail them, or so I've been told. I just finished my 8th billiard and it's almost a good pipe.

Re: A billiard for comment/critique please

Posted: Mon Aug 12, 2019 4:28 pm
by shikano53
Thanks Rick! I will too!