The joys of working with briar

JSPipes · Post by **JSPipes** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 6:45 pm

What a week. Block 1 had a hole through the shank into the airway.

Block 2 split at the shank and had a bunch of large pits, I mean a LOT! I was going to make a shop pipe out of it until the shank split right at another pit. Sheesh.

Block 3 has a gaping hole in the bottom - big enough to park a car, at least I can make a shop pipe out of it. I fit a stock lucite stem. I'm not going to cut a cumberland stem for a shop pipe!

What will block 4 have in store for me? I hope to find out tomorrow.

I rescued the day by roughing out a poker that will be rusticated and roughing out block 3 to use as an experiment. I wonder just how thin the walls around the base can be and not burn out? I'm gonna find out I expect! Both are ready for sanding.

Ugh.

So how many blocks in a row have you gone through that ended up as pipes that you won't sell or as scrap? I am now at 3 in a row. This ties my previous record. Hopefully I won't break it.

bvartist · Post by **bvartist** » Sat Jul 01, 2006 8:30 am

JSPipes wrote:So how many blocks in a row have you gone through that ended up as pipes that you won't sell or as scrap? I am now at 3 in a row. This ties my previous record. Hopefully I won't break it.

3 in a row is my record too! Lost 3, got through #4 without any major problems, then lost #5. (been on a winning streak ever since!!!) Must be the season for bad briar! The positive out of losing a block is the chance to experiment without losing a good piece! Its also very theraputic to watch one bounce off the walls of the shop occasionally!

David

ckr · Post by **ckr** » Sat Jul 01, 2006 9:37 am

I just bought 4 Kits - drilled.

1 huge pit right thru to the inner chamber.
2 crack in the outter rim of the shank extending 1/2 thru
3 2 pits on the inner chamber
4 unknown - started smoking it while a block

1 was a total waste, 2 lost most of the shank and had to put an extension on it so I wouldn't burn my nose, 3 keeping the walls wide hoping not to hit the two visible pits in the chamber.

My problem, never having made a pipe, is I wouldn't know a flawed block. All these defects were visible after the drilling so I kinda get the feeling that someone is using throw aways to furnish kits to us lower life forms.

Is that a ridiculas assumption?

In regards to 3, is that pipe likely to burn out?

So I guess lesson 1 is don't buy kits, but lathe.

<JS> Block 1 - has one side down to 1/8 with a 1/2 inch pit extending into the bacco chamber at the half way mark. It survived the initial 3 break in half bowls and the first 2 full bowls. It is starting to develop its character but man is is one ugly looking smoking apperatus.

PS.

Thanks all, my first pipe is almost finished and your posts have proved invaluable to the lower life form that have been lurking for weeks. My first pipe - can't even smoke it

sold to my brother for 4 habana's

Heinz_D · Post by **Heinz_D** » Sun Jul 02, 2006 5:19 pm

I just worked off the last block of a lot of 6 medium plateau blocks from Jeaume Home.

First I was rather disapointed about the briars quality, but finishing 3 good looking pipes out of 6 blocks seems to be a normal quote...

1 block was unusable with a really big flaw in the middle of the block (3 cm/more than 1" - no chance to cut a usable shape)!
1 block was totally full with sand pits and I destroyed it by trying to grind them all off... And the 3rd had a big flaw when I drilled the bowl so that I couldn't recover it.

I just got 4 large blocks from Marco Janzen and they don't look as good as Jeaumes befor cleening (they are very dirty and a lot of scratches from cutting). I started my #5 with one of these blocks and the quote of flaws and sand pits is terrible high! I'm grinding as much as I can without destroying the shape but I fear I've to rusticate it...

So, I think we must calculate with 30 to 50% of bad blocks! Buying lots seems to be dangerous too: The blocks of lots are often from the same root! Is the root bad It may be that the most blocks of the lot are bad too...

But in the end I'll buy again briar from Jeaume Home! I can get the blocks directly from the briar cutter and for the prices without any vendor I think I'll get a better quality over all...

Heinz_D

Post by **KurtHuhn** » Sun Jul 02, 2006 10:29 pm

ckr wrote:My problem, never having made a pipe, is I wouldn't know a flawed block. All these defects were visible after the drilling so I kinda get the feeling that someone is using throw aways to furnish kits to us lower life forms.

Is that a ridiculas assumption?

In regards to 3, is that pipe likely to burn out?

So I guess lesson 1 is don't buy kits, but lathe.

Even with a lathe, you're going to end up toss ing a block or two. Briar is finicky stuff, and flaws *will* show up just when you don't want them. Kit, raw block, no difference. At least with a kit, you know there's nothing in the bowl.

LexKY_Pipe · Post by **LexKY_Pipe** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 10:45 am

At some point we've all chucked a piece or two of briar for one reason or another. Sometimes the fun is trying to figure out how to recover a potentially flawed piece and still make a pipe with it.

ckr · Post by **ckr** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 11:32 am

Kurt wrote:

At least with a kit, you know there's nothing in the bowl.

Well that is what bothers me. The defects were apparent after the drilling to a knowing eye so I really question someone selling kits with cracked shanks and huge pits on the inner chamber wall. Also seems pretty dumb businesswise.

Even with a lathe, you're going to end up toss ing a block or two. Briar is finicky stuff, and flaws *will* show up just when you don't want them. Kit, raw block, no difference.

Ah, but if I buy a block of wood and I drill it then it would be my problem rather than paying for someone else's problem. I understand no one really knows what lies within until it is drilled and carved.

I don't think I am quite ready to spring for a lot of tooling but it seems wiser to shell my quahogs on equipment that I would need if I stick with this hobby as to buying kits that don't seem to be cutting it.

BTW - hello, from across the bay.

hazmat · Post by **hazmat** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 1:11 pm

CKR.. from whom are you getting your kits?? And don't let that throw you off the hobby. Everyone has this problem to some extent or another. Heck.. I just drilled a block the other day that had a flaw in the chamber.. oh well.. I'll finish it and smoke it myself until it burns out.

ckr · Post by **ckr** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 2:07 pm

Hazmat

It is more or less my opinion that a pipe maker is furnishing kits with his throw aways. However, being so new and lacking much experience I feel that WHO should not be mentioned. I could be wrong and if so I would not want to harm someones business. If I was taken - it certainly is not the first time. I look at kits as a low cost introduction to get your feet wet and as such a business should offer its best to encourage future business not as a means to capitalize on their losses.

Should I order any more kits, it will be from another supplier, and I will examine them for defects upon receipt and just return them if they are. If I receive all good kits it would strengthen my first opinion.

As for being "thrown off" - I fear you guys are stuck with me, something you may learn to regret.

hazmat · Post by **hazmat** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 2:16 pm

When I first started, I got kits from Mark Tinsky. A little more than most places, but he'll work with you in terms of finding you a good piece that will fit the type of pipe you want to make and other little things like that. I hope it's just a one-time thing for you in regards to the problems with the drilling you've had.

RadDavis · Post by **RadDavis** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 2:34 pm

I know that Mark doesn't use throwaways for his kits. I've been there when he just goes to the wood box, picks one out for a kit, and drills it.

I learned to make pipes on the kit blocks that he had drilled and then wouldn't sell because of flaws in the bowls, cracks in the shanks that weren't visible until drilling, etc.

Rad

ckr · Post by **ckr** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 2:40 pm

Hazmat and Rad

Thanks,

That is the kind of person I would like to do business with.

Post by **KurtHuhn** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 9:41 pm

ckr wrote:I don't think I am quite ready to spring for a lot of tooling but it seems wiser to shell my quahogs on equipment that I would need if I stick with this hobby as to buying kits that don't seem to be cutting it.

QUAHOGS?!

BTW - hello, from across the bay.

I figured you must be from around here. NOBODY knows what a quahog is unless you're from this small part of the country.

ckr · Post by **ckr** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 1:44 am

Yes the species is indigenous to this area, along with Narragansett Beer, I hear it is being brewed again.

Fumo in pace :pipe:

Post by **KurtHuhn** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 11:35 pm

IT IS! Being somewhat of a beer aficianado, I can say that "It Doesn't Suck". I still prefer my own , but I wouldn't walk away from a free bottle (which I do often enough with other brands).

Send me an email and stop by some time. You can taste what beer is supposed to taste like, and see me make pipes (not that that's how they're *supposed* to be made).

ckr · Post by **ckr** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 4:59 am

Sounds like a plan. I'll PM ya for details.

Possible I can score a case of http://www.narragansettbeer.net/ ,as I remember it wasn't the best beer - but we drank anything back then.

fumo in pace :pipe:

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The joys of working with briar

The joys of working with briar

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