RIGHT:Savinelli 1261 - Dry System with balsa filter, my model
BLUE:Cherrywood - Test Run
LEFT:Rusticated and shape lost
BTW: Contrary to what I have read the Cherry caked very easily, it also is a smokes as nicely as the Savinelli. After the cake formed it imparts no taste/flavor to the tobacco that I can detect. The blocks were boiled for about 12 hours, 4 water changes and are now 8 months old. The wood was extremely easy to work with and worked well with the unconventional color. A stock wellington bit was used and I felt it was kinda short but wow does that make it easy.
I found it very enjoyable to model out on a free block without having the worry of screwing up. I'll enjoy it when I can work on briar without that apprehension. Oh, there is one block not shown that was chambered about 1/8 inch too deep and at these angles the result is a real killer.
The rusticated one (my first rusty) had a nice pit on the left side, after removal I lost most of the curve and it is more of a brandy glass shape. I over compensated cutting the red/black acrylic rod and the stem is about a 1/2 inch too long.
The final pretty much hit the shape I wanted and the stem came out very well (IMO). My biggest set back was when I applied the black at 400 grit. It took so deeply that when wet sanding at 600 grit it just would not come out and I had to drop back to 400. It did not go according to plan and I am not sure if it was the wood or if I over heated it. I applied the yellow after 600 and the red after 800. The same looks awsome on my brother's X-mas present but not as striking of a contrast on this one. Unfortunately it is wrapped.
All in all I feel it came out ok, dealing the wellington caps and the ?military mount? stem was a learning experience. On the rusticated one I sanded some from the top rear to fit the cap. Wrong, it skewed the angle of the cap with the stem. In the last I left in 1/2 inch dowel in the mortise while shaping and removing wood as a guide to have it all line up.
The stem dot is a core drilling from a rhodinite knife scale.
The stems are also interchangable, real neat!
Yes, I need a light box at some point.
And finally, Merry Christmas to all!
