Pipes 5 and 6

[DanH]

Hi All,

This is my first post. Here are the two most recent pipes I've made. I'm obviously no pro. I know they aren't perfect, but I'm trying to think of the work I'm doing now not as pipe-making, but rather as "practice at making pipes." And with that in mind, they are at least partially successful, as (I hope) I've learned from my mistakes.

I'm not sure that I want to pursue a full-time career in pipemaking, but I do enjoy it and hope to keep doing it, and perhaps someday maybe selling some... if I feel like they become good enough. With that in mind goal in mind, I know that it's hard to grow and increase your talents without some honest feedback from your superiors, so I somewhat hesitantly ask for genuine critique.

I live in an apartment, and do not have the space for power tools, so both pipes were pre-drilled blocks (one from Tim West and one from Kim Kendall of Penguin Briar). Carving was done with a dremel, a rasp, files and sandpaper. The cocobolo extension on the triangular pipe was made by a friend who has a workshop and a lathe. The extension was not part of the original design, but added because there was enormous void that went all the way through the mortise where the extension now sits.

So, without further ado, here they are:
#5 - Triangle


And #6 - Tallboy


For the sake of argument, here are my own feelings about my mistakes with the pipes.

#5: I'm fairly satisfied with the way the triangular pipe came out. I did slightly alter the symmetry for the worse in the final sanding, but I don't think it detracts greatly from the overall effect. The main thing I'd like to change is I wish the stem didn't have the pinch in it. But that wish led to disaster with the next pipe.

#6: The tallboy. Generally, I like the overall shape of the pipe, especially the shank and how it meets the bowl. In the original design, the pipe was much shorter, and was flat-topped; however, as I was carving, I decided I liked the look of the pipe with the plateau on, so I left it. This led to the first problem, though. With a 3/4" drilling, the chamber seems too narrow for it's depth of 2". I haven't smoked the pipe yet, so I'm not sure how much of a problem that will be. I was originally thinking it would be a gift, but now I'm considering keeping it... mainly because of that stem, which I think is the pipe's achilles heel. In trying to correct the pinch in the preformed stem that bothered me so much in the triangular pipe, I had to file off too much material, and now it's too thin (from side to side as viewed from the top). Not that it affects the smokability at all, but it just feels weird in your mouth.

Anything I missed?

[Dotter]

DanH, as someone who made approximately the same number of pipes as you, I congratulate you on your work. I know how much you learn with every single finished pipe, and how much joy they bring when they shine in all their glory.

I like your Triangle pipe very much, great shape, great colour and extension is beautiful.

Greetings, Dom

[pierredekat]

Well, DanH, I think you did a fine job on them.

That's cool that you went with the cocobolo, because I have been eyeballing some nice cocobolo lately, myself.

The only reason I haven't jumped in yet is because some people say cocobolo doesn't take glue well. Other people say it does, except that you have to clean the glued surfaces with acetone before glue-up.

But it's definitely a beautiful wood with all of the traits -- except the surefire glueability -- that pipemakers seek.

Anyway, welcome to the forums. Hope to see some more of your pipes.

[sethile]

I think these pipes show excellent promise as to the quick development of your eye and hands, as well as your sense of aesthetics. Very nice early efforts!

I can see why you wanted to relieve the pinching effect of #5 while working on the stem of #6. I find this especially challenging on my Bulldogs, which have the same triangular shank challenge as you faced with your #5. It's very difficult for me to get a triangular shank and stem narrow enough at the shank end to avoid a stem that looks too wide or ended up with that pinched effect.

I've identified a real need to refine my stems, and I've been looking at a lot of stems on high grades. I love graceful stems. I wish I owned more good examples. You can tell a lot from pictures, but I'd love to spend some "quality time" with them!

I like a wider bit, especially on a larger pipe like your #6. The challange is how to achieve that along with a thin graceful stems. I've been using either a fishtail type bit or straighter transitions from narrowing around the shank area to widening at the bit. In other words, relieve the pinching effect at the other end. Here's an example of how Tonni Nielson might approach that (I love his stem work!). The last shots show good angles to see the long straight tapper from narrow at the shank to wider at the bit:


Rad also clued me into the shape of the bit having a huge impact on the feel in the mouth. If it's rounded in an effort to make it appear thinner at the edges, that will cause an insecure feel in the teeth, like the pipe is trying roll all the time. You want the contact area of the bit as flat as possible.

It may just be the angle of the pictures, but I'm a little nervous that the walls of #6 might be pretty thin on the front of the bowl. That shape has a beautiful profile. I wouldn't want to change it, but it would have been great to have that chamber drilled a little further back on the stummel. Those kinds of issues are always going to be a problem when using pre-drilled stummels. Maybe at this point just make a mental note how you'd have drilled it if you had the option.

I have a couple of my pipes that have close to a 2" plus depth on a 3/4" chamber, and they smoke great as long as they have an open draw.

Keep up the great work--looking forward to seeing some more of your pipes!

[DanH]

Thanks for the gentle guidance gents. You can go a little harder on me than that, though.

Scott, I think you've very diplomatically hit the nail on the head. I'm getting a little more confident with the briar, but my stem-work is very weak. I could fall back on the excuse that they're preformed stems and yadda yadda, but I'd just be making excuses. When I look at the pictures (and the pipes themselves), it's pretty clear to me that I need to start focusing more attention on the stem.

As to the thinness of the walls on the tallboy: The chamber is drilled at a slight angle. It follows the same angle as the outside wall on the stem side at about 7mm to 8mm all the way down, so it doesn't get as close to the outside walls as it might appear in the pics. When I stick my finger down into the bowl and try to guesstimate the distance between my finger (on the inside of the chamber) and my thumb (on the outside of the pipe), it feels like there's plenty of briar at point where the outside walls come nearest to the chamber. At a guess, I'd say maybe 6mm. Then right below that, the chamber tapers to the bottom. But I suppose the true test to determine whether the walls are thick enough is to just smoke it and see.

Scott, just clicked through to your site. I really like your pokerbash shape. I also dig the way you do a bulldog (especially #55 and #57). Hope to see more of your work in person at the Chicago show.

[sethile]

.... I'm getting a little more confident with the briar, but my stem-work is very weak. I could fall back on the excuse that they're preformed stems and yadda yadda, but I'd just be making excuses. When I look at the pictures (and the pipes themselves), it's pretty clear to me that I need to start focusing more attention on the stem.

I still feel the exact same way about my work. I'm rarely happy with one of my stems. When I'm happiest seems to be right before I'm about to sand into the airway at some point.

Scott, just clicked through to your site. I really like your pokerbash shape. I also dig the way you do a bulldog (especially #55 and #57). Hope to see more of your work in person at the Chicago show.

Thanks! When I looked at my PokerBashes trying to find an example of a long gradual straight taper I realized they were all pinched looking too, at least on that telling top shot I've been working on that same issue and only occasionally succeed. I've been doing a fair amount of "dog training". It's an excellent exercise.

It'll be great to see you in Chicago!