pipemakersforum.com

Anyone have a source for these? Is Pimo the only option for the beginner without enough confidence to shape them himself?

You might try http://www.jhlowe.com. I don't know if they have them or not, but that would be the first place I looked if I wasn't going with Pimo.

Tyler

Anyone want to share their thoughts of the PIMO bits? Happy with them? Not? Why or why not? I recall hearing from someone that they were less than thrilled with them, but I don't remember who it was or what the reason was.

They are fine, but I ended up reshaping all of them over time as I desired a more conical chamber. They work fine though, especially if you cut the shanks down so they are more stable.


Tyler

I've used PIMO bits and they are not bad. They are only standard hole bits ground down to a spade shape. PIMO's bits have a flatter bottom, or as Tyler said, are less conical. JHLowe's are more conical in shape. Another alternative is to shape your own bits. You can do this for a few dollars if you have a grinder. I did this after using the PIMO bits, because like Tyler I wanted a more conical chamber. It would take you about 20 min or so per bit. Assuming that you follow directions well, you could have bits every bit as good as PIMO or JHLowe, but to your own specifications. There are several threads on this site with instructions, do a search and you should find them pretty easily.

Jeff

I too started grinding my own, quite a while back, in favor of conical. I think Pimo's are much too flat...U shaped to suit me.
Dan
Gabrieli Pipes

I re-shape paddle bits as well. My reason is not wanting to buy an expensive bit. It's not too hard. You just have to keep at it until you have it even on both sides. Just keep testing it on a block of cheap wood and you'll know when you have it even and when you don't.

Here is the contact info for a guy that I bought a reworked silver and deming bit from:

Trent W.Rudat
trudat1970@netzero.com
317-745-7193

I got a 3/4" bit with a somwhat conical bore. I like it a lot. I think it cost me somewhere around 30 to 40 bucks.

Our very own Kurt Huhn reshapes silver and demming bits. I think he charges around $65.00 per bit.

Thanks, Nick! I do indeed. Shaped to your specs and sold with a satisfaction guarantee. I've been using the first ones I made for some time now, and I couldn't be happier. That price is right also - $65 direct from me.

I simply won't use reshaped spade bits any more. Silver and demming bits are 100 times more stable than spade bits, even ones with cut-down shanks. They also don't chatter like spade bits can.

True dat. I've reshaped several S&D bits, the most recent according to Kurt's advice, with an angle grinder with the bit spinning in the lathe, then reshaping the relief and honing the edges -- and they knock spade bits into a cocked hat. In my opinion, that is. Having used both, the finish left by the spiral bit is far superior, and you have much better control of where it's going. And you can get cheap S&D bits from Harbor freight that are just as good for being reshaped as more expensive ones.

JHowell wrote:True dat. I've reshaped several S&D bits, the most recent according to Kurt's advice, with an angle grinder with the bit spinning in the lathe,

Just don't let your wife catch you doing it. 8O

Man, I've never had to do so much convincing that something was actually safe. Not that I'd trust just any person not to remove fingers while doing it, but when *I* do it, it's safe.

Actually, I think it *is* fairly safe, if you wear protective eye/face gear. About the only bad thing that could happen is that you could frag a grinding wheel, but angle grinding wheels, especially the fiber-reinforced ones, are made to take lots of abuse. The grinder chatters like hell and makes lots of sparks, but if you take a light touch and hold steady, it's not too bad. But I don't have to worry about anyone watching -- the rule in my house is, when a power tool is running, there's no going into the shop. Making dad jump when he's running the lathe or bandsaw could result in a bad day for everyone.

JHowell wrote:Actually, I think it *is* fairly safe, if you wear protective eye/face gear.

And you bring your brain. I know people that simply shouldn't be allowed to do that type of work.

JHowell wrote:But I don't have to worry about anyone watching -- the rule in my house is, when a power tool is running, there's no going into the shop. Making dad jump when he's running the lathe or bandsaw could result in a bad day for everyone.

I really need to enforce that rule. My wife walked in and started talking to me the other day about something, and my hands thought they were supposed to advancing that forstner bit since my brain was preoccupied. That particular pipe wasn't *supposed* to have a bamboo shank extension.