pipemakersforum.com

All righty. Kurt's got some nice pix about how to build a stem, so check on that photo essay if you look at the first picture here and say "How do I get that far?" That's already been answered. The tools used from where the pictures start include only a 1x30 belt sander, a flat file 6" long, and some sand paper, and a buffing wheel. There is no magic tool. A straight flat safe-edged file does all this. If it's a good file, you don't need much sanding.

So.

We have a rod, it's drilled out and slotted, quite possibly the tenon has been cut and the stem roughly cut to shape. The button is just a big slottted lump of crap at this point.



I'll head over to the 1x30 belt machine and knock a pile of material off, using the machine with the belt set right overhanging one edge of the pressure plate.



and some more yet





At this point I'm approximately at where a pre-molded stem would be from the factory.

Now I'll revert to files - a safe edge (no teeth on the side) flat file, and work both the stem and the "front" of the button, thinning the stem (and keeping it in line with the slot!), and thinning the button front to back as well, getting nice sharp delineation of the lines. Height of the button is ignored.


A bunch of filework, sand and polish on the stem. It's bent, shaped, beaten and kicked, and the button is ignored the whole time.




Only when the stem is finished, basically the pipe is finished, do I cut the button for shape and height. Again this is just files and sandpaper, being careful to match the profile of the stem, and keeping the slot centered. Everything should line up. I like to angle down toward the slot. That's just me. Once it's shaped, about 2 seconds of tripoli wheel time and the thing is shined up but not worn to a funny shape.




In this pic you can see a little relief-work on the slot, just so it's not sharp on the tongue -




Polish the airway a little and it's good to go.

PS I'm not gonna teach you how to use a goddam file.

Swedish Meatballs?

Ooooh. Sorry Tim. The Capital of Yemen is Sana'a.

Awesome man, thanks for taking the time to post that.
One point I want to bring up (really not trying to be a prick).
When you say

work both the stem and the "front" of the button

I assume by "front" of the button, you actually mean the "back" of the button ?
Suddenly Tyler and Waynes arguments makes sense to me.... I would have called the end of the stem the front of the button.

Yes, what I called the front of the button is the part that faces the front of the pipe (which is to say that part that faces the back of the bowl, or if you are Tyler or Wayne the front of the bowl), but I realized that I maybe meant the back of the button.

Maybe we should call it stemside and slobberside? I work on stemside with a file until things line up pretty goodish.

Sas, thanks for this. I hadn't thought about waiting to polish the bit til the very end. That's going to help me a lot. It's sad that your second pic looks better than my finished buttons

Thanks again. I appreciate you taking the time

Sasquatch wrote:Yes, what I called the front of the button is the part that faces the front of the pipe (which is to say that part that faces the back of the bowl, or if you are Tyler or Wayne the front of the bowl), but I realized that I maybe meant the back of the button.

Maybe we should call it stemside and slobberside? I work on stemside with a file until things line up pretty goodish.

Glad to hear we're still batting for the same team.... I thought you had defected to that crazy backwards way of looking at things. Not that I suspect our members who see it differently, but I have a feeling that switching backwards with forwards is somehow connected with a hidden New Order/Communist agenda.

Honestly, I think most pipe makers are too stupid even to be communists.

im glad im to stoopid to be a comunist

it was being told i was too stupid to join the girl guides that hurt


very useful and informative as usual

regards
dave

Thanks Sas. That helps.

Nice work!
A little more methodically than the few ones I done. Little bit filing here and a little bit there has been my way of doing it.
Will think about this one next time
Thanks!

Edward wrote:Awesome man, thanks for taking the time to post that.
One point I want to bring up (really not trying to be a prick).
When you say

work both the stem and the "front" of the button

I assume by "front" of the button, you actually mean the "back" of the button ?
Suddenly Tyler and Waynes arguments makes sense to me.... I would have called the end of the stem the front of the button.

Now you are starting to think like a pipe maker which, according to Sas, I guess means you are smart enough to think like a freedom-loving capitalist. Strikes me as a win/win.

sas, why do all of your rods look like they were gathered from a mine? My rods came in round. you must have the good stuff.

Tyler wrote:

Edward wrote:Awesome man, thanks for taking the time to post that.
One point I want to bring up (really not trying to be a prick).
When you say

work both the stem and the "front" of the button

I assume by "front" of the button, you actually mean the "back" of the button ?
Suddenly Tyler and Waynes arguments makes sense to me.... I would have called the end of the stem the front of the button.

Now you are starting to think like a pipe maker which, according to Sas, I guess means you are smart enough to think like a freedom-loving capitalist. Strikes me as a win/win.

Shouldnt that say "acting" like a pipemaker?
I was under the impression (from most of the guys here) that "thinking" has little or nothing to do with making pipes ?
Now I'm REALLY confused.

Sasquatch wrote:All righty.

This is a horrible example of a button. HORRIBLE.

Looks kinda like a pecker, don't it?

Rad

RadDavis wrote:Looks kinda like a pecker, don't it?

Rad

Well considering where it's gonna end up....

RadDavis wrote:Looks kinda like a pecker, don't it?

Rad

You might bring this up with your doctor next time you're in for a checkup....

Newcarver wrote:

RadDavis wrote:Looks kinda like a pecker, don't it?

Rad

Well considering where it's gonna end up....

Sick. You are all sick and need to go to re-education camp.