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Hi Guys. I found this fantasy acorn on smokingpipes.com and thought I would make a variation of it (my husband didn't like the paneled sides and he is kind of my design guy....making a pipe is a family affair for us )



This is what I came up with. I have gone back and retouched a few areas to get things symmetrical. I paid extra attention to the stem/shank and shank/bowl transition. I am sending this to my uncle to replace "the relic" (pos cherry ramses I made a few months back). I haven't stained it yet, I still have to run through 320 grit before I do. Any critique would be appreciated.









Oh, and I was thinking about beveling the bowl....thoughts?

Thanks for looking.

Scottie

Lookin' good!

The two things I'd work on are the bottom line of the bowl and the taper on the stem. If you're going for an exact copy of the bowl, the lower line on the Ardor has less of a curve than yours currently does. Start tapering the stem at the stem/shank junction and you'll improve the overall look of the stem.

Otherwise, it's coming along nicely. Good work!

Yeah I see where I need to take some more meat off the stem. I don't notice stuff until after I take pictures a few times. I'm not really going for an exact copy, just something Kind of fantastical of the acorn variety. I was going to copy this pipe, but like I said my husband didn't like it. That's what makes you guys so helpfull to me, you catch all this stuff and then I see it like it has a neon sign around it. Thanks Uber and good eye.

Scottie

The fit between your stem and stummel is quite good. Looks like you don't have any gaps at all. Great work.

I do have two suggestions.

First I'd suggest bringing the "chin" back a little bit. Notice on the Ardor pipe that the front of the bowl starts with a more severe taper curvature and then begins to straighten out at the bottom, making the "acorn" shape a little more apparent. On yours, the front of the bowl has a pretty uniform curve, making it a bit barrel like in shape. If you bring the chin (the pointy part at the bottom of the acorn) backward a little bit and create less curvature on the bottom half of the bowl, you'll probably have a pipe that looks a bit more like an acorn.
The other suggestion I have is that the shank is too short, too thin, too straight, and comes out a little too high from the back of the bowl. Take another look at the Ardor. Notice how the shank to bowl transition is seamless. Also notice that the shank is a bit thicker and significantly longer. If the shank is too short, the pipe will not look well proportioned. It's like having short legs and a long torso--just doesn't look quite right. You may be able to bring the rear of the bowl inward a bit toward the tobacco chamber to create a bit more of a lengthy looking shank, but if you try to do that, be very careful not to take off any material from the shank itself. Looks like you're close enough to the draught hole as it is.

I can see improvement in specific areas which is really a good sign. You've been paying attention and then actually taking the time during your pipemaking process to put people's advice into action. That's a great quality! Keep it up girl!

Look at that. Uberhuman beat me to the punch on the line of the bowl! Haha.

I won't comment on the shape, because I don't quite have the acorns figured out yet myself. But, your drilling and stem fit look great! Nice work. Did you get that lathe yet?


Brian.

I got it ordered. I should have it and the stand some time next week. Now I need to get a chuck and some tools. The chuck probably won't happen for a few more weeks. Until then I am going to get some tools from Woodcraft this weekend and play around with some cherrywood I have laying around....can't wait. I modified the shape a little and took some more meat off the stem. I am staining it now and will post some finished pictures some time tonight or tomorrow.

I tried something a little different with the stain and finish. I think it turned out better than my pipes in the past. I really fucked up the stem when I tried to bend it. I am thoroughly frustrated with it at this point. I will let it sit for a few days before i resand it and rebend it....either that or I'm gonna chuck the thing up against the wall Critiques welcome. I really like this shape and think I might spend the next little while playing around with it.















Thanks for looking.

Scottie

Very nice, I like the way your new stain method worked out. Once you get all the right tools, you're going to be dangerous.

Same notes apply. Take off more material on the stem and bottom of the bowl.

Also, on an acorn, the bowl should taper down to a point or a rounded point. From your photos it looks as if the bottom of the bowl is a ridge perpendicular to the horizontal axis of the pipe. I may be seeing it incorrectly though.

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