wooden churchwarden stems

[hutch]

anyone got suggestions how to drill long holes in wooden stems?
I managed to carve my first pipe inspired by lotr and happy enough
with the results but after much trial and error and wasting lots of expensive wood i finally managed a pipe with a 9 inch hardwood stem
I'd love to find a more reliable method with less waste
long drill bits aren't the problem it's lining everything up exactly then keeping the bit from wandering as the hole gets deeper
HELP
H

[magruder]

Use a larger diameter dowel and drill slowly, then turn it to size on a lathe, boil it and bend it? :dunno:

[LexKY_Pipe]

If you have a digital photo, post it so we can take a look at what you have now.

[hutch]

Use a larger diameter dowel and drill slowly, then turn it to size on a lathe, boil it and bend it? :dunno:

At first i thought DUH what do you think ive been doing but i thought about it some more and went out and got 1 in dowel instead of the 3/4 id been trying and the margin for error that allowed made a big difference
i was able to get the bit to come out the other end with enough wall left to make a workable stem
i still think some jig could be worked out to make lining up the drill and the dowel a little less futsy but i apreciate the simple answer
thanx

H

[KurtHuhn]

I've found the best way to get a good draught hole in a long wooden stem is to use a larger bit than you normally would - and one that isn't flexible. For most stems I use a 5/32" hole, but for long stems, I use a 3/16" hole. The 3/16" bit wanders far less, and provides a nice open draw over the inreased length of the stem.

One other trick, if you're using a lathe, is to stick one end of the dowl throught the spindle bore, drill halfway, then spin it around and drill the rest. It's important, *very* important, to go slowly and clear the chips often. If the flutes in the bit get clogged, they can push the bit out of alignment. Also, if you try to go too fast, and push the bit into the material, the shaft can flex - changing the angle of the forward cutting edges, and changing the direction of the hole.

If you don't use a drill press, you may find of these helpful:
Pen drilling vise at woodturnerscatalog.com
Assuming that your drill press table and drilling axis are perfectly perpendicular, this should help you get your holes straight through on your stems. This would be most helpful for anyone that uses a drill press and wants to make thier own stems. It'll keep the mortis and stem face in perfect alignment while you change bits.

[windigofer]

That's actually a *very* useful tip--thanks :3

As for wooden churchwarden stems, I've seen two ways to do it...one being using a larger-than-usual dowel and drilling/lathing/steaming, and the other being to splice two halves together after drilling then steaming/gluing.

Boiling the dowel works, but steaming works too (actually, probably *better*); the person I'd spoken with on it (who does wooden-stemmed churchwardens, Gandalf-esque pipes, works at the tobacconist I frequent here) uses a rig with a teakettle and garden hose (with one end closed off)--lets it boil for a good bit, lets the rod steam in the garden hose for a good while (hooking up the teakettle to the garden hose) and then bending the stem. The results actually work nicely :3

[TRS]

I figured I'd revive this post rather than add another churchwarden stem post to the pile; I was wondering about the tenon. Do you turn a wood tenon and use beeswax? I was curious as to whether or not delrin would work here. I know it'd look a bit funny to have a black delrin tenon on a wooden stem, and also I wasn't sure about how strong of a grip epoxy would have between plastic and wood......

[KurtHuhn]

The wood will eventually shrink and let go of the tenon - at least in my experience. No matter what adhesive you use, if you use a delrin tenon, that joint will fail - it's just a matter of time. I've taken to using stainless steel tenons in the same manner as I do on bamboo shanks when I use wooden stems, though even this isn't foolproof either.

I've actually repaired a TON of the Vauen Lord Of The Rings pipes over the years - but I always do so with the understanding that it's going to need repaired again in the future if the owner insists on taking it apart. I also don't replace the tenon with a filter housing style - it makes the walls of the tenon too flimsy, contributing to the high failure rate. Frankly, the wood is way too thin there too, and really should be banded to stabilize it.

[kkendall]

I figured I'd revive this post rather than add another churchwarden stem post to the pile; I was wondering about the tenon. Do you turn a wood tenon and use beeswax? I was curious as to whether or not delrin would work here. I know it'd look a bit funny to have a black delrin tenon on a wooden stem, and also I wasn't sure about how strong of a grip epoxy would have between plastic and wood......

I would suggest a screw-in type delrin tenon. Tap the end of the stem, then put one of these in (you can glue it if you want, but if you turn the stem clockwise when putting the stem on and the same direction taking it off, it will be fine without glue

[TRS]

Upping this post again; I tried drilling into a 3/4" oak dowel about 8 inches long. It was being held by a small 3 jaw chuck. I was drilling into the other end with a 17/64 bit. No matter what I tried, including gently pressing the unsecured tailstock into the dowel for a pilot, I couldn't get it centered. I'm just curious as to why exactly this is. I'm sure it has to do with the length of the dowel or something along those lines, right? Is this why some lathes have those 'work stabilizer' arms? Thanks!

[KurtHuhn]

This is exactly the function of the stabilizing arms and rests that are used on lathes. You don't see them too much on wood lathes, but they're very popular on metal lathes.

Another potential pitfall is the grain. No matter what, under a certain size, the drill bit will want to follow the grain of the wood and not go in a straight line from center to center. Using a larger drill bit (like 3/16") for long stretches of wood can help you drill further without going off center.

[TRS]

I can only assume that the same thing is going to happen if I try to drill an ebonite churchwarden stem....? I honestly did not forsee this problem and I'm a bit sad about it. I guess I'll need to save up for a steady rest, or a bigger drill press.

[CedarSlayer]

I am fairly inexperienced at making pipes, so my advice may not be what you are looking for. I am however quite fond of using well established, as in archaic, wood working methods. Often the methods that have survived and been improved on for a few thousand years, are quite sophisticated compared to modern methods.

There are a several methods of making a straight hole. The simplest is to use a red hot poker and burn the hole. This worked fine for the first tobacco pipe stems. Peace Pipes are often traditionally made with this method and ash as the wood. Ash is reasonably tough and dense, so if it works with ash, it should work with a wide range of woods. If you can hold the angle correctly, you can even 'drill' curved holes with a curved poker.

For drilling, a shell auger or spoon bit is what you need. These bit shapes are quite a bit more resistant to drifting with grain. If you file a sharp edged notch along the side of a standard drill bit, you can easily ruin it, but if it works out, you have a bit that is able to cut the walls somewhat as it goes. This will help it to resist drift but can make a hole with uneven sides as it flexes and corrects the hole.

A shell auger is often sold to wood turners as a 'lamp auger.' For example, http://woodworker.com/38-shell-auger-bi ... edium=feed , is a nice auger at an amazing price, but 3/8" is probably not a size that will suit your needs. The size you want will probably either be custom machine work or an antique tool. You could bore to that size and then fit a stainless steel tube inside it and make an extraordinarily tough churchwarden with steel tenons.

In any case, slow drilling without high pressure and not allowing dust to compress in the bit from going too fast or too long, is a must. Keeping the bit cool will increase it's life. A sharp bit and a touch of wax on the end can make the difference between a straight hole and one that curves at random. If you increase the bit size, it will tend to be more ridged and will resist wandering better. All other things being equal, a 3/16" bit will make a straighter hole than a 5/32" bit. If you are making a churchwarden, then a slightly larger hole will allow for a more consistent draw.

Bob