@Corey562 yeah I heard Etsy doesn't treat their vendors very well, but at the time it was one of the earliest ways to get your product out. I've been busy working but am going to make a concerted effort to make another pipe this year. Just haven't had time. Keep up the great work!!
@Corey562 You've come a long way on the barrel pipe we talked about. Looks stunning, love it. It should probably be mine and I'm sure my wife thinks I need another pipe 🙄
@Corey562, let me know when you get your license. I'm a buyer. Also, wanted to post these pics of a pipe I finished yesterday, thanks to Abb. The candle recommendation worked like a breeze!!!
I just received a few partially finished pipe stummels and stems. They are all mostly ok, only a few cracks or divots in a couple, and I’m sure I can work around the flaws. The mortise and airways still need drilled…that will be the challenge. I need to either figure out a way to chuck them on center and square in my lathe, or freehand drill them? I haven’t decided if I want to make “all-briar” nose-warmers and just carve a button, stem in the shank end, or actually fit a stem to each one. I bought them with the idea of making them “all-briar” nose-warmers so I didn’t care about the vulcanite stems they came with but they are pretty big pipes for nose-warmers….but what the heck, they aren’t too big🙂. The other red/black stems with the aluminum 6mm filter tenons I got because they were pretty inexpensive, they are some kind of plastic?, but decent stems. They were probably for some old Dr. Grabow’s, or the like.
@RockyMountainBriar Let us know your decision on your mortise and airway drilling. Tough on a lathe without the right chuck... There are a few YouTube videos showing how to align the pipe for drilling. Most just show the pipe already chucked and aligned, but I have seen a few that show their process for alignment. If I trip across one of them, I'll send you the link... 🤞🏻 I, personally, don't have the chuck to get that done (yet).
@KA9FFJ I have some chuck jaws specifically for pipes, but only when they start out as a block. I made an internal chuck for turning meerschaum bowls, which would work to turn yep the outside of the bowl, but not the shank. I have an design idea for a “finished pipe” chuck in my head, and I am thinking about giving the machining challenge to my buddy with the CNC lathe and milling machines. I could then chuck most any pipe with a chamber and be able to turn shanks, cut off broken shanks, add extensions, drill, trim, and square mortises on broken pipes, or partially completed pipes.
I watched the YouTube video of the Chicago Pipe Show “Battle of the Briars” and was inspired to attempt to finish one of the pre drilled canadians I got the other day. I knew I wanted to make an “All-Briar” nose warmer with at least one of them. I chose the 6th one from the left in the previous picture because it had a big chunk out of the shank end that I knew would be carved out when forming the bit. I decided, since it was pre-shaped, to go the route of Danish freehand style and drill the airway freehand. I hit nearly dead center left/right but just a touch low….maybe 1/32”….which is better than a touch high. Not bad I say, for my first attempt drilling freehand with the drill bit chucked in the lathe. It’s sanded, polished and ready to smoke, except for my makers mark laser engraving. I’ll get that done in the near future. I’m pleased with the results. Oh, it sits on it’s own too. Most of my pipes have a 4mm airway through the shank, but I decided to go with 3mm on this because it does not have an actual stem to reduce it down to a “normal” bit opening.
Laser engraved makers mark. I might have put it on the bottom of the shank instead of the top, but my little laser engraver does not have enough clearance under the laser to clear the bowl height. The side of the shank was a bit too short and narrow.
@RockyMountainBriar; @KA9FFJ is correct, if you ignite your facial hair, don't post a picture. Only a video is appropriate for those types of situations.
@Whoispra I keep thinking I might, but with ~3 hours in this one plus materials it’s probably not worth it to me to sell. My skills and the amount of time it takes me just doesn’t garner the monetary compensation of a real pipemaker, or even a newb.
I think I will make another All-Briar nose-warmer with at least one of the other stummels. They all have a fill or root mark or two though. Another pipe shouldn’t take as long to make since I know I can drill the airway freehand. I still need a way to clamp the stummel securely to make the bit filing easier.
A common technique and one we use in the pipe making seminar is a 4" piece of hardwood doweling with two flats on one end to facilitate clamping in a vise and the other end is turned or sanded to a reasonably tight fit into the bowel..
Comments
I've been busy working but am going to make a concerted effort to make another pipe this year. Just haven't had time.
Keep up the great work!!
You've come a long way on the barrel pipe we talked about. Looks stunning, love it. It should probably be mine and I'm sure my wife thinks I need another pipe 🙄
Also, wanted to post these pics of a pipe I finished yesterday, thanks to Abb. The candle recommendation worked like a breeze!!!
Just checked out your website. It looks good and I've bookmarked it.
One question. Is "Etates" supposed to be Estates?
Let us know your decision on your mortise and airway drilling.
Tough on a lathe without the right chuck...
There are a few YouTube videos showing how to align the pipe for drilling. Most just show the pipe already chucked and aligned, but I have seen a few that show their process for alignment.
If I trip across one of them, I'll send you the link... 🤞🏻
I, personally, don't have the chuck to get that done (yet).
I have some chuck jaws specifically for pipes, but only when they start out as a block. I made an internal chuck for turning meerschaum bowls, which would work to turn yep the outside of the bowl, but not the shank.
I have an design idea for a “finished pipe” chuck in my head, and I am thinking about giving the machining challenge to my buddy with the CNC lathe and milling machines. I could then chuck most any pipe with a chamber and be able to turn shanks, cut off broken shanks, add extensions, drill, trim, and square mortises on broken pipes, or partially completed pipes.
Nice, really nice.
Still looks great!
But if you catch your facial hair on fire, do NOT show us the pic... 😏
@KA9FFJ is correct, if you ignite your facial hair, don't post a picture. Only a video is appropriate for those types of situations.
@Whoispra
I keep thinking I might, but with ~3 hours in this one plus materials it’s probably not worth it to me to sell. My skills and the amount of time it takes me just doesn’t garner the monetary compensation of a real pipemaker, or even a newb.
The only finish on that All-Briar pipe is carnauba wax buffed to a shine….”au naturel”.
Like the one Scottie used in “The Battle of the Briar”👍🏻
Well... are you going to keep us guessing?
🤔
Sweet looking pipe. Congrats.