Radiator Pipes

drac2485

Anyone have any experience with the Radiator Pipes by H. Wiebe?

dstrib

Nope, Almost picked one up at a discount on eBay. They do look interesting, very modern approach. Yet they remind me of the falcon pipes that I have. Have seen some very cool custom bowls for them as well.

Woodsman

Alco and Falcon can teach you to smoke slow as their aluminum "Humidomes" get hot quickly but the smoke doesn't seem any hotter. 

Watchmaker61

My only experience is with Falcons and they are simply the best!!! Never have had bad bowl, with one.

drac2485

I finally broke down and got one, a little while back the long bent one.  I can say it was definitely a cool, dry smoke.  It was interesting at how much moisture was built up in the bottom when I got done.  Surprisingly the worst thing I had to deal with that day was that I had a hard time keeping the bowl lit and wouldn't notice it go out as the smoke was that cool.

piperdave

@drac2485 I have got one as well and they do smoke cooler. I have also had the issue of keeping it lit, the bowl seems large but isn't that deep because about a 1/3 of the bottom is the under portion that screws onto the base. The only other issue I have had is my bit doesn't seem to fit as tight as it used to; I do like the fact that I can rinse it out with water (except the bowl) makes cleaning way easier but I got the full bent and it can become problematic if I do not have a churchwarden pipe cleaner.

Dixcreek1

Bought a falcon and a couple of bowls about a month ago. Delivered a good smoke with no goop or excess moisture. I make my own bowl rings out of pipe cleaners and change the ring about once in three smokes. I tried it without and did get a bit of moisture. Overall happy with the falcon system.

drac2485

@piperdave  That sounds like the same experience as me.  I know I was smoking some black cav that is notorious to keep lit in any of my pipes so I didn't mind that too much.  My bit was a little loose too but if I covered the bowl and drew there was no air leak so I don't mind.  With the full bent I did notice I have to be sitting mostly straight, can't lounge like I do with most of my churchwardens.  No complaints though, every pipe is different and I like how cool it smokes.

pylorns

I have one as well, and I enjoy it - usually cool with little to no gurgle, and yeah amazement at the amount of liquid that pools in the radiator portion. 

Woodsman

The bit should never come out of the stem of a Falcon, you'll have an almost impossible task to re-attach it without bending/ buckling the main tube. With the pipe cool and dry, try a small drop of super glue at the bit end place where the main tube enters the support guard(?) and see if it tightens. 

motie2

The Bones Radiator Pipe   http://www.hwiebe.com/

drac2485

I love my radiator pipe so.  I need to pick up another stem and really want some of the Bones Bowls so I can dedicate to different blends

motie2

http://www.hwiebe.com/

ghostsofpompeii

I like a pretty pipe, my Nording Harmony is proof of that ... but the radiator pipes look too much like modern art and I guess I'm a bit of a traditionalist when it comes to pipe shapes. The Falcon. Kirstin, and my Nording Eriksen break from tradition - but are not quite as eclectic.

motie2

Frankly, they most remind me of the colorful Nordings in the way the bowl screws on.

Londy3

Yep, i agree it looks like modern art.  Could be kind of cool if you are wearing something sleek or Italian clothes since they are so modern. 

motie2

https://hwiebe.com/

motie2

Innovation: cob bowls for H Wiebe radiator pipes
https://hwiebe.com/collections/frontpage

vtgrad2003

I bought a Falcon one time just for kicks and it took me about a week to sell it on Etsy. A ton of people like them for sure, and probably for very good reasons, but to me these sorts of pipes remind me of the new GMC truck tailgate...all kinds of folding going on, tons of hinges, etc., adds up to a lot of maintenance and repair in the end. I'd rather stick with my Ford tailgate that simply opens and closes. I guess probably a good middle of the road pipe if one is concerned with moisture and/or cooling control would be a Sav with a balsa filter; I've got a ton of those and they do work well...more with the moisture control than the cooling, but I can certainly tell that my Sav's tend to smoke cooler than my other non-filtered pipes do. 

RockyMountainBriar

@vtgrad2003
I have a few Kirsten pipes, the machining on them is top notch, much like what goes into the new “transformer” tailgates on GMC trucks, beautiful work.  I recently purchased a new Falcon pipe, the machining, fit and finish, is haphazard, as if they quit half way through the process of finishing them. Like Ford trucks, just do enough to get by😬
The HW pipes are just weird, I guess with modern machining practices, they just don’t appeal to me the way the Kirstens do.

RockyMountainBriar

@vtgrad2003
P.S.  I hope you take the GM/Ford debate rhetoric in stride, I can’t help myself🙂

Also, anyone else for the Kirsten/Falcon debate rhetoric🙂

motie2

One biased vote against metal pipes in general.
One even more biased vote for E.A. Carey pipes.
I’ll shut up now…..

vtgrad2003

@RockyMountainBriar
Well, we all have our retarded sides...mine is that lately I've had an issue casting crankbaits with any accuracy when bass fishing from my boat...I don't know why, I just have a temporarily retarded forefinger I guess...yours is in the fact that you truly appreciate inferior trucks with zero power from a dead stop and no towing capacity (I have a twin turbo with 12,400 lbs of towing capacity...and that's in an F150), and all because you think their tailgates are cool. So, we all have our faults, we're only human you know!       

vtgrad2003

Ford Rules, Ford Rules, Ford Rules, Ford Rules, Ford Rules, Ford Rules, Ford Rules!!!!!!!  LOL    (I just had to finish my thought from above...)

RockyMountainBriar

@vtgrad2003
Well La-Ti-Da!
I special ordered my 1993 Chevy K1500 Z71 and it is still going after ~198,000 miles, and has never left me stranded🙂. I might mention this, I drive it like I stole it, and have had it completely airborne on several occasions crossing cattle guards on dirt roads at 75-80mph (maybe more, I tend to watch the road more than the speedometer, safety first you know).  

It came from the factory with a supposed 210hp and 300ft/lbs torque but I doubt it ever made those numbers even on premium. I have never experienced better than 13mpg, no turbos or superchargers either (it’s probably at 8 mpg now unloaded). It’s towing capacity is a measly 4500lbs., but I have towed much more😬.  My driving and towing could be the reason it has had two engines, two rear-ends (sheared off some teeth), two radiators, two power-steering pumps, a rear wheel brake cylinder, 3-4 sets of front brakes and rotors (I’m partially deaf, so I don’t hear the squealers) 4-5 starters?, a cracked frame, oh, did I mention 14 transmissions 😳 (note, it always got me home, sometimes 100 miles or more).  Oh, All of the transmissions except one was covered by the factory warranty or the add-on.  I think I got the use out of my $1500 factory add-on warranty😬.  The one replacement that I had to pay for failed, but it was covered by the transmission company that installed it under their warranty….twice.
I love my Chevy, even though I might be as much mentally challenged as deaf🤪.
Hmm, I need a new truck🤔
Sorry guys for going off topic, although, I did mention radiator😬.  I didn’t want to start a whole new thread for ‘sillyness’.🙂

motie2

@RockyMountainBriar

Well done. A nice tying off with a loop back to radiator. Respect!

vtgrad2003

@motie2

That was nicely done, I agree. 

@RockyMountainBriar

Going off topic one more time...it does sound like you need a new truck. I don't know what new truck prices are right now, but I do know this, the used truck market is nuts. I bought my F150 in 2017 brand new, list price was $54,000, after incentives and negotiation, I got it for $42,000. I looked on NADA and Kelley's just the other day and it's worth $38,000..a depreciation of only $4,000 in 4 years. The truck market has lower supply because of the chip shortage (causing higher prices and/or less negotiation), and increased demand because of positive economic activity (causing higher prices and/or less negotiation). Both shocks together have kept prices high and basically wiped out a buyers ability to negotiate...you should hang on to yours probably until next year when all this cools off. Oh yeah, "radiator". 

Londy3

Cadillac rules! Ha ha ha
I had to put my two cents in on this convo. 


Anyhow, @RockyMountainBriar can you post a pic of your radiator you speak so highly of (not your truck)? I don't own any. I only have Brier or cobs. Always wondered about these though. 

Londy3

@RockyMountainBriar
That last post was fantastic. Sitting here with my morning coffee laughing my ass off. Well done! 😉

AnantaAndroscoggin

Was talking to an old Army helicopter crew chief some years ago, he was joking at one point about his uncle's contribution to the Ford / Chevy debates: "Found On a Russian Dump."

RockyMountainBriar

I have heard that Ford was going to put hand-warmers in their tailgates.  A little convenience feature for friends (probably with Chevys) that help push😬