Pipe Making supplies and sources

[DGBAMA]

anyone know of a reason NOT to build a pipe from a nice piece of White Oak Burl? All this pipe talk has me looking around at what I have in the shop.

 

[Knucklehead]

There is a heading at the pipe makers forum about other species for pipe. Oak's not on it. I think it burns too easily. You would really enjoy a pipe. They are great to have around if for no other reason than to easily sample varieties. Bob made a pipe from a fruit tree where a limb came off the trunk. One piece. Look at the homemade pipes in this pipe smokers forum and there are pipes from different woods, and pipes from mild to wild. You can also look at that thread I was talking about at www.pipemakersforum.com to see if you have any of the woods listed.

 

[DGBAMA]

Thanks, just looking for some feedback as I have a couple nice aged pieces of oak burl that go about 2.5x2.5x12". If durability is the only issue, I can live with that, until I get the hang of things. Don't want to spend good money on expensive wood only to F it up and its only remaining use being to throw it in the fireplace to heat the house.

 

[Knucklehead]

A good alternative is a briar pipe kit. It comes with the airholes already drilled and the stem fit to the wood. You shape the outside. The price is very reasonable. What happens if you make the perfect pipe and it's made from pine knot? You can get a kit here:
http://www.jhlowe.com/briar.htm

 

[DGBAMA]

I also have access to a couple Osage Orange trees, I have heard them mentioned as suitable wood.

Just tried some silver river in a cheap pipe given to me by sister some years ago but as of yet unused. Don't really know how to explain the flavor other than I like it a lot. I also tried a bit of TN90; smooth smoke but has a "fresh cigar" aftertaste that I really dont care for. Only problem I really have with the SR is I couldn't get it to stay lit long enough to get an enjoyable smoke. Kept having to relight. Probably something I am doing wrong with the pipe and not a fault of the tobacco.

 

[Knucklehead]

The tobacco is wet. It was dry and crumbly when I was putting it in the baggie so I misted it with some water and got it a little too wet. Just let it dry some.

I made two Osage Orange pipes for two members here. They're shown in this thread. Make sure the wood is cured.

 

[DGBAMA]

The tobacco is wet. It was dry and crumbly when I was putting it in the baggie so I misted it with some water and got it a little too wet. Just let it dry some.

I made two Osage Orange pipes for two members here. They're shown in this thread. Make sure the wood is cured.

so too wet / high case, won't stay lit & too dry / low case it goes up in flames or doesn't give good smoke. So much to learn about the "art". Seems like a fine line to walk.

 

[Knucklehead]

Actually it's as easy as falling off a log. I'm just a knucklehead.

 

[Knucklehead]

Leverhead - I've rethought your sheet acrylic suggestion and ordered three 12x12" sheets of cast acrylic from www.delviesplastics.com in 3 different colors. They cost from $5.50 to $8.50 per sheet depending on thickness. I had originally discounted the idea because I didn't know they came in small sizes and your suggestion of punching out rings threw me off. I'm going to cut the rings out with a 3\4" hole saw. I think this will work great and save alot of work over my jig. I got one sheet of 1/16" in white. one 1\8" sheet in ivory and one 1\4" sheet in black. Thank you for your inspired suggestion. I'll post more on this after it gets here and I get to play with it.

 

[leverhead]

However you cut it you'll end up with some kind of a burr, but a couple of swipes on 600 grit paper should clean that up. 3/4 sounds kinda big, what size (ID/OD) would you want if you could get it? I take it you have a drill press.

 

[Knucklehead]

The ebonite comes in 22mm round stock rods so 3/4" is smaller than the original size of the stem material, but larger than the finished stem. The tenon it is going over is 5/16". So a ring ready for glue up will be 3/4" outside with a 21/64" hole in it. My arbor for the hole saw will use a 1/4" drill, so i will have to redrill the hole. I do have a drill press, but no hydraulic press.

Stem length is determined by some measurement off the stummel (briar bowl and shank). Some pipes you measure from heel to end of shank, some you measure entire length of stummel, etc. I cut that off the 22 mm ebonite and put it in the wood lathe for drilling. First i face it off square with a forstner bit. Then I bore a 5/16" mortise for the delrin tenon 3/8" deep, then I drill a 5/32" tapered hole stopping about 1-1/4" from the end of the stem material. Then I turn the stem material around in the chuck and use a 1/16" bit to meet the tapered bit. The length of the tenon is determined by adding the thickness of my rings to the 3/8" deep motise in the stem and the 5/8" motise in the stummel. Then I glue the tenon in the stem and my rings to each other, the stem shoulder and over the tenon. The 1/16" hole is then widened into a V shaped slot meeting the tapered hole through the stem. All that taper is so the stem can be thinned without cutting into the airhole and I think some engineering is involved to increase the velocity of the smoke at the end of the stem without reducing volume. Anyway, once the two part epoxie dries, the stem is ready for shaping. All epoxy is sealed from the smoke by the tenon. The rings will be shaped with the rest of the stem, and once the diameter is close to final all shaping, sanding and polishing will be done with the stem and stummel together so they stay the same size with no rounding of the meeting edges.

 

[leverhead]

The ebonite comes in 22mm round stock rods so 3/4" is smaller than the original size of the stem material, but larger than the finished stem. The tenon it is going over is 5/16". So a ring ready for glue up will be 3/4" outside with a 21/64" hole in it. My arbor for the hole saw will use a 1/4" drill, so i will have to redrill the hole. I do have a drill press, but no hydraulic press.

I was thinking more like a vise than a press, but 1/4 is getting pretty thick for that. Would a reduced shank drill be handy?

 

[Knucklehead]

Do you mean a 21/64" with a 1/4" shank? That would save a step on a hard to hold piece.

 

[leverhead]

Yea. It might make you find a new way to make your fingers sore.

 

[johnlee1933]

Yea. It might make you find a new way to make your fingers sore.

Coat a flat board with double stick tape. Press your stock into it firmly ( I stand on it for a minute). Use your hole saw for as many circles as will fit the stock. Enlarge center holes. It only takes a bit of pressure to keep them embedded in the tape.

 

[leverhead]

Double sided tape is great stuff!

 

[Knucklehead]

Great idea.

 

[BigCasino]

that pipe turned out great AK

 

[Knucklehead]

Thanks Harry. I just ordered some briar from Vermont Freehand on the pipe forum. Like the stuff Aaron got. I got some large stuff so I won't be so limited by briar size. I got a few plateau and some ebauchons in large.

 

[johnlee1933]

. I got a few plateau and some ebauchons in large.

Hey Knucks, could you point me at pics of these? I don't know the difference. Thanks.