|
Post by Silver on May 5, 2022 14:33:38 GMT -5
The journey, the learning, the creativity, the therapy. I haven't got a planned destination. Just having fun, usually. Even when I make mistakes, which is frequent. Very, very well versed. I'd be a rube if you were a salesman because I am sold. Can you suggest a pre-drilled blank with stem you would recommend? You can try Vermont Freehand or RawKrafted. VF has basic kits, but lots of stems that you can buy and swap out. Tenons would need to be finished by you. RawKrafted has pre-drilled blocks that are already rough shaped for give you a headstart on carving. vermontfreehand.com/rawkrafted.com/
|
|
|
Post by Silver on May 5, 2022 14:48:15 GMT -5
|
|
misfittoy78
New Member
Posts: 86
First Name: Britt
Favorite Pipe: Savinelli Poker
Favorite Tobacco: Cellar at this juncture
Location:
|
Post by misfittoy78 on May 5, 2022 14:55:02 GMT -5
So is the tenon "almost fitted" like where it just needs cleaned up or does it have to be turned down completely?
|
|
misfittoy78
New Member
Posts: 86
First Name: Britt
Favorite Pipe: Savinelli Poker
Favorite Tobacco: Cellar at this juncture
Location:
|
Post by misfittoy78 on May 5, 2022 14:56:50 GMT -5
Very, very well versed. I'd be a rube if you were a salesman because I am sold. Can you suggest a pre-drilled blank with stem you would recommend? You can try Vermont Freehand or RawKrafted. VF has basic kits, but lots of stems that you can buy and swap out. Tenons would need to be finished by you. RawKrafted has pre-drilled blocks that are already rough shaped for give you a headstart on carving. vermontfreehand.com/rawkrafted.com/Sorry Silver, wrong post
|
|
|
Post by Silver on May 5, 2022 15:01:14 GMT -5
You mean on kits? The stem is already fitted to the mortise. If you want to put a different stem on the pipe, the tenon would need to be turned. Usually a few millimeters. Freehand-styles are pretty easy to do, traditional shaped stems are another matter. Best way to do them is on a lathe, which I haven't got. Traditional shaped vulcanite stems also need to be filed and sanded to size, attached to the shank of the stummel.
|
|
|
Post by Silver on May 5, 2022 15:13:23 GMT -5
|
|
msokeefe
Junior Member

Posts: 464
First Name: Mark
Favorite Pipe: Petersen Red 03 bent apple spigot, Savinelli 310 KS
Favorite Tobacco: Father Dempsey, Presbyterian, Wilke’s Crystal Palace, Westminster, Black House
Location:
|
Post by msokeefe on May 5, 2022 15:23:38 GMT -5
After drying, I sanded the whole thing down with 600-grit paper and applied a coat of oil-based yellow stain. After drying again, applied two coats of carnauba and buffed it out. Pipe #11 is ready to go. Thanks for looking!    Incredible, looks like you found a new calling. Keep it up!
|
|
|
Post by Silver on May 5, 2022 15:25:13 GMT -5
Thanks, Mark. Don't know where this is going, but definitely having some fun.
|
|
|
Post by urbino on May 5, 2022 17:00:33 GMT -5
Looks to me like it turned out darn well. I'd smoke it. And you got some really nice bird's eye on that side.
|
|
|
Post by urbino on May 5, 2022 17:01:26 GMT -5
Decided to have a little fun with a corncob today. MM offers the Washington in flat, Rob Roy and 5th Avenue bowl shapes. Decided to take a flat and turn it into a fluted poker. I haven't done a cob in a while. The last 15 or so, have been gifted or are sitting in a box for future smoking/gifting/trading. I think this one's going to go straight into the rotation. The shape was inspired by the "drunken cherrywood" briar I carved. urbino actually thought it was a cob when he first looked at the photos. So, now I have a similar shape in corn. ![]()    Ha. Before I got to the end of your comments, I was already going to say it looked familiar.
|
|
|
Post by Silver on May 5, 2022 17:31:31 GMT -5
So, I'm a bit nervous posting this one. Pipe #16 is billiard #1. Such a simple shape and VERY challenging. No place to hide my mistakes, and there were several. I tried to make corrections to the design, based on advise from Cramptholomew . Thanks again, Jason! One design issue I couldn't correct was how the shank tapers up from the bottom of the bowl. Next billiard will not do that. I learned a lot on this one.  Looks to me like it turned out darn well. I'd smoke it. And you got some really nice bird's eye on that side. Thanks! The bird' eye was a surprise. The block came from a grab bag of 10 blocks for $40. That's why that side got the extra photo. The other side is what I was expecting. It turned out as well as it did, because I was lucky to have an experienced set of eyes (Cramps) to point some things out.
|
|
|
Post by Cramptholomew on May 5, 2022 19:56:24 GMT -5
You did really well on the shaping here. Especially for a first billiard, not to mention NO LATHE! Make MORE.
|
|
|
Post by Silver on May 5, 2022 21:47:42 GMT -5
Yes sir! I will make more. And thanks again for the feedback.
|
|
|
Post by terrapinflyer on May 6, 2022 5:41:18 GMT -5
I've been following along and I'll just drop in a bit of encouragement. You're doing great stuff and I hope you continue.
|
|
Zach
Pro Member
   
If you can't send money, send tobacco.
Posts: 3,786
First Name: Zach
Favorite Pipe: Too many currently, bound to change
Favorite Tobacco: Haunted Bookshop, Big 'N' Burley, Pegasus, Habana Daydream, OJK, Rum Twist, FVF, Escudo, Orlik Golden Sliced, Kendal Flake, Ennerdale
Location:
|
Post by Zach on May 6, 2022 8:51:07 GMT -5
Decided to have a little fun with a corncob today. MM offers the Washington in flat, Rob Roy and 5th Avenue bowl shapes. Decided to take a flat and turn it into a fluted poker. I haven't done a cob in a while. The last 15 or so, have been gifted or are sitting in a box for future smoking/gifting/trading. I think this one's going to go straight into the rotation. The shape was inspired by the "drunken cherrywood" briar I carved. urbino actually thought it was a cob when he first looked at the photos. So, now I have a similar shape in corn. ![]()    That is slick! It's calling for an acrylic stem!
|
|
|
Post by Silver on May 6, 2022 17:55:31 GMT -5
Decided to have a little fun with a corncob today. MM offers the Washington in flat, Rob Roy and 5th Avenue bowl shapes. Decided to take a flat and turn it into a fluted poker. I haven't done a cob in a while. The last 15 or so, have been gifted or are sitting in a box for future smoking/gifting/trading. I think this one's going to go straight into the rotation. The shape was inspired by the "drunken cherrywood" briar I carved. urbino actually thought it was a cob when he first looked at the photos. So, now I have a similar shape in corn. ![]()    That is slick! It's calling for an acrylic stem! Gonna break it in with the plastic stem, but may be a candidate for a Forever Stem.
|
|
|
Post by Gypo on May 6, 2022 22:05:00 GMT -5
Sweet I really like how it turned out. Can not wait to hear how it smokes.
|
|
|
Post by Silver on May 6, 2022 22:17:52 GMT -5
Thanks, Ted. Might give a her try tomorrow.
|
|
|
Post by Silver on May 6, 2022 22:26:47 GMT -5
I've been following along and I'll just drop in a bit of encouragement. You're doing great stuff and I hope you continue. Thank you, Emily.
|
|
|
Post by johnlawitzke on May 7, 2022 19:50:10 GMT -5
The birdseye turned out great on the right side of the stummel!
Hopefully, you don’t mind constructive feedback…. Billiards are my favorite shape. The one thing that strikes my eye on the shaping is that the top line of the shank appears to angle up when it should be flat. The time that I shaped a Billiard, I found something circular with the same diameter that I wanted for the shank. ( an old green plastic circle template from my mechanical drawing days) As I hand shaped the shank with a Dremel, I’d occasionally slide the shank through the template to check that I was getting a constant diameter. Yes, the thing you do when you don’t have a lathe…
|
|
|
Post by Silver on May 7, 2022 19:56:12 GMT -5
Good eye, John. The shank does have a taper to it, when it shouldn't. I don't mind feedback at all. Thanks! The next billiard won't do that.
|
|
|
Post by johnlawitzke on May 7, 2022 20:44:05 GMT -5
I tend to have a good eye when looking at Billiards as at least a third of my collection is Billiards or Billiard family (Canadian, Liverpool, etc.).
|
|
|
Post by Cramptholomew on May 7, 2022 21:07:02 GMT -5
Out of all the pipe makers I’ve talked to, from new to old, they all said one thing: the shank needs a slight taper. Slight. If it doesn’t, the transition through the stem junction looks abrupt and doesn’t flow well. If there’s no taper, it can almost look like a reverse taper to the eye. Silver’s has a lot, but it’s his first one.
|
|
|
Post by Silver on May 10, 2022 1:32:05 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by Silver on May 15, 2022 21:15:13 GMT -5
|
|
misfittoy78
New Member
Posts: 86
First Name: Britt
Favorite Pipe: Savinelli Poker
Favorite Tobacco: Cellar at this juncture
Location:
|
Post by misfittoy78 on May 17, 2022 16:17:26 GMT -5
You mean on kits? The stem is already fitted to the mortise. If you want to put a different stem on the pipe, the tenon would need to be turned. Usually a few millimeters. Freehand-styles are pretty easy to do, traditional shaped stems are another matter. Best way to do them is on a lathe, which I haven't got. Traditional shaped vulcanite stems also need to be filed and sanded to size, attached to the shank of the stummel. I'm sorry to just get back to this but it lined up just right. I won an auction of a "pipe", not to insult the craftsman, that is just barely worked on past a kit. Someone just lost interest in it I think and called it a day but I see lots of potential left. Stem is half bent and pretty but the briar is all very blocky. It'll be my first so we will see.
|
|
|
Post by Silver on May 17, 2022 16:38:08 GMT -5
You mean on kits? The stem is already fitted to the mortise. If you want to put a different stem on the pipe, the tenon would need to be turned. Usually a few millimeters. Freehand-styles are pretty easy to do, traditional shaped stems are another matter. Best way to do them is on a lathe, which I haven't got. Traditional shaped vulcanite stems also need to be filed and sanded to size, attached to the shank of the stummel. I'm sorry to just get back to this but it lined up just right. I won an auction of a "pipe", not to insult the craftsman, that is just barely worked on past a kit. Someone just lost interest in it I think and called it a day but I see lots of potential left. Stem is half bent and pretty but the briar is all very blocky. It'll be my first so we will see. Good luck, and most of all, have fun!
|
|
misfittoy78
New Member
Posts: 86
First Name: Britt
Favorite Pipe: Savinelli Poker
Favorite Tobacco: Cellar at this juncture
Location:
|
Post by misfittoy78 on May 17, 2022 17:08:35 GMT -5
I'm sorry to just get back to this but it lined up just right. I won an auction of a "pipe", not to insult the craftsman, that is just barely worked on past a kit. Someone just lost interest in it I think and called it a day but I see lots of potential left. Stem is half bent and pretty but the briar is all very blocky. It'll be my first so we will see. Good luck, and most of all, have fun! I plan to have a lot of fun and do a lot of cussing. Hopefully more of the former than the later but I am gonna see her thru either way
|
|
|
Post by Silver on May 17, 2022 22:55:15 GMT -5
Got a little more time in the workshop today and finished the 2nd billiard (pipe #17). After final sanding, I decided to leave the stummel unstained. Polished with white diamond, then carnauba wax. It'll be interesting to see how it darkens a I smoke it. I like the size of the pipe, it's roughly a group 4. The bowl is a little thick and chunky for a billiard. It has some pot and even apple qualities to it. There isn't much going on in terms of grain. I might end up rusticating this one in the future. I just can't get excited about this one.    
|
|
|
Post by dervis on May 18, 2022 9:15:36 GMT -5
Great looking pipes.
|
|