pipemakersforum.com

So, I got my forstner bits today ($20 @ Lowe's) got my chunk of practice wood cut loose, also fouled my circular saw blade. Got a billiard sorta design drawn out, tweaked it to my liking so on to drilling the chamber... 1) I now know why you go slow, 2) Oak sucks! Even though it was just for practic...

Lol, thanks guys! Kurt, I finally got around to checking out your page. All I can say is wow! Those pipes were magnificent. Some very useful information there as well. Sasquatch, No worries about the missing thimbs bud, my neighbor is a constant reminder of "chainsaw safety." He went to hi...

That may just be what I do eventually, but for the time being, I want to try this direction. I am starting to shop around for briar kits to learn the traditional ways. And I likewise agree about the beauty of briarwood, some of the grain patterns I've seen in the pipes on here are magnificent. In th...

Thanks! I figured Cedar would be a bust. I may give it a go with that one "stump" of unidentified wood, just because the grain is so beautiful. Kinda pisses me off that the tree died. I have tried to gain a more level headed approach at pipe making though after readin the "pipe alchem...

I know briar wood comes from the burl, and that got me to thinking. I have access to the "burl" (not even sure if it's called that on these species) of these trees, and though these may work well for a pipe? In particular, one of the "unidentified" burls has an almost transparent...

Thanks! Some very useful info there, I appreciate it. I'm honestly using oak first because 1) I have tons of it 2) to avoid wasting my walnut on first step mistakes. Now, forgive my ignorance, but when you said I may need tar to make pitch with the oak pipes, what does that mean? Sorry again for my ...

I didn't intend to get it moderated.
I'll keep an eye out far that tar though, just for you
lol

Lol, that may be somewhat true. But that was many moons ago.....
On the flip side, I do have brain damage in "that area," car wreck, 8" skull fracture, etc, etc.
But I'll blame it mostly on the "filtered pipes," lol

Thanks guys! I was a lil apprehensive about the screen idea, but y'all have sold me on the abandonment of that idea, thanks. On that same note, I'm pretty sure the screen in my old pipe (memory is fuzzy, had it many moons ago) was steel. I believe it may have been a "left handed" pipe when...

I'm glad to see that someone else realizes the workshop potential of the kitchen, lol. I got a tall workbench that my Dad made from some angle steel and wood when my and my better half moved here in April. It wouldn't fit in my "lair" so she turned it into an island in the kitchen. Needles...

Thank you! I've asked that question to many pipe smokers I know, and gotten a standard response of "....umm, I dunno. Do you know what that "screen" I'm talking about in the bottom of the bowl is called? I would like to add that on this first pipe I'm about to attempt because it's for...

As I've said before, I'm completely dumb on the subject of pipes, and have been "researching" them for a very short while. My question is this; if I were to carve a pipe in one piece, in such a way that I could drill the stem hole through to the smoke chamber, would I be able to leave it a...

Ok, thanks! Most of what I'm planing by chainsaw is between 10-18" across. On the larger ones I usually just cut from the end of the timber going with the grain on 4 sides to block it then cut through at the base of the block resulting in 1 block and 4 pieces smoothed on one side. I like that m...

Ok, thanks!
I'm glad there's a simple solution for this, I was afraid my lack of expertise would prove to be an early failure if I couldn't get past it.
I'll give bagging it a try asap.
Thanks again

Okay, thanks!
What's really irritating me is that the heart of the wood keeps cracking. The heart is what I'm hoping to use for my pipes.
Although the oak I expected to crack, because it was dead before I fell it. Really just hoped I'd get lucky, lol.
Thanks again!

That's cool, I really haven't either. I've just been trying to adapt a lot of the old school methods. The "chain saw planing" is something I learned out of necessity and has been very handy over the years. We've had to use it to "create" 2X6's and whatnot while putting up deer st...

What I'm referring to as planing, may be referenced wrong. The process I'm using, is basically shaping a round piece of timber into a cube, so that it can be shaped easier once you actually start the pipe making process. Some do this with a band saw, but seeing as how I don't currently have a bandsa...

I'm brand new at this, and I'm trying to "start from scratch" One, for the experience, two, because I like the idea of making something from nothing. So far I've "rough plained" 6 blocks (1 persimmon, 3 walnut and 2 oak) My only problem is a major one; the heart of tree keeps cra...

The wood I'm using in my "atttempt" at pipe making is harvested by me, on my own land. Not in an effort to "show off," but out of necessity and a pure love for "old school" methods. I've mastered "skinning" the tree, chipping knots, and almost got the "pl...