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I just recently saw a tutorial for adding accent rings to your stem using delrin rod. Now I can't for the life of me find it again. I don't think it was a Youtube video, but I can't be certain. I searched to forum for every possible combination of words associated with it, and can't find anything. Even tried google. Does anyone know what I saw, or where to find it again?

it talked about cutting wood inlays for your stems, using a pane of glass as a flat surface to use for sanding the disc square before gluing to the rod stock.

Rbraniganpipes wrote:I just recently saw a tutorial for adding accent rings to your stem using delrin rod. Now I can't for the life of me find it again. I don't think it was a Youtube video, but I can't be certain. I searched to forum for every possible combination of words associated with it, and can't find anything. Even tried google. Does anyone know what I saw, or where to find it again?

it talked about cutting wood inlays for your stems, using a pane of glass as a flat surface to use for sanding the disc square before gluing to the rod stock.

I recall seeing that some time ago. I cannot find it.

If you end up getting a metal lathe, it will be easy to drill and face the materials. If you are using wood lathe or drill press, you can square them with a forstner bit and clean up with sandpaper on a flat surface.

I recall seeing that some time ago. I cannot find it.

If you end up getting a metal lathe, it will be easy to drill and face the materials. If you are using wood lathe or drill press, you can square them with a forstner bit and clean up with sandpaper on a flat surface.

Premal,

I am using a drill press and have the forstner bit part down. The part I was trying to get back to was the size hole to drill in the ring. I am using 5/16 for my delrin, and they were saying there was another size just slightly bigger that would make them sit tight, but not make it difficult to get on. Also, i didn't know if i was to glue all the rings to the rod first and then insert the delrin, and if i am to use super glue or 5 minute epoxy.

Any ideas?

Use the same size, don't oversize your hole in the ring. If it goes on easy, it will come off easy. Rough up the delrin with extra coarse sandpaper so the epoxy will have some room to lock in. Use epoxy, not superglue. While you can face your rings, glue them to the rod, and then drill everything together, it's just as easy to drill and face the rings, and then you can also epoxy the tenon and the rings in one step.

Cool! Thanks Jeremiah!

I was able to find that original tutorial I was reading. I should have known to check Pipedia...

http://pipedia.org/wiki/Stem_Inserts

It makes sense to glue them all at the same time and then drill. Would you suggest putting it in a C-clamp or vise to dry? I'll have to take each piece out of the drill press after using the forstner bit to face them. Once I glue them, I'd assume I need to use the forstner bit again to face the last piece I glued on slightly before drilling for the delrin to ensure the stem fits flush with the pipe and the delrin hole is centered and straight.

sandahlpipe wrote:Use epoxy, not superglue.

Any specific reasons why? I've done both a few times (not too many) and haven't seen issues with either as long as both faces are dead flat.

If the faces aren't dead flat, epoxy is obviously better since it fills the gaps.

edit: missed the delrin part. In that case I agree, go epoxy as it bonds in the grooves you make in the delrin alot better.
My rings are usually done on integral acrylic/ebonite tenons & stem surfaces, to which superglue seems to stick just fine.

I may be full of shit, so someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe most people stay away from super glue because it has no elasticity when dry and may crack more easily.

Yeah. Mightysmhrf8201 is spot on. Epoxy is just going to hold up better in the long term. You may be fine to use super glue, but why not use the strongest adhesive reasonable? You don't want stuff falling off your pipes when someone drops it or smokes it too hot.

mightysmurf8201 wrote:I may be full of shit, so someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe most people stay away from super glue because it has no elasticity when dry and may crack more easily.

Epoxy has more time where you can work it / more forgiving. Super Glue is fine if you can apply it without error and very quickly. How hot the pipe is smoked and/or if it is dropped is not going to really affect the ring.

The best glue I know of for attaching smooth/non-porous decorative sleeves and rings to shanks is Gem-Tac.

It was formulated for one task: attaching ornamental crystals and stones to leather. (Blingifying leather jackets is a big fashion thing, apparently)

Anyway, in the glue world, adhesives that are good for smooth materials stick badly to porous ones, and vice-versa. Not so with this stuff. Looks and behaves like a slightly off-color version of Elmer's everyday school kid glue. No mixing, weird wait times, or etc. But it adheres ferociously. Recommended.

http://www.amazon.com/Beacon-Gem-Tac-Pe ... ds=gem+tac

LatakiaLover wrote:The best glue I know of for attaching smooth/non-porous decorative sleeves and rings to shanks is Gem-Tac.

It was formulated for one task: attaching ornamental crystals and stones to leather. (Blinging leather jackets is a big fashion thing, apparently)

Anyway, in the glue world, adhesives that are good for smooth materials stick badly to porous ones, and vice-versa. Not so with this stuff. Looks and behaves like a slightly off-color version of Elmer's everyday school kid glue. No mixing, weird wait times, or etc. But it adheres ferociously. Recommended.

http://www.amazon.com/Beacon-Gem-Tac-Pe ... ds=gem+tac

Can I use this for attaching synthetic rubies to my pipes?

sandahlpipe wrote: Can I use this for attaching synthetic rubies to my pipes?

Only if you charge $20K or more for them.

LatakiaLover wrote:

sandahlpipe wrote: Can I use this for attaching synthetic rubies to my pipes?

Only if you charge $20K or more for them.

Totally worth it if it helps you remember a natural disaster like Fukushima.

Ratimus wrote:
Totally worth it if it helps you remember a natural disaster like Fukushima.

Wow. You really have been paying attention.

Have to laugh. He will never be forgotten, will he? Sorry, a bit of a lurker but that made me laugh my ass off.

I am thinking about adding some additional accents to my accent ring stems. Has anyone ever used knife spacer material to add very small accent rings on their stems?
http://www.texasknife.com/vcom/product_ ... ts_id=1962
or
http://www.texasknife.com/vcom/product_ ... ts_id=7550

I would like to use: Ebonite, spacer, accent wood, spacer, ebonite... and connect it all with a delrin tenon.

Anyone have any history with this? I feel like it could be easier to do than trying to make two identical sized spacers out of acrylic on a wood lathe.

Rbraniganpipes wrote:I am thinking about adding some additional accents to my accent ring stems. Has anyone ever used knife spacer material to add very small accent rings on their stems?
http://www.texasknife.com/vcom/product_ ... ts_id=1962
or
http://www.texasknife.com/vcom/product_ ... ts_id=7550

I would like to use: Ebonite, spacer, accent wood, spacer, ebonite... and connect it all with a delrin tenon.

Anyone have any history with this? I feel like it could be easier to do than trying to make two identical sized spacers out of acrylic on a wood lathe.

Should be no problem. For the purpose you require, "spacer" material can be almost anything -- it sure isn't apparent what it is from the web site.

LatakiaLover wrote:The best glue I know of for attaching smooth/non-porous decorative sleeves and rings to shanks is Gem-Tac.

It was formulated for one task: attaching ornamental crystals and stones to leather. (Blingifying leather jackets is a big fashion thing, apparently)

Anyway, in the glue world, adhesives that are good for smooth materials stick badly to porous ones, and vice-versa. Not so with this stuff. Looks and behaves like a slightly off-color version of Elmer's everyday school kid glue. No mixing, weird wait times, or etc. But it adheres ferociously. Recommended.

http://www.amazon.com/Beacon-Gem-Tac-Pe ... ds=gem+tac

This is a good glue but make sure it is fresh. It has a tendency to either separate out in the bottle or turn solid.

Ok here is another question I had regarding accent rings.

Would it make more sense to cut say a 1/2 inch tenon on your initial piece of rod stock for your stem, then drill 1/2 inch holes in your accent materials and glue them onto the tenon. Then from there, face the entire thing down and drill your 5/8 hole for your delrin tenon?

Rather than as the stem tutorial suggested:

Cut each accent piece separately, glue them together, and then glue them to the rod stock, and drill the 5/8 hole through all of them to hold the delrin tenon?

Would it make more sense from a strength perspective to cut a temporary "tenon" and glue the accents onto it? This way, when you drill for your tenon, your are drilling your 5/8 hole through the ebonite rod rather than through different layers of material. Since your delrin rod would be glued in completely to the ebonite rod, rather than onto 3 or more separate pieces of accent material, would there be less of a chance of the entire accent ring pulling apart when someone pulls the stem out of the pipe?

I think delrin is going to be stronger than any tenon you make, so I don't think there's a benefit to doing it the way you propose. As long as the delrin is properly scored and scuffed, it should hold everything together fine. The more complex your process, the more things are possible to screw up.