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New To The Forum - PIMO CT1 Tool Question

Posted: Sat Jun 18, 2016 8:48 pm
by shikano53
Hi all, I'm a new forum member and have a few pieces of briar that I want to make a few pipes for my own use. I placed an order with Vermont Freehand (formerly PIMO) and one of the tools I purchased was one of their CT1 tools. I don't have any Forstner bits yet and I thought this tool was for squaring the shank. I'm a bit confused on how to use this tool and was wondering if someone would be able to shed some light on this for me.

Today was the first time I actually took out the CT1 bit and tried to use it.
I have read the PIMO Pipe Crafting at Home book and I’m confused.

I have attached 3 pictures. It looks like there are two holes that should have set screws(???) in them but the holes are empty. Should you be able to adjust the depth of the 5/16” bit?
I thought it was used to square up the shank but I have drilled a number of test holes in a piece of 2x4 and the holes don’t look like anything that is flat or smooth. Also, I can’t move either the 5/16" inner or the outer part at all.

Any advice of comments would be appreciated.

Thanks
Chris in Red Deer, Alberta

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Re: New To The Forum - PIMO CT1 Tool Question

Posted: Sat Jun 18, 2016 8:54 pm
by sandahlpipe
That tool is what I started with. It only works if you take the faced space before the piece angles out. Makes for a thin shank. Either that or you can take the part that's supposed to face the shank and grind it so it's a cutting edge all the way across. It's gonna work for learning, but you'll have better luck with a drill press and Forstner bit for facing followed by a mortise bit.

Re: New To The Forum - PIMO CT1 Tool Question

Posted: Sun Jun 19, 2016 12:27 am
by Sasquatch
That looks.... pretty goofy. You'd be way better off with a forstner, assuming you have a drill press. If you don't have a drill press, everything is going to be super difficult no matter what.

However. The holes are not empty, they have set screws in them, I can see the hex-head in the pics you posted. This will allow you to adjust the depth of the collar. You need the right allen key.

So make the collar deeper, so that the pilot is like 1/2" deep before the cutters hit. Then engage the cutters. That would leave you a deep version of what you posted. Then you could use a countersink bit to grind out the high donut in the middle, and use the cut lower edge as your shank guideline.

I'm 40 minutes south of you, and accept bribes.

Re: New To The Forum - PIMO CT1 Tool Question

Posted: Sun Jun 19, 2016 8:33 am
by sandahlpipe
The "donut in the middle" is actually the part that's perpendicular to the mortise. Then the edges of the bit flare out. You can literally make a 1/8" thick mortise wall with this setup and that's about it. Took me a few pipes early on before I figured that out. Then I went and bought a drill press. You're really better off to do freehand stems if you don't have a drill press.

Re: New To The Forum - PIMO CT1 Tool Question

Posted: Sun Jun 19, 2016 10:34 am
by shikano53
Thank you for the comments and advice.
Sasquatch, great to know you are in the area. Would a sample of Stonehaven or Peterson Perfect Plug be construed as a bribe?
OK, I better fill in some of the information gaps. I am 63 years old and started smoking a pipe in May of 2015.
As far as equipment goes I have a Home Depot drill press, a Canadian Tire band saw that I bought used on Kijiji, (a Canadian version of Ebay), a CTC 4" belt sander and a CTC variable speed grinder/buffer/etc.
I am going to get a couple of Forstner bits. On my pipe making bucket list is a 1" belt sander and eventually a lathe but time will tell. The 4" belt sander has limitations but I had it before I decided to make myself a pipe or two. So I made a maple diplomat that looks cheesy and I am going to buff and finish off my version of a straight billiard with my first work with a piece of briar. Darned if I can get the shank and the stem to match flush. I will post a few pics.
Again, thank you for all the kind comments.

Re: New To The Forum - PIMO CT1 Tool Question

Posted: Sun Jun 19, 2016 10:35 am
by Sasquatch
Yeah you're right Jeremiah, I was thinking there was a perpendicular flat on the cutters and there isn't.


Shik, Home Depot carries the Freud brand forstner bits, they cut a real flat surface. Much better to cut the flat shoulder with a forstner then just switch to a regular drill bit for the mortise. I made 100 pipes like that on a drill press I bet.

Shoot me a pm if you are interested in coming down for a visit - I could show you how to do delrin tenons too, which would also be a step in the easy direction.

Re: New To The Forum - PIMO CT1 Tool Question

Posted: Sun Jun 19, 2016 1:18 pm
by shikano53
Thank you for the info on where to get the Forstner bits.
Sasquatch, deal. I will PM you.

Re: New To The Forum - PIMO CT1 Tool Question

Posted: Sun Jun 19, 2016 5:39 pm
by pipedreamer
This, :banghead: is a bad joke on new prople wanting to make pipes. Of course We are all smart enough to figure it out?

Re: New To The Forum - PIMO CT1 Tool Question

Posted: Sun Jun 19, 2016 5:46 pm
by Sasquatch
It isn't great, and maybe I'll have a word with the proprietor.

Re: New To The Forum - PIMO CT1 Tool Question

Posted: Tue Jun 28, 2016 3:27 pm
by shikano53
Thanks for the comments. I got it now. I had a brain-vapors moment. I was going to purchase a stop collar for it but I'm going to go with Sasquatch's suggestion and get three Freud Forstner bits.
3/8" 5/8" 3/4"