Stem Hole Size

[Duane]

I’ll start with my question: Is a 1/8” hole too big for a pipe stem?
While waiting for my next briar I decided to make my first stem. I figure one can’t call themselves a pipe maker if they aren’t making their own stems. Of course I didn’t want to be a pipe maker, I just wanted a couple pipes to have a rotation….now over a year later and 26 pipes in my rotation, I suppose I should just accept it. So, I decided to make a churchwarden stem.

OK….I got a square piece of “really beautiful” plastic and worked on it by hand and then hand drilled it most of the way through, then I came in from the other side with a smaller bit, but slightly missed. So I reamed the 1/8” hole all the way through, which eliminated the miss, but it’s off center a bit. I still have enough material to continue, but am concerned about the size of the hole. (I also had a problem with the drill becoming a permanent part of the plastic at one point and I had to cook the plastic with the drill stuck in it at 350’ for a while to get it out.)


So, should I continue or just kiss it off because the hole is too large? (It’s a shame that such a beautiful piece of Lucite is in my hands!)

Duane

[wmolaw]

I’ll start with my question: Is a 1/8” hole too big for a pipe stem?
While waiting for my next briar I decided to make my first stem. I figure one can’t call themselves a pipe maker if they aren’t making their own stems. Of course I didn’t want to be a pipe maker, I just wanted a couple pipes to have a rotation….now over a year later and 26 pipes in my rotation, I suppose I should just accept it. So, I decided to make a churchwarden stem.

OK….I got a square piece of “really beautiful” plastic and worked on it by hand and then hand drilled it most of the way through, then I came in from the other side with a smaller bit, but slightly missed. So I reamed the 1/8” hole all the way through, which eliminated the miss, but it’s off center a bit. I still have enough material to continue, but am concerned about the size of the hole. (I also had a problem with the drill becoming a permanent part of the plastic at one point and I had to cook the plastic with the drill stuck in it at 350’ for a while to get it out.)


So, should I continue or just kiss it off because the hole is too large? (It’s a shame that such a beautiful piece of Lucite is in my hands!)

Duane

From what I have read, folks take a 5/32 or 11/64 tapered bit to a point about an inch or so short, then finish out with a 1/16, which is then widened. So, given I have only made two stems, screwed them both up, lost a bit in lucite (like yours, fused due to over aggressive drilling), take it for what it's worth!

[Growley]

Will it work with a larger hole? Yes. Would you want to make the hole this large at the bit on purpose? Probably not. As mentioned, 5/32nd to 1/16th is pretty standard and works great. Having a larger hole near the bit makes it very uncomfortable for clenching.

If you made it more of a hooka type stem and just planned on always holding it with your hands and not your teeth, it would work fine. It's just not what most traditional pipe makers are going for.

Plastic is a pain to drill, especially when it's that long.

[d.huber]

That pipe is going to have the most open draw ever.

I look forward to seeing your results!

[Duane]

Thanks Growley! Yeah, I came in with a 1/16" on the mouth side, but didn't quite meet properly...but with the hand drill I was using, I was surprised I even got that close...haahaa!

That's good news.....I'll run with it because it's nice looking and I usually hold my pipes in my hands anyway. I just thought it might not smoke properly.

And wmolaw....If you put the plastic, with the drill stuck in it, in an over and cook it for about 15 minutes at 350 degrees, the drill can come out (with a bit of force)....and then baste it with butter before eating it!

UberHuberMan.....Yeah...haahaa...I'm looking forward to it too!

Thanks,
Duane

[BigCasino]

I have never smoked a churchwarden are they clench-able? seems like it would be off balance... I like the looks of them but don't think I would enjoy smoking one

[wmolaw]

Thanks Growley! Yeah, I came in with a 1/16" on the mouth side, but didn't quite meet properly...but with the hand drill I was using, I was surprised I even got that close...haahaa!

That's good news.....I'll run with it because it's nice looking and I usually hold my pipes in my hands anyway. I just thought it might not smoke properly.

And wmolaw....If you put the plastic, with the drill stuck in it, in an over and cook it for about 15 minutes at 350 degrees, the drill can come out (with a bit of force)....and then baste it with butter before eating it!

UberHuberMan.....Yeah...haahaa...I'm looking forward to it too!

Thanks,
Duane

Duane, wish to hell I had thought of that when I screwed up! Ended up throwing the lucite and bit away. Ah well, next time, eh?

[kkendall]

That pipe is going to have the most open draw ever.

I look forward to seeing your results!

Actually the other way around. 1/8" (.125 diameter) is considerably less than 5/32 (.156 diameter) -
A .156 hole is 56% larger cross sectional area of the airway than a .125 airway

[Duane]

I have never smoked a churchwarden are they clench-able? seems like it would be off balance... I like the looks of them but don't think I would enjoy smoking one

I only make pipes for my own smoking enjoyment, so how they look isn't as important to me as how they smoke...and I like smoking pipes with the churchwarden stems on them better then shorter stems.....I enjoy the churchwarden stems so much I made up churchwarden stems for almost all my pipes, so each of my pipes have a regular stem and a churchwarden. (Got the stems at PIMO for about $6 each, they're molded and require a couple hours of work to get them in shape.)

"Clench-able"....I have one or two that I can hold in my mouth because I made them small and light for that purpose, but "no", most of my pipes are too heavy to "clench" and are hand held and all stand up on their own (that fits my smoking comfort as I sit in my "old man" chair with a table beside me. hahaha!).

Duane

[wmolaw]

I have never smoked a churchwarden are they clench-able? seems like it would be off balance... I like the looks of them but don't think I would enjoy smoking one

I only make pipes for my own smoking enjoyment, so how they look isn't as important to me as how they smoke...and I like smoking pipes with the churchwarden stems on them better then shorter stems.....I enjoy the churchwarden stems so much I made up churchwarden stems for almost all my pipes, so each of my pipes have a regular stem and a churchwarden. (Got the stems at PIMO for about $6 each, they're molded and require a couple hours of work to get them in shape.)

"Clench-able"....I have one or two that I can hold in my mouth because I made them small and light for that purpose, but "no", most of my pipes are too heavy to "clench" and are hand held and all stand up on their own (that fits my smoking comfort as I sit in my "old man" chair with a table beside me. hahaha!).

Duane

I was never much of a churchwarden guy until I began to get into Latakia blends. For some reason, I love the way a churchwarden will smoke a lat blend. Smoother, more smoke, drier, they just seem to fit. Now I have three, and really enjoy them.

Just made one as well (pipe and stem) for a friend's son. Pretty little light pickaxe, great looking!

[Duane]

I have never smoked a churchwarden are they clench-able? seems like it would be off balance... I like the looks of them but don't think I would enjoy smoking one

I only make pipes for my own smoking enjoyment, so how they look isn't as important to me as how they smoke...and I like smoking pipes with the churchwarden stems on them better then shorter stems.....I enjoy the churchwarden stems so much I made up churchwarden stems for almost all my pipes, so each of my pipes have a regular stem and a churchwarden. (Got the stems at PIMO for about $6 each, they're molded and require a couple hours of work to get them in shape.)

"Clench-able"....I have one or two that I can hold in my mouth because I made them small and light for that purpose, but "no", most of my pipes are too heavy to "clench" and are hand held and all stand up on their own (that fits my smoking comfort as I sit in my "old man" chair with a table beside me. hahaha!).

Duane

Here are two pipes I added churchwarden stems on. Yeah...these pictures will give the traditional pipe making purest nightmares! haahaa! But, they smoke great!




And the silver band on the second one is a kids toe ring I bought at Wal-Mart for $3 for 6 of them and just wrapped it around the stem...."That's Class!!" HaHaHa!

Duane

[wmolaw]

I have never smoked a churchwarden are they clench-able? seems like it would be off balance... I like the looks of them but don't think I would enjoy smoking one

I only make pipes for my own smoking enjoyment, so how they look isn't as important to me as how they smoke...and I like smoking pipes with the churchwarden stems on them better then shorter stems.....I enjoy the churchwarden stems so much I made up churchwarden stems for almost all my pipes, so each of my pipes have a regular stem and a churchwarden. (Got the stems at PIMO for about $6 each, they're molded and require a couple hours of work to get them in shape.)

"Clench-able"....I have one or two that I can hold in my mouth because I made them small and light for that purpose, but "no", most of my pipes are too heavy to "clench" and are hand held and all stand up on their own (that fits my smoking comfort as I sit in my "old man" chair with a table beside me. hahaha!).

Duane

Here are two pipes I added churchwarden stems on. Yeah...these pictures will give the traditional pipe making purest nightmares! haahaa! But, they smoke great!




And the silver band on the second one is a kids toe ring I bought at Wal-Mart for $3 for 6 of them and just wrapped it around the stem...."That's Class!!" HaHaHa!

Duane

I like them! The second one reminds me of that Family Guy show where Peter lost all his bones.

http://www.hulu.com/watch/45703

[WoodTurningGR]

Interesting shapes of your pipes!

About the stem with the big hole, you could warm it up and try to squeeze it, so to make it narrower.
Better if you pass a cleaner inside or a drill bit of desired final diameter.

[Duane]

Interesting shapes of your pipes!

About the stem with the big hole, you could warm it up and try to squeeze it, so to make it narrower.
Better if you pass a cleaner inside or a drill bit of desired final diameter.

Yeah...I thought about that...like squeezing it down on a 1/16" drill bit. I also thought that a couple coats of super glue going about an inch up the stem would bring the size down smoothgly. I'm going to wait till I smoke it before I do anything. And I could screw it up before then too! hahaha!

But, one thing for sure...I have really gained respect for those who make their own stems....it's a whole different animal then working with briar!

Duane

[wmolaw]

Interesting shapes of your pipes!

About the stem with the big hole, you could warm it up and try to squeeze it, so to make it narrower.
Better if you pass a cleaner inside or a drill bit of desired final diameter.

Yeah...I thought about that...like squeezing it down on a 1/16" drill bit. I also thought that a couple coats of super glue going about an inch up the stem would bring the size down smoothgly. I'm going to wait till I smoke it before I do anything. And I could screw it up before then too! hahaha!

But, one thing for sure...I have really gained respect for those who make their own stems....it's a whole different animal then working with briar!

Duane

They do it all with CNC metal lathes.

[d.huber]

That pipe is going to have the most open draw ever.

I look forward to seeing your results!

Actually the other way around. 1/8" (.125 diameter) is considerably less than 5/32 (.156 diameter) -
A .156 hole is 56% larger cross sectional area of the airway than a .125 airway

Well I'll be. I suppose this will provide a hint into my high school math grades.

[The Smoking Yeti]

Truth be told- stem work is MUCH easier with a lathe of sorts- HOWEVER a V-clamp on a drill press will work for most situations. Delrin tenons are a must for the latter though.

[Duane]

Interesting shapes of your pipes!

About the stem with the big hole, you could warm it up and try to squeeze it, so to make it narrower.
Better if you pass a cleaner inside or a drill bit of desired final diameter.

Thanks "WoodTurningGR"...that did the trick! Bad picture, but it is looking good in person!



I have a lot of work to yet do on the stem and haven't touched the block yet, but the button is looking great! And the block is drilled close to an Oom Paul and with that and the button as it is the draw is really good! Thanks again for your help!

I usually make the briar pipe and then work on a stem....this is sort of back-ass-wards the stem is deciding the pipe (probably 8 sides on it to go with the oval stem that moving to a rectangle!

Thanks again,
Duane