Having trouble fitting stems

[pdlsteelkev]

I'm new to pipemaking and I'm just not grasping how to fit a stem to the shank. I bought the tenon cutter and mortise drill / facer from Pimo. The facer on the mortise drill makes a button that doesn't allow the stem to fit flush to the end of the shank. I even bought the countersink from Pimo, but that just confused me more....what am I missing.

[KurtHuhn]

Fitting a stem is one of the single most important parts of making a pipe. Well, aside from all the other stuff...

A countersink is used on the shank end to make a recess in the mortis where the radius on your tenon-to-stem-face-transition can sit without interfering with shank face to stem face mating.

That said, I never (in my early years) had a problem using the PIMO tool to face a shank end. Used in concert, these tools should provide acceptable results. Do you have a picture of your problem handy?

[pdlsteelkev]

I'm just not having any luck uploading pictures. I think Pimo sent me the wrong mortise drill. This one faces great for fancy stem because it leaves a rounded button on the end of the shank...very orinate. I need one that leaves a flat face. I get with Pimo and see if we can figure this out.

[Tyler]

You're making the shank too big for that facing tool. Your shank diameter needs to be thinner if you want the Counterbore from Pimo to work. Thinner that the "wings" on the edge of that tool. Most new pipe makers make huge pipes, so it is a little odd that Pimo sells the counterbore that they sell.

Speaking of Pimo, the sweet lady who owns Pimo has probably never made a pipe in her life. They sell you what they've always sold, not because it is best, but because it can be used to get the job done. They have done absolutely nothing to improve their wares over the years. You can use the tools they sell to make a pipe, but I would not call what they sell "pipe making tools", if that distinction makes sense. The book, if you've seen it, demonstrates their philosophy: here's a way to make a pipe or two in your garage. Their tools match that. That was a great service 15 years ago. In the internet age, it's not as compelling. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate and am cheering for Pimo, but it's also helpful to understand they aren't experts. The just sell a (dated) catalogue of tools that they've sold for 20 years, and they will probably never change a thing.

[KurtHuhn]

Ah, now that makes sense! Tyler hit it on the head. The tool they sent is definitely the tool you bought - which is definitely the tool on the website. It is, however, too small for most pipes. The good news is that you can upgrade the counterbore fairly inexpensively. WL Fuller makes several larger version that are suitable for bigger pipes - the X75 and X85 models will fit th 5/16" drill bit PIMO provides.

If you want to take a serious step up, try drilling the mortis and facing the shank in two steps. Use the same short length drill bit, but switch to a 1" precision ground Forstner bit to face the shank.

[pdlsteelkev]

Wow, thank for the great info guys, I really appreciate it.

[wdteipen]

The counterbores aren't all that great for the job. I have several different sizes and they dull quickly and leave a lot of chatter. So, if you're looking for a nice smooth, finished face you should find a better tool for the job. They still have some uses and are handy to have. They're just not made for finish work.