Clamping pipe?

For the things that don't fit neatly into the other categories.
Post Reply
pmbattles
Posts: 54
Joined: Tue Jan 03, 2017 5:23 pm

Clamping pipe?

Post by pmbattles »

I am sure this has been answered on here before but I can't seem to find what I am looking for in the archives...maybe I am just searching for the wrong thing. When using files or rasps on a pipe how do you clamp or hold it? I have a 6in. bench vice but I am worried I will bust/crack the pipe.
User avatar
Sasquatch
Posts: 5147
Joined: Tue Jan 13, 2009 1:46 am

Re: Clamping pipe?

Post by Sasquatch »

I use my left hand.
ALL YOUR PIPE ARE BELONG TO US!
pmbattles
Posts: 54
Joined: Tue Jan 03, 2017 5:23 pm

Re: Clamping pipe?

Post by pmbattles »

Thanks Sasquatch. That's what I ended up using as well.
wdteipen
Posts: 2817
Joined: Sat Mar 29, 2008 1:05 pm

Re: Clamping pipe?

Post by wdteipen »

Sasquatch wrote:I use my left hand.
Yep. No reason to overthink it. Just push the files across the pipe and not your knuckles.
Wayne Teipen
Teipen Handmade Briar Pipes
http://www.teipenpipes.com
DocAitch
Posts: 1109
Joined: Mon Dec 14, 2015 12:44 am
Location: Baltimore, Maryland

Re: Clamping pipe?

Post by DocAitch »

I also use my left hand but I use a piece of 4x4 clamped to my bench with strategically placed grooves, notches and dowels to steady the pipe. Mechanically more efficient, especially if you are not 7 1/2' tall and don't weigh 400lbs like the Sasquatch.
I can PM a photo if you want.
DocAitch
"Hettinger, if you stamp 'hand made' on a dog turd, some one will buy it."
-Charles Hollyday, pipe maker, reluctant mentor, and curmudgeon
" Never show an idiot an unfinished pipe!"- same guy
dogcatcher
Posts: 162
Joined: Thu Feb 14, 2013 2:40 am
Location: Abilene TX or Ruidoso NM

Re: Clamping pipe?

Post by dogcatcher »

I use a Dorman rubber freeze plug, I can stick in the bow, then tighten the bolt the rubber expands and it holds the stummel. The handle is then held in my vise. Where the nut is, I have a piece of angle iron as my "handle that goes into my vise. They come in all sizes and you can find them at any auto parts store.

Image
User avatar
sandahlpipe
Posts: 2106
Joined: Mon Feb 04, 2013 8:49 pm
Location: Zimmerman, MN
Contact:

Re: Clamping pipe?

Post by sandahlpipe »

I have a 2x4 clamped to my workbench that has some grooves chipped into it to hold the stem steady for filing. Other than that, I use the same LH clamp as Sasquatch. When I'm hand sanding, I rarely hold the pipe in one place long enough to where a fixed clamp would be of use.
---
Fail early, fail often. Your success depends on it.

Jeremiah Sandahl
http://sandahlpipe.com
Massis
Posts: 938
Joined: Thu Aug 26, 2010 9:05 am

Re: Clamping pipe?

Post by Massis »

I have a tapered dowel I got from danpipe when I first began, I like to use it clamped in a desk vice for sanding the sides & bottom of a pipe (both stem & stummel) but it's no use for the top of the pipe, which I usually do with the LH clamp mentioned :-)

For rough sanding the stem I put the button side in my desk vice and support the stummel with a piece of 2x4.
jthomas
Posts: 22
Joined: Wed Dec 10, 2014 2:27 pm
Location: Taneytown, Maryland

Re: Clamping pipe?

Post by jthomas »

You can also use an adjustable reamer. The senior pipe reamer is a style that works. Just wrap some tape around the cutting edges so it doesn't mar the bowl and expand until tight. You can then clamp the handle in a vice and go to town.
-josh
User avatar
W.Pastuch
Posts: 415
Joined: Tue May 25, 2010 10:16 am

Re: Clamping pipe?

Post by W.Pastuch »

I think the OP's question was about using files and rasps, not hand sanding. When hand sanding you can clamp the pipe almost any way you want, (tapered dowels are my choice) because the pressure and friction against the stummel is quite low.
With files and rasps if you just stick a dowel in the bowl and try to do some rough filling you will get chatter and very little cutting action because the pipe isn't stable enough. I either combine clamping the dowel in a vice with holding the pipe with my left hand (not very comfortable) or just use my hand to hold the pipe and firmly press the stummel into some kind of rest. I've made several filing workrests which are just a piece of wood with a V-groove cut into the end (the V can be made in different depths and thicknesses) and lined with leather, felt or rubber.
User avatar
Sasquatch
Posts: 5147
Joined: Tue Jan 13, 2009 1:46 am

Re: Clamping pipe?

Post by Sasquatch »

dogcatcher wrote:I use a Dorman rubber freeze plug, I can stick in the bow, then tighten the bolt the rubber expands and it holds the stummel. The handle is then held in my vise. Where the nut is, I have a piece of angle iron as my "handle that goes into my vise. They come in all sizes and you can find them at any auto parts store.

Image

That's super clever. Fuck you! I hate clever people! :lol:
ALL YOUR PIPE ARE BELONG TO US!
User avatar
Sasquatch
Posts: 5147
Joined: Tue Jan 13, 2009 1:46 am

Re: Clamping pipe?

Post by Sasquatch »

But truly, I use a combination of my bench, the shape of a couple of vises (more than the vises themselves), I push things up against the bottom of my lathe... whatever works to hold things still.

but I find I need to move the pipe around a lot to keep things looking the way I want, to control stuff, so I don't lock it into anything as I file.
ALL YOUR PIPE ARE BELONG TO US!
pmbattles
Posts: 54
Joined: Tue Jan 03, 2017 5:23 pm

Re: Clamping pipe?

Post by pmbattles »

Thank you everyone for all of the great tips! I have started working on my first billiard, so hopefully I will be able to post of picture of it soon.
DocAitch
Posts: 1109
Joined: Mon Dec 14, 2015 12:44 am
Location: Baltimore, Maryland

Re: Clamping pipe?

Post by DocAitch »

Here are some photos of my filing block.
I do much the same as Sasquatch, but this keeps all the surfaces in one area and ensures that the surface that I am resting on or pushing against will not mar the pipe (not so important while working with rough shaping, very important when getting a couple of sneaky sanding marks out of a nearly finished stem or stummel)
This a piece of 4x4" fastened to a piece of 2x6" and clamped to the bench. It can be rotated through about 180 degrees.
Image
I originally cut the holes to fasten a reloading press mounted on 2x6" to the bench. I plug the holes to keep crap from falling through when not in use
Image
Image
The face of the block has various holes and gouges to hold one end of the pipe while I hold one end in my LH clamp. I also have varying length and diameter dowels that I can place in in various orientations for file work. The dowels allow me to rotate the piece 360 degrees while working. I have a 100 watt lamp situated laterally to enhance the shadows on the surface of the piece.
Image
Image
Image
I also started using Delrin pilots to hold the shanks of pipes which can be better worked a bit out from the block.
Image
Image
This groove, padded with some pieces of dog toy, is soft enough that it doesn't mar the surface of stummel or stem.
Image
This block has just "growed"- I drill holes and cut depressions as I find them to be more convenient. Takes about 30 seconds to hog out a depression with a die grinder or drill a 5/16" hole for a Delrin pilot. I do turn the dowels on a lathe to make a 1/2 " tenon but you could use 1/2" dowel material and build up the diameter with tape.
DocAitch
"Hettinger, if you stamp 'hand made' on a dog turd, some one will buy it."
-Charles Hollyday, pipe maker, reluctant mentor, and curmudgeon
" Never show an idiot an unfinished pipe!"- same guy
User avatar
Sasquatch
Posts: 5147
Joined: Tue Jan 13, 2009 1:46 am

Re: Clamping pipe?

Post by Sasquatch »

That's cool, I should do up one like that....
ALL YOUR PIPE ARE BELONG TO US!
pmbattles
Posts: 54
Joined: Tue Jan 03, 2017 5:23 pm

Re: Clamping pipe?

Post by pmbattles »

So here is what I came up with...I combined suggestions from dogcatcher and DocAitch. I didn't have a 4x4 so I put two 2x4s together. I had a 3/4in. rubber sanding drum that I could expand in the chamber, then drilled some holes in my block so I can arrange the pipe as needed. Also added a cork stopper and dowel peg.
Attachments
IMG_2119.jpg
(77.31 KiB) Downloaded 18 times
IMG_2118.jpg
(67.39 KiB) Downloaded 18 times
IMG_2117.jpg
(72.52 KiB) Downloaded 18 times
IMG_2116.jpg
(80.68 KiB) Downloaded 18 times
DocAitch
Posts: 1109
Joined: Mon Dec 14, 2015 12:44 am
Location: Baltimore, Maryland

Re: Clamping pipe?

Post by DocAitch »

Looks good. Just about anything will work, and it's customizable.
DocAitch
"Hettinger, if you stamp 'hand made' on a dog turd, some one will buy it."
-Charles Hollyday, pipe maker, reluctant mentor, and curmudgeon
" Never show an idiot an unfinished pipe!"- same guy
E.L.Cooley
Posts: 363
Joined: Thu Feb 13, 2014 3:36 pm
Location: Colorado Springs, Co

Re: Clamping pipe?

Post by E.L.Cooley »

Sasquatch wrote:
dogcatcher wrote:I use a Dorman rubber freeze plug, I can stick in the bow, then tighten the bolt the rubber expands and it holds the stummel. The handle is then held in my vise. Where the nut is, I have a piece of angle iron as my "handle that goes into my vise. They come in all sizes and you can find them at any auto parts store.

Image

That's super clever. Fuck you! I hate clever people! :lol:
Lol sas



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
danilo
Posts: 44
Joined: Sun Jul 10, 2016 8:37 am
Location: Rio de Janeiro - Brasil
Contact:

Re: Clamping pipe?

Post by danilo »

Got some pic from doc a while agor showing me his trick (4x4) and now this 2x4 i need to move my fat ass and do one for myself as well
Post Reply