How to panel a pipe?

[Dodson]

Good morning! I was wanting to make a 4 paneled billiard and I'm not sure if I do the panels last or square the block as best I can and turn it until the panels develop? Or maybe there's another way? Any bit of info I can get on panels would be awesome. Thank y'all very much and have a great Sunday

[baweaverpipes]

The easiest way I've found is to shape a billiard, then cut the panels, that is if you're going for standard shaped classic.............say a Dunhill.

[Dodson]

Thanks Bruce. When you say "cut" are you doing this on a bandsaw? I was thinking of using my 12" disk, would that work as well or would the disk be more difficult to control and get the panels symmetrical?

[baweaverpipes]

Considering I have a cheap band saw, used for cutting Delrin and Ebonite, I wouldn't use the band saw!

[wdteipen]

You can do it either way. You can make a billiard and flatten four sides. Or, you can make a square-ish bowl then round the bottom and corners. I would do the rough shaping on the sanding disk and fine tune by hand.

[The Smoking Yeti]

Files n' sandpaper.

[Dodson]

Thanks y'all. This site is awesome!

[The Smoking Yeti]

Yeah, this sort of stuff can be rough shaped, but if you want precision, it's essential to learn to use hand files. Here's a highly faceted pipe I'm working on, At this stage my precision will come with sandpaper.

[sandahlpipe]

Not to discredit what Yeti is doing there, but with the right sanding disc setup, you can get panels pretty close to where they need to be and then fine tune with hand files and sandpaper.

[scotties22]

Just because it's been a few days since I busted Jeremiah's balls.........

Power tools are not the answer here, unless you have a lot of really good experience with them! Yes, they make tasks easier and faster. They also MAKE MISTAKES HAPPEN FASTER AND MORE BADDER (and not the good type of bad)!! Until you get a good handle on the process and know what material needs removin' I would stay away from the sanding disc/belt. Take the time to do it as Micah has suggested with files and sandpaper.

[Sasquatch]

I wouldn't do it at all cuz I hate fukkin panels.

[Dodson]

That's funny Scottie I used the 12" disk and it was coming together until I fucked it up in a split second. I'll try it again later. I got my symmetry down on the panels so it wasn't a waste.

[Alden]

I wouldn't do it at all cuz I hate fukkin panels.

Quit fukkin them. You will come to appreciate them more when you're just friends.

[wdteipen]

I wouldn't do it at all cuz I hate fukkin panels.

Quit fukkin them. You will come to appreciate them more when you're just friends.

Words to live by. You're a wizard, Ryan.

[SmokeyBert]

Good morning! I was wanting to make a 4 paneled billiard

Hiya Dodson, do you have any pics you can share with us yet? I'm curious how it's coming along for you and what method(s) you decided on?

[Dodson]

I wouldn't do it at all cuz I hate fukkin panels.

Quit fukkin them. You will come to appreciate them more when you're just friends.

Ha! Maybe your right Ryan, the friends with benefits thing didn't work out.
Iv been looking at old pipe catalogs and there's a lot of paneled pipes out there.. Or used to be anyway. Thought I'd give it a shot. What some people find odd iv always been into, gold teeth, 70s decor, pregnant chicks... I guess I just gravitated to paneled pipes.

[Dodson]

Good morning! I was wanting to make a 4 paneled billiard

Hiya Dodson, do you have any pics you can share with us yet? I'm curious how it's coming along for you and what method(s) you decided on?

Thanks for your interest man!! I'll post it when im done with shaping.

[baweaverpipes]

Hexagonal billiard I just completed:

[scotties22]

That is insane!

[Sasquatch]

Hexagons have eight sides, dummy.