mortis/end cap question

[Albert.A]

Hey guys. I have a little question about a pipe that I started yesterday, and I'm sure this has already been covered in about 246 512 posts, but I havn't been able to find it.

So, I started this pipe yesterday, and it is the first pipe that I've had to drill so the draught hole drill puts a notch on the mortis (see pic). The pipe isn't really that bent but I'm trying to achieve a special effect in it.
Anyway, I think this notch looks like crap, so I'm thinking of putting an end cap in the shank to cover it up. The thing about it that cought my mind was that even with an end cap on the shank face, you will still see the little "ramp" (caused by the airway drill bit) in the mortis behind the end cap if you look down the mortis.

I was just wondering if this is something that you should think about or if it is one of those details that will never matter? I just feel that I would like to have a mortis without a little gap about half way down.

This is probably just my silly perfectionist/detail freak mind going crazy, but I would like to know how some of the pros feel about this. And I would also like to know however this notch is acceptable on a pipe without covering it up?

Thanks,
/Albert

[BigCasino]

The little missing chunk is usually acceptable

[Joe Hinkle Pipes]

You can usually drill a larger mortise and eliminate that notch.You can also try to countersink the edge of the mortise to eliminate, but It usually isn't A problem. There are plenty of pipes out there, factory and artisan, that have a notch like that.

[wdteipen]

The notch is acceptable but, like you, it really messes with my OCD. Consider that if you cover it up you will not be able to ream the airway in the future. If your design allows, you can do as Joe mentions and drill the mortise bigger. Otherwise leave it as is.

[caskwith]

Leave it and move on to the next step.

[d.huber]

That's nothing to worry about. I've created much deeper notches in order to achieve drilling on a wacky design. If that notch is invisible with the stem on and an airtight seal is created when the stem is seated, there's no issue IMO.

[pipedreamer]

WHat wayne says is true. You can't ream the airway later and that is a problem because it can make a great smoker a dud.

[Albert.A]

Thank's guys, I havn't really thought about being able to ream the airway, probably because I started making pipes before I started smoking them (about 1 1/2 years), so none of my pipes have seen enough use to need reaming.
I think I'll put an end cap on this one anyway though, because I'll keep this for myself, and I smoke so little that the need to ream the pipe will probably not arrive in about 400 years! But of course, one can put a cap on that doesn't cover the whole shank face, didn't think about that... Oh well, so many options.

I'll put pictures in the gallery when the pipe is complete and you'll see what I decided upon.

/Albert

[wdteipen]

Being able to ream a pipe isn't an absolute necessity. There are plenty of pipes made that can't be reamed. But, it chaps George's ass when you make one that can't be reamed. (I'm kidding you again, George, but it's not nearly as funny when I have to tell you so.)

[Joe Hinkle Pipes]

i think if you did a really deep countersink you could get rid of it totally. but then you have different visual issue.

[Sasquatch]

They smoke better with the notch.

[LatakiaLover]

Consider that if you cover it up you will not be able to ream the airway in the future.

This is important from a customer/user perspective, Albert.

There was a car made in the early 1970's in the USA that couldn't have its spark plugs changed without removing the engine. (Amazing but true) Making an un-reamable pipe will have some future owner thinking the same thoughts as that car model's owners did.

[Sasquatch]

Ford made trucks all through the mid 2000s like that too.

[Albert.A]

Wow, contructing a car like that seems really stupid! I see what you mean LL, and I will probably not put an end cap on a pipe like this in the future, but since I will keep this one for myself, I know what I'm getting into with the endcap, and down the line I will only have myself to blame!

I appreciate your insights guys! Thanks.

Oh, now that Mr Latakialover is on this thread, allow me to highjack my own thread because I have a question about the "crease behind the button" videos that probably wouldn't be answered in that thread.

First of all, I loved the videos and found them extremely helpfull! But I started thinking about one detail. If you make a very short, fat, tapered stem, wouldn't the button be "leaning" outwards at 90 degrees from the taper of the stem since the files used are at 90 degrees? (see pic) And would this be a problem?

Thanks,
/Albert

[RadDavis]

I believe you're starting to over think this stuff, Albert.

Rad

[LatakiaLover]

If you make a very short, fat, tapered stem, wouldn't the button be "leaning" outwards at 90 degrees from the taper of the stem since the files used are at 90 degrees?

Yes it would. But 90 degrees or LESS is what you want, never an "undercut".

PS -- IAWR

[Vermont Freehand]

you can always drill the airway more towards the top of the mortise, touching the wall (as opposed to the middle center of where it "should" be), and then ramp down the airway with a dremel bit so it passes a pipe cleaner. Leaves it workable in the future to ream and has no divot in the countersink. You'll see some highend pipes made like this, as you will also see highend pipes made with the divot you initialy pictured.

[Sasquatch]

Given that many of my pipes feature both, they must must be extra good, by this logic!

[RadDavis]

Given that many of my pipes feature both, they must must be extra good, by this logic!

Squatch, your pipes are extry, extry good by anyone's logic.

Rad

[Albert.A]

Ok, thanks guys. I believe Rad is correct about me overthinking these small details. I guess the reason is that with my university studies and all, I have sooooo little time to spend in my workshop, and I would probably go insane if I couldn't do or think about anything pipe related, and that's why these weird questions pop into my head.

Anyway, thank you guys for setting my mind straight!

/Albert