Take a look see at this stem...

bscofield · Post by **bscofield** » Tue Jul 26, 2005 1:56 pm

How does he go down past the center with his half saddle? I mean, is the airway off center? Is it drilled at an angle? I'm showing me green'ness on hand cut stems, I know... I'm just having trouble conceptualizing how it's done (for the whole 2 minutes that I thought about it! :naughty: )

marks · Post by **marks** » Tue Jul 26, 2005 9:22 pm

Here is how I would attempt such a stem. I would drill out a 1 inch diameter rod, fit a delrin tenon, then shape everything off center. Not sure how the pipe pictured was done, but that is how I would try it. Naturally, the mortise would not be centered in the shank either.

TreverT · Post by **TreverT** » Tue Jul 26, 2005 9:23 pm

Either it was drilled off-center (not that hard to do, really) or it was a very thick pice of rod stock and the bottom half was ground away. I find off-center airholes really handy for hawkbills, FWIW.

bscofield · Post by **bscofield** » Tue Jul 26, 2005 11:29 pm

So if it *is* off center does that mean that mortise is off center as well?

JHowell · Post by **JHowell** » Wed Jul 27, 2005 1:55 am

bscofield wrote:So if it *is* off center does that mean that mortise is off center as well?

Yes. Peter's tenons are pretty small. Not sure how small, but smaller than the 5/16" that seems pretty customary here.