First few pipes - comments and critique would be great

[TShea]

Below you will find pics of my pipes so far. If you need further info please let me know. I drill the chamber, although a couple of them I hollowed out with a 3/8 or 1/2" detail gouge. Airway is always 5/32. Stems are drilled 1/8", many of which I've used pre-made (until I get better at forming them). And the last 1/4" of my stems are usually 1/16".

Pipe 1:

20200620_144427(1).jpg

Pipe 1

(394.13 KiB) Not downloaded yet

This was a very simple build to "get my feet wet" and I learned a lot from the project.

Pipe 2:

20200620_144427(1).jpg

Pipe 1

(394.13 KiB) Not downloaded yet

Improvement over the first, but I would change the bottom of the bowl if I had to do it over again.

Pipe 3:

20200621_183021(1)(1).jpg

Pipe 3

(415.8 KiB) Not downloaded yet

20200621_183036(1)(1).jpg

(437.58 KiB) Not downloaded yet

I really like this pipe. It felt comfortable and I liked the shape and style, along with custom stem.

Pipe 4:

20200620_144353(1).jpg

(67.75 KiB) Not downloaded yet

The texture on this pipe was fun to do.

I'll post some more in the future. Would love to get some feedback so far. If you need further details on the pipes, please let me know. I know I'm missing bowl depth, length, size, weight, and etc..

[Masonrygh]

Hey there,

Welcome to pipemaking!

First of all, I'll just say that those aren't bad for a first couple of pipes, especially the later ones.

I'll let the other guys give you more specific feedback, but here are some general tips to guide you in the right direction.

What I (and most other makers on the forum) would recommend is that from here you make some billiards. They're easier for us to critique because it is such a classic shape with generally agreed upon standard proportions. The pipes you made (somewhat nonstandard shapes) are a little hard to critique without us knowing what you're going for.

Secondly, I recommend that you post one pipe per post, because it's hard to lay out a detailed critique of four separate pipes in one reply. See this link viewtopic.php?f=18&t=8876 by Premal for some posting guideline.

Thirdly, I would focus on using premade stems until you've gotten the stummel shaping down. Pipemaking is a tough beast to conquer, and there are so many parts to it that it can be hard to try and make a pipe 100% from scratch. The stem (When you first start) is the hardest part, so focus on mastering stummel making first. So it's perfectly fine that you went with premade stems, don't worry about that.

Fourthly, scroll through https://www.smokingpipes.com/search/the ... playNum=24 to see a good selection of billiards. It really helps to look at 100s of billiards to really understand the shape.

Fifthly, lurk through as many of the posts on Pipemakersforum as you can. Some of the posts are dead ends, but most of them will answer 10 questions that you didn't even know you had.

Bonus tip, this place is kinda like jumping into a pool full of sharks made out of Sasquatch teeth. Everyone here is super nice and helpful, just know that they're some of the best of the best, so know that posting here is meant to be highly critical so you can better your craft.

Keep it up, can't wait to see what you make from here

[wdteipen]

Most of us when we first started went through a brief experimental stage where we just made what we envisioned in our minds. The result is typically an unbalanced, amorphous, amateur looking pipe. That's just the way it usually is. It's certainly the way it was for me. There's a lot of good things in these early pipes you've made. Most of all, they appear to be functional which really is the first hurdle to overcome in pipemaking. If you really want to get technically better quick, get the experimental phase out of your system quick then find a simple but standard designed pipe from a reputable maker and try to replicate it. A billiard is a good choice but not entirely necessary. I say that because billiards may not satisfy your creative urges. Just try to pick an established shape that isn't too far out of your skill level from a difficulty standpoint. Keep doing that until you get as close as you can. You will learn a ton with each attempt plus you will have the original.

[Odissey]

The first two pipes are original, but not beautiful. The third has already been done pretty well, especially for a beginner. But everything spoils the slurred stalk. In the fourth pipe there is even something from Walenstein. My advice to you is, never make a pipe if you have no experience making the right finish for it. Set yourself the task of strength. You need to start with something very simple, but beautiful. It is clear that there is no tool, but we all start with just a couple of files, two or three sheets of sandpaper and an electric drill .. Try it again, you should succeed. Judging by the finish of the third pipe, your hands are growing from the right place.

Regards, Odissey

[JMG]

Find a pipe you like and try to re-create it. When you're done see what's different about yours and when you make another one, work on those things.