number of blocks in stock

[Sir_Saartan]

I was wondering how many blocks you guys have in your inventory.

I'm a hobby pipe maker only, but bought a lot of 20 plateaux pieces.
I still feel limited and was thinking about ordering another box of 30 at
mimmo's within the next 6 months.

then I read some people who actually sell pipes only keep 5-6 blocks
around... So I was thinking: am I insane feeling limited in choice when
I only have 20 blocks at hand? Or do most people keep a good supply
and don't talk about it. Cost wise, if I compare it to the money one spends
on tools, it's a pretty small investment to keep a stash of wood.

are there reasons I don't know about that would want you to limit
the number of blocks and/or the time it spends on your shelf?

[wdteipen]

I probably have at least 200 blocks on hand. I buy a small amount every year and let them season in my shop for at least three years. I am just a hobbiest pipemaker. I like having a good stock so I can let the block determine the shape as opposed to me trying to force a shape out of a block.

[JMG]

Wayne's got that "nurse money." I have maybe 10 blocks in a drawer. I buy a small bundle at a time and make what I can from that and then order some more. I, however, am much less of a pipe maker than Wayne. Don't let his "hobbyist pipemaker" talk give you false impressions about the caliber of his work.

[caskwith]

Briar never really loses value (not in your lifetime generally anyway) so if you can afford to buy some and know you will use it then nothing wrong with have a good stock.
I have maybe 60-80 blocks on hand at the moment but I do need to order some in the next few months, full stock would be 100-150. I would say that is a little low for a full time maker but not for me because the bulk of my work is morta and I have maybe 200 blocks of morta in various stages of curing.

[Sir_Saartan]

Wayne's got that "nurse money." I have maybe 10 blocks in a drawer. I buy a small bundle at a time and make what I can from that and then order some more. I, however, am much less of a pipe maker than Wayne. Don't let his "hobbyist pipemaker" talk give you false impressions about the caliber of his work.

yeah I've taken a look at his pipes. He's not fooling me into believing he's
making pipes that look like mine.

[DocAitch]

I generally purchase about 30 blocks per year, so that I have 20 or so sitting on the shelf at at time, but that depends on my work cycle. I purchase the 30 block lots from Mimmo and/or buy from Premal Chheda and Steve Norse and occasionally Makis at shows.
I will rough shape 10-15 at a time, so the remainder varies. I don’t age my blocks, never got that far ahead of use.
I also do not “plan” my pipes in advance. I generally pick up the next block and begin shaping for grain and to avoid flaws, before drilling. The exception is a cross grained block that almost invariably becomes some billiard variant, or the extra long blocks that are Canadians from the get go.
I have had the lovely experience of picking up a block and starting to cut for a Dublin because it offered an excellent grain pattern for a Dublin, but because of a recent experience with blowfish, decided on a blowfish right then and there.


DocAitch

[Adui]

Small time hobbyist here. I purchase no more than 4 at a time and wait till Im down to 1 to buy more. Once my work is good enough to sell regularly I might use that to buy more at once.