Here Is A Straight Dublin With A Bent Stem For Your Critique

[shikano53]

Hi all, I haven't been around for quite sometime but decided awhile back to take another kick at the pipe making can.
After reading a number of articles about taking pictures of your pipes here on the forum, I realized that I need a Camera, A lightbox, at least 4 spots with 6500k daylight bulbs at minimum to get started down the picture taking road. However, for now, I tried my Iphone with one extra reading lamp to see if I could hopefully improve the quality. I did not use the flash. In the second picture you can see a horizontal line going across the bowl. I have no idea what this is. I tried and tried removing it with both my files and various grits of sandpaper to no avail. It doesn't go through and is not a leaker, but it is nevertheless still there.
This a straight Dublin with a bent stem.
Thank you in advance for your critique.

[shikano53]

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[DocAitch]

The mark in the wood I would conjecture to some sort of growth event not severe enough to cause a flaw or void. The fact that occurs along a growth ring leads me in that direction. A darker stain might cover it over or sandblast might be the answer.
Your photos look OK , the light and resolution are good, but your back ground is too textured. Use flat material in light gray or white and flatten it out.
This pipe also does not need a bend.
DocAitch

[wdteipen]

Pretty good looking pipe. I agree with Doc that the irregularity in the stain is a flaw in the briar. The best solution is a darker stain, sandblast, or rustication. I also agree that the stem doesn't need a bend but I like it with a slight bend. Your bend is a bit angular and could be a bit more subtle to add grace. The shank to stem transition could be a bit more smooth. I also think a slight chamfer around the tobacco chamber at the rim would lend function and style. Nice pipe overall.

[Ocelot55]

Two things stick out to me like a sore thumb:

1. You need to break the edge around the chamber. Not only will this help minimize charring from the occasional misdirected flame, it will give the pipe a more finished appearance, and make the rim easier to keep clean.
2. The stem/shank junction isn't as tight as I'd like to see. This could be a tooling or technique issue. Without knowing how you make pipes it's hard to say.

[shikano53]

Thanks Wayne, I will give this next one a bit of a chamfer around the rim.
Ocelot, what do you mean break the edge around the chamber? Are you basically saying the same thing Wayne is saying? To chamfer the inside of the rim?
The stem/shank junction continues to haunt me.
I use a Forstner bit to face the shank but then I use my scraper to face the shank.
I first face with the Forstner, then I drill my air hole. I then drill for my tenon. After all that I use my scraper to face the end of the shank with a slight concave.
I also put a slight concave on my stem rod where the tenon will
I then check for fit or gaps and keep doing this until my shank/stem interface is tight.
This might sound crazy but I find that nice tight fit always seems to deteriorate once stain is applied. Often a gap appears and when I carefully, carefully sand the stain down the gap remains. This is where I am currently falling off the wagon most of the time.
I just don't know how to remedy this. Once I start trying to chase the gap by hand with sandpaper it is a hopeless quest.
That is what happened here.
Any help would sure be appreciated on how to improve this crucial interface.
Thanks folks.
Chris

[wdteipen]

Like Jessie stated, it would help to know more about your process. Are you using a lathe or a drill press to face your shank and stem and drill? Is there in play or slop in your set up?

[DocAitch]

for breaking/beveling the rim the I rough the bevel with a rotary drum sanding tool then use this device with ascending grits 60-400.



DocAitch

[DocAitch]

For adjusting the face of the shank:
If you have a good mortise, you can adjust the shank face with a device like this. These are cylinders turned from aluminum, but you can use hard wood, ebonite or what ever. The pilots are Delrin, and the sand paper is held on with contact cement. to change the paper, heat the paper with a heat gun. You can also change the pilots by turning Delrin.
When I use these, I generally don’t have to start with harsher than 220 grit.
After 400, there will still be rings on the shank face. If they distress you, then carefully drag the shank face over a fixed flat piece of sandpaper.


DocAitch

[Odissey]

I don’t know for sure, the photo is not very clear. But there is a complete feeling that the bottom of the tobacco chamber is drilled lower than the exit of the smoke channel into the tobacco chamber. In Russia, such drilling of the holes in the tobacco chamber and smoke channel is considered unacceptable. The bottom of the tobacco chamber should not be lower than the exit to the smoke channel chamber. The holes should be level and intersect in the center of the tobacco chamber. Ensure correct drilling, there is no problem. Drill the flue duct first, then drill the tobacco chamber, constantly monitoring the drilling depth.