Hi folks! Happy to be joining the forum. I've accessed a lot of threads as I've researched various topics, but looking forward to interacting a bit more as I foray into pipe-making.
Real name: Mark Theobald
Age: 43
Location: British Columbia, Canada
Years a pipe smoker: 20, very much casually.
How you got into pipe making: When looking up woodworking videos I came across one of a pipe maker (J Alan), and was instantly hooked by the confluence of precision engineering and art (this is not my first foray into the artisan world, but that's a long story). After over a year of research of watching hundreds of videos and reading every article and "how to" I could find, I began to purchase equipment and set up my small wood shop for pipe making. As I get close to amassing the necessary equipment and supplies, I wanted to engage more with other folks in the craft.
Other interesting facts: I once quit my day job on a whim to start and operate a wood-fire bakery with my wife (that's the short version of the long story mentioned above). My wood shop is a tongue-and-groove log building I constructed from the ground up - what a fun project (with a very steep learning curve) that was!