My problems STEM from...

hazmat · Post by **hazmat** » Wed May 17, 2006 11:44 am

grrrrrrrrrr... can some of you fellas(or ladies, if any are around) ease my frustrated mind and tell me that with time, I too will be able to hand cut a stem without wanting to throw the thing across the shop??

sigh...

bvartist · Post by **bvartist** » Wed May 17, 2006 2:12 pm

I'm relatively new to hand cutting stems, so I can relate. And can ease your frustrated mind.

Took me several attempts on the first couple I did, but I get better at it each time I do one. I think I've made 8 pipes with hand cut stems but probably cut 12 or so stems to get those 8. So keep trying, you'll get there!

Sometimes it does help to go ahead and throw it across the shop too! 8O
Just make sure it doesn't bounce back at you!

David

hazmat · Post by **hazmat** » Wed May 17, 2006 2:43 pm

hehe.. thanks, David. I'm sure I'll get it.. just been having a tough time of it. The first couple pieces, I goofed the bit on.. but finally seemed to have gotten that right. So last night, with my stem drilled, tenon turned and bit cleaned up, I chucked the thing into the lathe by the tenon(big mistake) in order to turn the taper of the stem. Don'tcha know, the stem snapped at the tenon.. god.. at least I have some delrin I can fix it with, but even so. Thanks for empathizing with me.. greatly appreciated!!!

Matt

JSPipes · Post by **JSPipes** » Wed May 17, 2006 4:28 pm

Keep at it, you'll get there!

I use a lathe to turn a tenon (unless I use Delrin) and drill. I will also very rough shape it (unless it's a ball type). I do the vast majority of work on a stem with a 1" belt and files. Sometimes I use a dremel.

It just takes time and patience. You'll get there.

Nick · Post by **Nick** » Thu May 18, 2006 11:09 am

I'm totally with you Matt. Stems are much harder than stummels. Man is that frustrating!!

marks · Post by **marks** » Sun May 21, 2006 5:19 pm

Once you do a few, you will develop processes that work for you. Even with your developed processes, it will still take a lot of time, but it takes a lot of the frustration out of making hand cut stems.

ScoJo · Post by **ScoJo** » Sun May 21, 2006 7:34 pm

Funny - I am working on my first hand cut stem right now (my 9th pipe), and I was also struck yesterday by an intense desire to launch the whole thing across the garage.

hazmat · Post by **hazmat** » Mon May 22, 2006 7:57 am

I just had an entire weekend of wanting to throw things across my shop. It seemed like everything I touched turned to crap.. quickly. I've been fighting a pretty nasty cold and I think my head just wasn't into it. Lesson learned.. don't work when sick.. bleh..

LexKY_Pipe · Post by **LexKY_Pipe** » Mon May 22, 2006 11:06 am

Anyone up for a stem tossing contest?

hazmat · Post by **hazmat** » Mon May 22, 2006 11:36 am

hmmm.. a stem tossing contest... is that anything like dwarf tossin??

but on a serious note..as a first time trying to cut these things by hand I elected to go with acrylic just on the cost difference. Is there any reason that I should be using vulcanite instead? Just curious as to whether one material is easier/better to learn on than the other.

Post by **KurtHuhn** » Mon May 22, 2006 11:50 am

I find acrylic more difficult to drill, but easier to work to a high polish. Vulcanite drills and shapes easily, but can be a real pain to get a good finish on it.

As always, your mileage may vary.

hazmat · Post by **hazmat** » Mon May 22, 2006 12:05 pm

Thanks, Kurt, I think you answered my question. At the moment, I think I'd be better off to look for aesthetics last and production first. I can't quite finish a stem, regardless of the material, if I can't even get it drilled properly. Along those lines, cutting in the slit seems difficult with acrylic. The material wants to melt moreso than it wants to be cut. I've ended up with slits on two pieces that you could drive a bus through.

bvartist · Post by **bvartist** » Mon May 22, 2006 12:47 pm

hazmat wrote:hmmm.. a stem tossing contest... is that anything like dwarf tossin??

Yeah, but the stems don't wriggle out of your grasp as easily!

hazmat wrote: Is there any reason that I should be using vulcanite instead? Just curious as to whether one material is easier/better to learn on than the other.

Both have their good and bad points. But if you can learn to do a stem well in acrylic, vulcanite won't be much of a problem for you. The biggest problem I have with acrylic is it sands at a much slower rate than briar. Its easy to take too much off the shank yet the stem isn't to the size and shape I want.