suggestions

android · Post by **android** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 2:17 pm

hey all, i've made a few futile attempts to make my first 'from scratch' pipe... the stem is what is holding me up. i've only tried ABS (due to price) but i get the impression there may be a slightly easier material for me to try for my first hand-made stem. i also use the delrin tenon method and have some issues with the depth of the tenon (feels flimsy and ready to come out) any suggestions there?

thanks.

Post by **KurtHuhn** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 4:19 pm

As far as workability, vulcanite is probably the best bet. If you only need enough vulcanite for one stem, say 3-4 inches, I could let some go for a small price.

That said, you could also try acrylic, which is very inexpensive. Be sure to get cast acrylic, because the extruded stuff will piss you off to no end. Be warned, however, acrylic has it's own set of oddities and difficulties. It's *very* heat sensitive, for one.

For your tenon, is it the depth or the diameter that seems to be the problem? For most tenons, I try to hit between 1/2" and 5/8" of depth. As far as diameter is concerned, you really need to experiment with different drill bits to find the one that will work every time.

Also, where diameter is concerned, there are a couple tricks that can keep you on the straight and narrow.
- if you use a forstner bit to make a flat-bottomed mortis, be sure to remove it regularly and clear the chips. I do this about every 1/12". This prevents the mortis walls from glazing and changing dimension.
- if you use a twist drill, make the mortis in one advancement of of the bit - this keeps the bit from galling the mortis as you insert and remove it.

android · Post by **android** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 11:20 pm

thanks Kurt. i've been happy with 5/16 tenon size, and it's the depth of the tenon/mortise i've struggled with. all i have to do is drill deeper next time i guess.

i'll PM you about the vulcanite. as for acrylic, i've got some sitting around my shop, i started off with pens a few years ago and still have some blanks i never got around to turning (i assume those are cast acrylic). i hear you on the heat thing, i made a pipe tamper earlier this year and the thing melted on me.

i also think once i break down and get a tapered bit for stem drilling (instead of using the one i tried to grind), it will improve things for me.

thanks for the reply.

Tano · Post by **Tano** » Tue Dec 09, 2008 1:18 pm

Kurt,

Cast acrylic vs excruded. How can I identify it? I bought come square rods from PME. Would this be excruded or cast?
Thanks

Frank · Post by **Frank** » Tue Dec 09, 2008 2:13 pm

android wrote:i also use the delrin tenon method.....

Since you already have ABS, from my experience it seems to work just as well as Delrin for making tenons.

Tano wrote:Cast acrylic vs excruded. How can I identify it? I bought come square rods from PME. Would this be excruded or cast?

Manufacturers and bulk suppliers state whether it is cast or extruded - they usually sell both. Considering that PME is selling it to pipemakers as stem material, one could safely assume that it is cast. I'm pretty sure that if it were extruded, the flack would have landed on this forum by now.

Post by **KurtHuhn** » Tue Dec 09, 2008 10:30 pm

Tano wrote:Cast acrylic vs excruded. How can I identify it? I bought come square rods from PME. Would this be excruded or cast?
Manufacturers and bulk suppliers state whether it is cast or extruded - they usually sell both. Considering that PME is selling it to pipemakers as stem material, one could safely assume that it is cast. I'm pretty sure that if it were extruded, the flack would have landed on this forum by now.

Typically, if it's swirled with color, it's cast. Solid colors can be either, so be sure that the seller identifies which it is.

pennsyscot · Post by **pennsyscot** » Tue Dec 09, 2008 10:55 pm

I don't think a tennon needs to be longer than half inch. 3/4" round acrylic pen blanks are about 3.50 each and are easy to work. I think to get a good fit with delrin tenons you need to find exactly the right bit to drill the mortise. Drill bits of the same marked size can vary a few thou depending on the manufacturer. You can make your own tapered drill bit by chucking the bit in a hand drill and grinding the spinning drill against a sanding disc. Acrylic polishes nicely, you just have to proceed slowly with the drilling. Also, it won't make your shop smell like a drag strip.

android · Post by **android** » Tue Dec 09, 2008 11:43 pm

the last mortise i drilled fit the delrin pretty spot on, hopefully it will perform similarly on the next one. i'll have to try out one of my acrylic pen blanks and see how i get along with that. when heating it for a bend (theoretically) would you heat it the same way (heat gun) that you would vulcanite or other materials?

Frank · Post by **Frank** » Tue Dec 09, 2008 11:48 pm

pennsyscot wrote:Also, it won't make your shop smell like a drag strip.

Notorious

Ahh... I love the smell of burning rubber in the morning!

ToddJohnson · Post by **ToddJohnson** » Wed Dec 10, 2008 11:53 am

Frank wrote:
pennsyscot wrote:Also, it won't make your shop smell like a drag strip.
Notorious
Ahh... I love the smell of burning rubber in the morning!

It's funny. I know that vulcanite, when it's worked is supposed to have a foul smell. Whenever my wife or our nanny comes home they always ask with their noses turned up "Have you been cutting stems again?" For me, though, I guess it's like living in a town that has a paper mill. After a while, you just can't smell it. By the time you've cut a couple thousand stems, it doesn't smell appreciably different than toothpaste, or coffee, or anything else you encounter on a daily basis.

Mammoth ivory, however, still stinks. Maybe in another ten years I won't be able to smell it either, but we'll see.

Todd

Post by **KurtHuhn** » Wed Dec 10, 2008 3:54 pm

Mammoth ivory, and water buffalo. Those are two smells that I will probably *never* get used to. I'm rather desensitized to ebonite, but my wife still wishes I would grind that stuff in the sandblasting shed instead of in the basement workshop.

Deer antler, on the other hand, reminds me of venison steak and makes me hungry.

baweaverpipes · Post by **baweaverpipes** » Thu Dec 11, 2008 8:05 am

Some horn I have is like putting a lighter to my nose hairs.

Post by **KurtHuhn** » Thu Dec 11, 2008 9:53 am

baweaverpipes wrote:Some horn I have is like putting a lighter to my nose hairs.

Gah! Bruce, you're not supposed to use it like that!

alan · Post by **alan** » Thu Dec 11, 2008 12:20 pm

I went to blow out a match one day, had an unexpected sneeze/snort, and somehow I basically snorted the match-flame. Felt like getting hit in the face with a hammer. Nose-hair melted, sinuses burning

android · Post by **android** » Thu Dec 11, 2008 2:09 pm

alan i feel your pain, but it's kinda funny...

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