The first of many critique sessions. New pipes!

Want to show you work to the world? Want a place to post photos of your work and solicit the opinions of those that have gone before you? Post your work here.
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jeff
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Post by jeff »

One small issue here, Chris.

A Canadian has an oval shank while a Liverpool has a round one.

This isn't important for the critique of your pipe, but it is if someone orders a Canadian and receives a Liverpool.

Best,

Jeff
Chris Morgan
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Post by Chris Morgan »

Chris Morgan wrote: Also, Thanks for letting me know about slight taper on the canadian shanks.

Thanks Jeff . I was just referring to the Canadian "family of pipes" as I thought you were. I was saying that I will take that advice with Liverpools Lumberman, Lovat, and Canadians. :)
BriarBrian
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Post by BriarBrian »

Chris,

Are you coming to the Chicago show?

Brian
Chris Morgan
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Post by Chris Morgan »

Brian,

No , a few things came up that I have to attend to this year. I am planning on going to the Las Vegas show in October and hopefully the Richmond or Columbus show if things work out. I will be at the Chicago show next year. That way , my work will be a little more refined and I'll have some pipes for a table.

-Chris
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RadDavis
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Post by RadDavis »

Chris Morgan wrote: I agree that my market will be limited with the larger airways. I was just trying it out to see what the draft would become on a longer shanked pipe. Just experimenting with it. 3/16" is definitely too big for most people. I will stay with 5/32" and 11/64" in some cases. Thanks for pointing that out Rad.
My mistake. I thought I had read:
I used to drill at 5/32 , but after re-reading Rick's book , have decided to bump it up to 11/64. I have re- drilled a few of my pipes at 11/64 and 3/16 and I would have to say it really depends on how much bend there is. While it is nice to set a pipe down for a few minutes and come back to it still smoldering, 3/16" it a wee bit to big for a straight pipe IMO. 11/64 seems to be a nice fit for most pipes.
and:
The airways for most of my past pipes was 5/32" or 4mm. My new pipes will have a 11/64 or 3/16 in some cases. Thats 4.4 and 4.7mm for those using metric.



somwhere. Must've been some other fellow who wrote that. :P

Rad
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Post by Chris Morgan »

hehe. Thanks for calling me out sir! :lol: I dont want to split hairs here, but I was just saying that my pipes will be drilled at 4.4mm and 4.7mm in some cases. The vast majority will be at 4 mm, but I'm trying new things. Isn't that a good thing... for pipemakers to experiment to find what works best for their pipes? :)
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RadDavis
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Post by RadDavis »

Chris Morgan wrote: I dont want to split hairs here, but I was just saying that my pipes will be drilled at 4.4mm and 4.7mm in some cases. The vast majority will be at 4 mm, but I'm trying new things.
Chris, you're not splitting hairs, you're bullshitting.

Making mistakes is fine, everyone does, especially when they're trying new things, but bullshitting those who offer you advice is a bad thing. It makes them think, "Why am I bothering?".

You posted in two different forums that your past pipes were drilled at 5/32, but you were moving that up to 11/64 and in some cases, 3/16, after re-reading Rick's book.

No ambiguity at all in either post, so I offered you some advice about that.

Your response, basically: "I knew that."

My response: Never mind then.

Rad



Rad
Chris Morgan
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Post by Chris Morgan »

Well i'm sorry if I came off that way. :) It wasnt my intention. Its been a rough week for me as you well know . I'm feeling a bit over-criticized at the moment. I apologize to anyone whom I may have offended in this post. I'm usually pretty resilient and apt to benefit from criticism, but I've been feeling as if my work is being torn apart lately. As for my drilling, Rad, I'm still working it out and havent decided what to do yet. I dont mean to come of as one of those , "ya I know" guys. It just happens sometimes. I hope you all can understand that.

For everyone commenting that doesnt know what is going on, I want to touch on a subject briefly. I want you all to hear it from me, so you can see that I have nothing to hide from you.I also would like to set the record straight..... I recently had a customer commission a pipe. It was sent back due to a number of poor mistakes on my part. These included slight over-drilling of the airway, tenon shorter than the mortise, and damaged tenon. I admit that the pipe was nowhere near perfect or even high-grade at that. That was my mistake and the customer and I have worked it out. Payment has been returned and so has the pipe. This pipe will sit in my shop as a constant reminder to pay attention to my work, or else. I was notified by the customer ( testament to his honesty) that a few of you on this forum had been notified of my mistake purely for informational purposes. I want you all to know that the pipe in question was a product of my current increase of business and the stress that comes with it. I have recently had a large influx of custom orders, and for due to the pressure of the workload, I did not take my time or fix problems as I saw them. I can assure you all, that as my shapes may need work, my pipes NEVER go out as this did. I take great pride in my work. I am still learning how to do business in this field. I dont want to speak for other pipemakers, but I dont think I'm the only one to be in this position before.

As another quick note: it has come to my attention someone has said that I am friends with or have worked with , or have been trained by a number of certain world class pipemakers. I would like to set this straight, so there is no more confusion. I have never even spoken to a some of the Danish or American masters that I am accused of lying about. I did, in the beginning (2 years ago), for a very brief period, mention a few pipemakers as having helped me (via phone conversation) in my bio. I was notified that this was bad practice by a mentor of sorts, and my bio was changed immediately. Since then, the only time I have mentioned any pipemakers name is when Im admiring his work. When asked, I have on some occasions said I have spoken to a few (1 or 2 ) of you purely out of camaraderie on one or two occasions. I have expressed that these few conversations have taken place, not for the purposes of training in any sort, but for the will to introduce myself. Furthermore, I have never implied or spoken to anyone about having any "relationship" or apprenticeship with any pipemaker whatsoever. I admire all of you greatly, and respect your privacy implicitly. Respectfully, Im not here to steal business from anyone, hurt anyones reputation, or cause drama. I do , however, feel that I should be allowed the chance to defend myself when mass rumors are being spread, so that they may be dealt with. None of you owe me anything, and i know that I must work hard to "earn my stripes", but I don't feel its right to hold grudges or have a poor image of anyone without knowing them first. I know that the pipemakers on this forum make up a very small percentage of the community , but I wanted to publicly post this so there are no misconceptions of who I am. I apologize for the long post. :wink:
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Sasquatch
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Post by Sasquatch »

Chris, I'm going to post this as a really new pipe maker, and offer it as the other side of the coin you are being shown here (the "technically, that's not a reversed flying skater, it's a banjo-guppy, because of the noodle-ridge along the bottom" side :lol: ). I have learned more about pipes in the last three months, just hanging around here, than I have in 20 years of collecting. My point is this: these guys know some really fine pionts of both engineering and aesthetics, and when I listen to them, or use the ideas that I find here, my pipes look "better".

What does "better" mean? It means that they look "right" from every angle, that they have an identifiable shape, and the proportions are good. Who does this matter to? Surprisingly, a LOT of people will have a look at a pipe, and as long as it's fairly shiny, they think it's awesome. There are certainly collectors who can tell a Bang from a Knudsen with their eyes closed, but my experience is that everyone who sees my pipes (and remember, I've done like 20 pipes, okay?) says "Wow holy shit that's so awesome." And when I post a picture here, I get "x is too long compared to y" and you know what? X usually IS too long compared to Y, but it takes a really practiced eye to realize it. And when you dial it in, the whole piece becomes way better.

The result is a challenge to your ego and your skills.

It's easy to think that something is wonderful simply because you worked hard on it. Making the distinction, truly being able to identify the quality of your own work EACH and EVERY time you do an operation... that's where you can really enforce your own quality, and enforce your reputation. I say this not as a pipe maker but a cabinet maker. Same dif.

Sorry to sound so damn condescending here - my intent is to offer you a sympathetic position. I came to pipe making as a very skilled wood worker, and figured I'd just kick some ass and show these turkeys a thing or two. And what I found is that most of my pipes came out too long, too fat, too bent, not bent enough, and just generally not quite right in some stupid little way that I didn't even know enough to worry about. And that is really what is being said in all these critical posts. "Not quite right and here's why..."
Chris Morgan
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Post by Chris Morgan »

Sasquatch-

I couldnt agree more with you. These guys on here are a wealth of knowledge. I have no problem taking criticism on my pipes. Apparently Ive been a little defensive at times and I sincerely apologize for that. I've made around 175 pipes in the past 2 1/2 years. I guess I'm just defensive because I do have repeat customers, and many of them highly revere my pipes. I am fairly new to pipemaking compared to the 20 or 30 year veterans, but I am definitely not a rank amateur. My pipes smoke well and I strive to produce new shapes. Granted, my standard shapes are not as "standard" as they could be, but I am working at it. I do value all your opinions guys. Thanks again! :)
Christopher Brunton
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Post by Christopher Brunton »

At the risk of chiming in, I'm going to. As someone who Actually has been making products all my working life and has worked with a dipshit or two (and been one) I have to say this........

If, by the time I have done something 175 times, I have not decided on at least a few details in my work (measurements, angles, tolerances, etc.) I have most certainly quit the job. (Or I should have been fired.)

I've been making pipes just long enough to know I don't know shit. I think you have probably gotten more good (read-useful) critisism on your work that most. Seems to me you understand that. Very, very many people go their entire working life sliding around the quality of their work. Their is hope. No excuses.

Knowing what is wrong is much more important than doing what you think is right.

(I hope I don't have to explain that.)


Repeat after me.....I've been making pipes long enough to know I don't know shit.

See, feels good, don't it? Everyone farts.

chris
Last edited by Christopher Brunton on Fri Apr 24, 2009 2:30 am, edited 1 time in total.
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ToddJohnson
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Post by ToddJohnson »

Hey Chris,

Just relax and settle in. You are amongst friends here. Your name has come up in a conversation or two, but I've not heard any of the "rumors" you referenced in your post. The last thing any of us need right now is another controversy. I think a lot of sage advice has been meted out here in this thread, and you seem to be receptive to it.

A decade ago I was in just about the same position as you. I had worked with my hands my whole life, and managed to succeed at just about everything I had ever done. I put myself through college working with my hands--private expensive college--but I didn't yet have the wisdom to know when I was overstepping my bounds. Needless to say, I did it more than once. For that matter, so did Jeff (specifically with me), and so has Brad, and so has everyone else that's ever been young and relatively successful in this endeavor.

My statement that you were probably in for a rude awakening was born out of experience, not out of harshness. Listen to the guys here who pay their bills doing this. Most of them have mortgages, families, tuition, and all the other things you generally don't have when you're just supporting yourself. If the plan is for this to be a career and not just a hobby, it will need to sustain you through various stages of life. Forgive me if I'm mistaken, but I remember Jeff mentioning you are really young. For the record, I think that's great.

Right now you seem to have a little fan club championing your work. That's great because they'll offer encouragement and financial support, but you'll need to improve your work and drastically broaden your appeal for the long run. Listen and be teachable. We'll all try to help you get where you're going. And send Rad one of those singing Bass that you mount on the wall just to smooth things over. Being from lower Alabama, he loves those things.

Todd
Chris Morgan
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Post by Chris Morgan »

Todd,
I wouldn't say "really" young, but yes , I am 24 . :P Thanks for explaining things to me. Being that this is a forum (text based), I cant always tell if someone is being snarky, funny, or just angry. Sarcasm doesnt translate on here as well as it does face to face. :) I dont intend to be overly dramatic, and again, I apologize for getting so defensive. As you said, youve been there. And as for Rad... I hope I didn't offend you in any way. If I did I apologize. Id like to put all this behind us. So singing bass or jackalope ? :P
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baweaverpipes
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Post by baweaverpipes »

Chris,
Aside from Rad, I'm one of the old guys here. I have children older than you, but am a youngster in making pipes. My first pipe made was during the pipe making seminar in Chicago three years ago. Lee von Erck taught the class and we became fast friends. From the onset I was smitten with making pipes and that passion (should I mention that word) has not diminished. In August of '06, I was up and running and bastardizing briar. With every pipe I sell, I ask the buyer to send a critique. Likewise, at every show, I ask pipe makers to critique. I relish the feedback and never have hurt feelings. All involved want to help and have a real desire for for pipe makers to succeed.
For three years I had been plugging along, self taught, slowly improving on classics. Hell, I'm still honing my skills with the billiard.
Then, the good Lord blessed me with a new friend, Todd Johnson. Chris, I have learned more in a few weeks, than in three years.
Open your ears and eyes, be receptive, never have thin skin and keep at it, diligently.
We all have something to share and there are really no secrets in the process (except for how Rad squashes his tomatoes).
Pay heed to what Jeff, Rad, Brian, Todd and others offer. They are true artists and are so gifted. I hold them all on a pedestal for their talent and willingness to share. What a wonderful business this is and how fortunate we are to work in a craft where the gifted are willing to share with those with ten thumbs.
Listen and put into practice what is offered. It's a gift and feel lucky to receive support and advice. There are true masters here to lend you their knowledge.
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Sasquatch
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Post by Sasquatch »

Bruce, don't come braggin' around here about all your thumbs, okay? The rest of us gotta get along with just 2!

:shock:
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pipeyeti
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Post by pipeyeti »

ToddJohnson wrote:
The last thing any of us need right now is another controversy.

Todd
There have been way too many in the pipe community lately.

Todd
I have never been much of a calabash fan, but the one on your blog rocks. One of the coolest pipes I've seen. How much is it? :(


Chris
One of the best things you can do for yourself is to become very critical of your own work. the best pipe makers in the world are the guys that are thier own worst critic. They will not accept anything but perfection. If you look at one of your pipes and feel like you didn't do something right, fix it or at least never let it happen again. As has been said already we all make mistakes, just try to not make the same mistakes twice.
Last edited by pipeyeti on Fri Apr 24, 2009 9:55 am, edited 1 time in total.
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RadDavis
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Post by RadDavis »

baweaverpipes wrote:Chris,
Aside from Rad, I'm one of the old guys here.
From high on my pedestal, I look down upon Bruce with utter disdain and decry his statement. "OLD?!?!?"

While both my boys are older than Chris, I am a young fart.

Chris, I already have enough Big Mouth Billy Bass. I would love to have a Jackalope for my trophy wall. Preferably one that sings "Powderfinger". I just love that song.

Rad
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baweaverpipes
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Post by baweaverpipes »

RadDavis wrote:I am a young fart.
Mr. Davis,
I never called you a fart, but you do spill forth a lot of flatulence.
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jeff
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Post by jeff »

Old Man Davis wrote:I would love to have a Jackalope for my trophy wall. Preferably one that sings "Powderfinger". I just love that song.

Rad
It's already on its way from San Diego--complete with Powderfinger sung by Dave Coulier, and an inappropriate Southern Oregon wooden appendage.
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Frank
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Post by Frank »

Chris Morgan wrote:I wouldn't say "really" young, but yes , I am 24 . :P Thanks for explaining things to me.
Yep, that is "really" young. Although, like Rad, I prefer to think of myself as a young fart! :lol:

If pipemaking is your (and anyone elses) intended life's profession, you're damn fortunate to have the guidance of these experienced professionals. Where the hell was this forum and inter-whatchamacallit-net thingamabob mumble mumble years ago when I needed it?? :twisted:
Regards,
Frank.
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