3/4 bent pot - 2nd non-kit pipe

[stummel bum]

I just finished this pot as a custom order for someone on PSF and despite a couple of quirks, I think it turned out pretty well. I'm still working on getting the gaps out of the stem junction, but it could be worse. I'm amazed at how much easier it is to make a pipe now that I have a drill press. I lucked out and got the holes right on the money.

I did have an issue getting the stem bent, and it's still not as bent as I would have liked it, but that thing is thick. When I went to bend it, I apparently grabbed the tenon (delrin) with one of my fingers and knocked it loose. Got it glued back in, but it must have gotten off center so I ended up with a gap.

The dot inlay was another issue. It was meant to be flush with the stem, but that sucker started bulging out when I heated the stem up. It looked kind of cool, so I left it (at least it didn't get all bubbly or catch fire or something). I guess lego pieces just can't take the heat (might need a better material).

Sorry there isn't anything in the pics for a size reference, but it's 5" long, bowl height 1.75", chamber width, .875" x 1.625" deep. Wall thickness is .5". It's relatively light for it's size at 2.5oz.

I'd love any comments and criticism. I will say in advance that the customer asked specifically for partial rustication, so no whining about that

[Sasquatch]

Rob, what are you using to heat the stem for bending? (I've done about 10 stems just like that where the middle was too thick to want to go anywhere). Using a fairly focused heat source can help - I use a candle and move the stem quickly, but it lets you put a 90 degree bend in a 1/2" span if you really want.

I like the pipe - I would call it more of a rhodesian than a pot, but whatever, it's a cute little pipe.

[stummel bum]

I use a heat gun. Might have to try the candle. Thanks.

[Sasquatch]

Bending 3/4" thick ebonite is pretty tough, but at least the candle lets you ignore the button area, which softens up and gets bendy with lots of other heat sources.

A bit of careful filing on the shank face would clean up that gap too.

[T3pipes]

When heating and bending stems, the material will pull across the top of the bend and bunch up on the underside. That is what created the loose tenon, and caused the gap. any area of the stem that becomes warm enough to be the lest bit pliable will stretch in this manner when bent. The button is effected this way too, but it usually isn't as obvious. Keeping the stem in the shank (or in a drilled and faced mortise in scrap briar) helps prevent this if you apply a slight bit of pressure downward into the mortise while you heat, bent, and cool the stem.

[KurtHuhn]

I personally would not bend that stem any more than it is. IMO, it's about perfect. All too often I see stems that are over-bent, and you can just tell the smoker will be dumping ash as the pipe hangs from their mouth.

[LexKY_Pipe]

For a stem this thick, I agree, the bend is where it needs to be.

[Sasquatch]

Kurt I think in this case it's more about trying to get the stem to curve a bit earlier, rather than having all the action within an inch of the button. I guess it depends pipe to pipe, but my experience is that if you need about a 1/2" of flat area ahead of the button for the thing to be comfortable in the mouth. Pipes that get fat and or bend right after the button just don't feel right (in my teeth... I can't smoke with anyone else's).

In this case, the pipe would not, for instance, sit comfortably if someone wanted to put it in their back teeth for awhile, is my guess. If the stem was bent a little earlier, it would be somewhat more functional that way. So my argument isn't really based on what the pipe looks like, so much as how I suspect it will hang from the mouth. (In fact, Rob and I both know the customer for this pipe, so I'll be following up on this a little bit, as the balance between aesthetics and functionality interests me)

Just my .02 as a guy without a hollywood smile.

[TimGeorge]

I really like this one. Good job.

[KurtHuhn]

Kurt I think in this case it's more about trying to get the stem to curve a bit earlier, rather than having all the action within an inch of the button.

Ah, yes. That makes more sense. The back teeth might not be a comfortable place for this stem. I don't know, however, since on the rare occasion I clench, it's always in the front of my mouth with my incisors. I never clench with my molars or premolars.

How about using a hotbox? If you fill a box with used up sandblast media (reduce, reuse, recycle!) and get it up to about 220F in the center, it should have enough thermal mass that you can stick the stem all the way in and wait for the larger sections to become pliable and bendable.

Never tried it, but I know some makers employ this method.

BTW: it is precisely because of this problem that I don't make really thick stems.

[staffwalker]

As I have said here before, I'm a bic lighter bender. On the rare occasions when I have a heavy stem I use the salt/oven method. It works great, the stem will get very soft if you heat it enough. Place stem in pan, cover completely with salt, place in oven at 220 for ten minutes. Remove and try to bend. If still not bendable, re-cover with salt, place back in oven for further 5 min. Continue the routine until stem is pliable over it's entire length. It will usually bend at about 15 min but sometimes it takes a bit longer. I run a cleaner through the stem and bend the two ends in the direction I want to bend the stem. When placing it in the salt leave these two ends sticking up. It makes it easy to get out of the salt without burning your fingers and also tells you the direction to bend.

Before I remove the stem from the salt I start the cold water running in the sink. Immediately after bending hold the stem under the running cold water for a moment then you can release. I've bent some very thick stems using this method. If you use delrin, be careful not to insert the stem back into the pipe for several hours as the heat can soften the cement. bob

[prosmoking]

Fantastic pipe rest.

[stummel bum]

Fantastic pipe rest.

Oh thanks, It was just something I could do with a nice looking plateau top that had a hole through it. Not very stable, but I have one pipe that fits in it perfectly.