A hello, in picture format.

[billiard]

Hello,

I haven't made too many briar pipes yet as I am just a home hobbyist, I haven't even tried to sell one yet. My pipes are not yet at the point I would like to post them and ask for a critique of any kind as I can still see lots and lots of areas for improvement, nor am I looking for any kudos. As such I realize my posting this may not make sense, but I will try to explain: I tend to lurk here frequently and as such I feel as if I know many of you. So this is really just my way of saying "Hi" to the community as I would like some of you to know of me too.

With all my blabber said, here is the pipe I made yesterday. It's 5.5" long and just a smidge over 2" tall:





Here is the one I made before that (this was a wedding gift for an old friend:



Here is the one I made before that, I called this one "Indestructible". I did end up going back after taking pics and smoking it and thinning the bit more.


I am trying to get a little better with every pipe, I have a long way too go, but I am having great fun!

Well that's my "Hello Everyone" post, thanks for reading,
Bill

[Tyler]

Hello.

Glad you decided to post.

You said you don't want comments, well, too bad. That latest billiard is really quite good. How many pipes have you made? If that is your third, that is quite remarkable.

Tyler

[billiard]

Hello.

Glad you decided to post.

You said you don't want comments, well, too bad. That latest billiard is really quite good. How many pipes have you made? If that is your third, that is quite remarkable.

Tyler

Thank you sir.

I came at briar pipes a little oddly in that I started by modifying corn cobs. I did a ton of pretty unique cobs, as well as restored a ton of estates for my own collection. Then when I started on briar I kind of took my own approach and did a bunch of pipes just to learn the drillings\shape and then just did a quick rustification over the entire thing (I was using those very inexpensive blocks). I just wanted them to smoke really well and figured once I got that part down I would worry about aesthetics.

I haven't counted but if I am honest I would say I am maybe around 12 briars, a couple walnuts, and one from a Morta kit. This doesn't include that one day I tried to figure out how to use a lathe... I have no clue, tried, killed some inexpensive blocks, went back to my dremel for a spell but now just do all the shaping after drilling on the 12" sanding disk I have on my shopsmith.

I've come to learn the value in trying your hardest on each pipe you make, so I have with the last couple, and am trying to get a little better with every pipe.

Thanks again,
Bill

[Sasquatch]

Jesus Bill what's that fuzzy shit growing in the bottom of the first pipe? My God man, get the bleach!

I'll just offer a few quick comments on the first pipe in the pics. Obvious jump from the second one to that one in terms of the shank/stem lines and overall shaping.

I'd say more material could be taken off near the bowl so that the shape of the bowl doesn't "fudge out" near the shank, and the shank itself. The shank looks a little small near the bowl - if it's gonna taper, it oughta taper the other way.

Glad to see you here man - post some pics of "The Contraption" upon which you work - many here would be jealous of such machinery.

[billiard]

Jesus Bill what's that fuzzy shit growing in the bottom of the first pipe? My God man, get the bleach!

I'll just offer a few quick comments on the first pipe in the pics. Obvious jump from the second one to that one in terms of the shank/stem lines and overall shaping.

I'd say more material could be taken off near the bowl so that the shape of the bowl doesn't "fudge out" near the shank, and the shank itself. The shank looks a little small near the bowl - if it's gonna taper, it oughta taper the other way.

Glad to see you here man - post some pics of "The Contraption" upon which you work - many here would be jealous of such machinery.

Thanks Sasquatch. Yeah you are right on your comments... I am working on it

Right now the minivan is back in the garage so the "craigslist special" Shopsmith is back up against the wall. I am going to see if I can take a whole day during the upcoming holiday weekend to make a pipe (maybe 2) and will grab a pic at that time. Really though since I can't seem to figure out the lathe thing I just use the drill press and the sanding disc on it, works fantastic as a buffer with that variable speed thingie. Sure as heck beats putting the block in the vice and using my hand drill!

[Sasquatch]

Someone put a minivan in your pipemaking space?

I foamed the garage door shut and unplugged the opener a LOOoong time ago!

[billiard]

Well, I am pretty sure if I buy one more thing for the Shopsmith then I won't have to worry about the minivan being there anymore!

[flix]

Bill,

Great to see that you've started using briar, not that the cobs weren't great, esp. in person! Hoping to see some of these at a IEPC meeting sometime!

--a

[billiard]

Bill,

Great to see that you've started using briar, not that the cobs weren't great, esp. in person! Hoping to see some of these at a IEPC meeting sometime!

--a

Thanks very much If my work hours are ever even vaguely normal I would love to make it to a meeting again.

Thanks,
Bill

[bandkbrooks]

Hey Bill,

Thanks for posting some pics. I lurked for a good while before I posted the first time. Don't hesitate to post stuff though. I've learned a lot this way.

The billiard is really quite nice. From my untrained eye what I see is just a little bit of material subtraction in places would make all the difference.

I have had the same issue on the bottom of the bowl at the shank. (see pic #4 just below the one with the fuzzy white catepillar camping out in the bowl). The shape seems to flare outward. I've really been working on tightening up the bowl and studying the angle of the back side of the bowl at the shank transition. Check out some pics of some billiards from some of the guys here and from "major" pipe companies. Also the angle on the sides of the bowl continuing up to the shank transition is a bitch to nail down. It's a weird angle to be frank and I find that to be the most difficult part of a billiard.

BB

[billiard]

Hi Brandon,

Thanks much for your feedback.

Bill