slit diameter

bscofield · Post by **bscofield** » Tue Feb 22, 2005 1:49 pm

Is it necessary for smoke distribution for the slit to be thinner than the draught hole? Without the diameter closing in that way would the smoke still hit the slit "shape" and come out wide enough to coat the tongue?

I.e. random's "shotgun airway" has no slit (from what I've seen) and they seem to fine. But they are wide to begin with so it's not to say that it's proof positive.

So the simple form of the question is: Is it OK to have a slit that is as "tall" as the airway is when it comes to the slit?

Post by **KurtHuhn** » Tue Feb 22, 2005 1:54 pm

I think a 5/32" (airway diameter that I use) tall slit would result in a stem too thick for most smokers unlkess you're using a stem material that can be taken down very thing without fear of breakage.

I cut my slit with a 1/16" drill bit. That seems to give me the most control over the size of the slit, and allows me to make nice thin stems.

bscofield · Post by **bscofield** » Tue Feb 22, 2005 3:01 pm

how deep is your slit? If you don't mind me asking :naughty:

Post by **KurtHuhn** » Tue Feb 22, 2005 7:05 pm

bscofield wrote:how deep is your slit? If you don't mind me asking :naughty:

Oooh! Dirty little secrets!

To be honest, I've never measured exactly how deep, and it might be difficult to say anyway. The slit, if you looked at from the top, would look like a cross section of a gravity well - with sides that gradually widen along a hyperbolic line form the end of the 5/32" bore to the end of the button. I suppose I let about 1" of the drill bit hang out the end of the chuck, and I tend to use the entire length, so 1" to 1-1/4" sounds about right.

bscofield · Post by **bscofield** » Tue Feb 22, 2005 8:58 pm

I was asking because if bit thickness is the issue then I wondered how long you guaranteed the chance for a thin bit (i.e. how long does the slit go in there for)?

thanks again folks!

Post by **Tyler** » Wed Feb 23, 2005 12:02 am

Todd will be proud of me for this, but I don't measure depths and such for the slit. I just go as deeply as I need to to get the draw that I want. I just keep cutting away material and testing the draw. When I have it like I want it, I quit.

Generally speaking, I stop the drilling of my taper bit about 1/2"-ish from the end of the stem. I drill the rest of the way 1/16". I open the slit with a 1/16". I am done with the slit when the draw is right.

Tyler