Yeti Pipe #50 Braxton

[wisemanpipes]

Like Premal said, he stabilized it. There are several ways to do this. It helps prevent the mortise from changing shape and diameter over time due to moisture. I learned it from Premal so I'll let him explain it if he so desires.

I and a few others made a few posts on it on pmf in other threads. I am not sure if they got deleted in the Big Debacle of 2013.

To simplify, you need to stabilize the functioning parts of the pipes which include the tenon (if not delrin), the mortise, inner rim, & a few other optional areas. You can achieve stabilization by using already stable materials, or in the case of modern independent pipe craftsman that has fresh briar - at the very least the mortise and tenon need to be stabilized for a long lasting good fit that will not change from repeated use. You can use many different materials to coat the mortise, but for the tenon, it is a little more complicated.

CA glue? or something else? how do you stabilize ebonite?

[Ocyd]

Like Premal said, he stabilized it. There are several ways to do this. It helps prevent the mortise from changing shape and diameter over time due to moisture. I learned it from Premal so I'll let him explain it if he so desires.

I and a few others made a few posts on it on pmf in other threads. I am not sure if they got deleted in the Big Debacle of 2013.

To simplify, you need to stabilize the functioning parts of the pipes which include the tenon (if not delrin), the mortise, inner rim, & a few other optional areas. You can achieve stabilization by using already stable materials, or in the case of modern independent pipe craftsman that has fresh briar - at the very least the mortise and tenon need to be stabilized for a long lasting good fit that will not change from repeated use. You can use many different materials to coat the mortise, but for the tenon, it is a little more complicated.

The only ones the search pulled up for me involved vacuums and such

[PremalChheda]

Like Premal said, he stabilized it. There are several ways to do this. It helps prevent the mortise from changing shape and diameter over time due to moisture. I learned it from Premal so I'll let him explain it if he so desires.

I and a few others made a few posts on it on pmf in other threads. I am not sure if they got deleted in the Big Debacle of 2013.

To simplify, you need to stabilize the functioning parts of the pipes which include the tenon (if not delrin), the mortise, inner rim, & a few other optional areas. You can achieve stabilization by using already stable materials, or in the case of modern independent pipe craftsman that has fresh briar - at the very least the mortise and tenon need to be stabilized for a long lasting good fit that will not change from repeated use. You can use many different materials to coat the mortise, but for the tenon, it is a little more complicated.

CA glue? or something else? how do you stabilize ebonite?

Man, you guys really are lazy. My search for stabilize mortise on this forum found this:

viewtopic.php?f=12&t=7707&p=70463&hilit ... ise#p70463

[Ocyd]

Apparently I'm not allowed to read that part of the forum. So don't you dare call it laziness

[PremalChheda]

Apparently I'm not allowed to read that part of the forum. So don't you dare call it laziness

This one is not private:

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=6513&hilit=stabilize+mortise

And there may be more...

[wisemanpipes]

sorry Premal thanks for the link.

[PremalChheda]

sorry Premal thanks for the link.

All good my friend. Sorry for being a little harsh, I went gluten free for the last 2 weeks and I am having conflicting Good Dreams & Nightmares about Pizza. I was not directing that to anyone in particular. There is a lot of really good info on here that all of us (Hobbyist to Professional) can benefit from if we take the time to read.

Thank you Noobs!

Whippersnappers!

[PremalChheda]

Micah,

Finish looks fantastic. Did you do the French Kiss method we talked about?

George and I may have to stop calling you a Whippersnapper

[The Smoking Yeti]

Micah,

Finish looks fantastic. Did you do the French Kiss method we talked about?

George and I may have to stop calling you a Whippersnapper

Indeed I did. It turned out alright on the first pass- I still need to work on my buffing technique, I had to do a lot of extra buffing cus... yeah. It turned out alright in the end I guess. Maybe it's just the lighting though.

[The Smoking Yeti]

Oh, and I like the pipe design a lot, Micah. I think the short, stout shank compliments the short stout bowl and wouldn't change a thing there. It is very balanced. The shank ring distracts me a bit. I'm not sure if it's the thickness, color, or the fact that it's squared. It may be a personal taste thing. The little detail turning on top of the dome of the stem could be more crisp but that's picking nits. It may be an illusion in the pictures but the stem appears to narrow a touch at the bend and then get a touch thicker at towards the bit. I also would have gone with a shorter stem and would have matched the stem length with the length from the shank end to the front of the bowl. On stem length, I've learned that making the length the same as another measurement on the pipe will balance the whole pipe out visually. All that being said, it's a very nice design and pipe.

I don't think it's an illusion with the stem taper- I think the second stem I cut for this had a better taper- the lines were dead straight flowing in to the button(which I promptly ruined by cutting my slot to thick. This stem has a slight bow in the line. I don't think it goes so far as to get thinner than thicken, but the bowing effect in the line as it travels towards the bit sure sets off the illusion

[pipedreamer]

I have never made a pipe with gloves on.Putting that aside, I would agree with Growley, It's a very nice pipe, Well done.

[billiard]

Micah,

This is not the style of pipe I usually like, but I really like this pipe a lot. So in my mind that says tons of good stuff. Not that I am gonna type it all out for you or anything though

[d.huber]

Great pipe, Micah.

I agree that you wouldn't need to change a thing to make this a great pipe. However, if you really want the composition to sing...

I'd round that ring, rebend your stem, taper your stem when viewed from above, and stain your shank face.

Otherwise it's lovely!

[d.huber]

See how the light reflects almost symmetrically on the stem towards the saddle, almost erasing some of the stem? I think if you removed those two sections you'd have a more harmonious stem on this pipe.

[e Markle]

Did you do the French Kiss method we talked about?

This is terrifying. I pray I don't have nightmares of Premal and Bill violating pipes. It's not a piece of meat, Premal.

...speaking of Bill and meat... In a post on FB yesterday, Bill wrote, "Pipes is my business, cooking animal flesh is my art."

Hilarious.

[d.huber]

And just to be picky...

I noticed that the swoop from your saddle to the body of the stem has a crease it in. The light in the photos gets stopped by the crease instead of continuing along a curve.





I critique because I care.

[wisemanpipes]

...speaking of Bill and meat... In a post on FB yesterday, Bill wrote, "Pipes is my business, cooking animal flesh is my art."

Hilarious.

too funny!

[Tyler]

The squared off (thick) shank ring is jarring on an otherwise organic and flowing pipe. Honestly, I think it kills this pipe. The ring idea is a good one, just not this ring.

There is a lot of dome going on (it's too stretched out) and it being significantly narrower than the shank makes for an awkward, stepping, blocky, transition from shank to ring to dome. The whole shank to stem transition is mechanical and sloppy, and does not at all match the bowl. The dome also creates an extended straight section on an otherwise very bent shank. A shank that is too bent, short, and stumpy, to match the bowl.

I think the stem would be better if it mimicked the shank, pinched at the saddle (after the dome) then tapering out, like yak said. I also think it would benefit from a smoother, less kinked, bend.

Also, there are a lot of colors going on, and not in a great way.

It could be a spectacular pipe. I love the bowl, and the finish looks great. The stem is very nicely cut, following the saddle rule of elegance: after the saddle, get thin fast and stay that way.

You have a lot of talent. This pipe seems like talent that hasn't made enough pipes to understand transitions. Transitions are a big deal.

[LatakiaLover]

I agree with everything Tyler said. (<== fact)

Lots of good things going on, but they're things that shouldn't be combined. (<== summarized opinion)

Sorry, Micah. (<== customary remark in situations like this)

[The Smoking Yeti]

The squared off (thick) shank ring is jarring on an otherwise organic and flowing pipe. Honestly, I think it kills this pipe. The ring idea is a good one, just not this ring.

There is a lot of dome going on (it's too stretched out) and it being significantly narrower than the shank makes for an awkward, stepping, blocky, transition from shank to ring to dome. The whole shank to stem transition is mechanical and sloppy, and does not at all match the bowl. The dome also creates an extended straight section on an otherwise very bent shank. A shank that is too bent, short, and stumpy, to match the bowl.

I think the stem would be better if it mimicked the shank, pinched at the saddle (after the dome) then tapering out, like yak said. I also think it would benefit from a smoother, less kinked, bend.

Also, there are a lot of colors going on, and not in a great way.

It could be a spectacular pipe. I love the bowl, and the finish looks great. The stem is very nicely cut, following the saddle rule of elegance: after the saddle, get thin fast and stay that way.

You have a lot of talent. This pipe seems like talent that hasn't made enough pipes to understand transitions. Transitions are a big deal.

Thanks for writing this Tyler, I think you're right. I honestly appreciate this kind of feedback. It can be tough to hear when I've just spent 15-20hrs on the object being critiqued, but these are all things I need to hear and take to heart. I'll definitely work on the things you've stated.

I'll come back and re-visit this pipe once I've made a few more, and I'd like it if you'd give me a second round of critique on it.

Also, as far as colors go, would you say it'd be better to keep things in the reds and browns to complement the cumberland?
(less of the golden yellows)

Cheers!

Yeti