Grading a pipemaker

[mejoshee]

Not sure where this goes so I guess I'll toss it in here. Yeah, you read the title right.

You get graded in school growing up, you get work performance reviews, you have peer reviews in academics. I figure there must be some system where a n00b can get schooled on what minimum skillz need to be demonstrated of a "hobbyist" or "novice", especially with respect to what improvements need to made before moving up to the next level, however you define it.

I want to pay my dues of course; not looking to jump the line. I've seen amazing pipes on this board and on the members' sites. I've looked you all up by name (creepy) that I had and hadn't heard of. I want to get there, slowly but surely.

What with all the variables of blocks, materials, the weather, etc., how do you work on the "same thing" to grow consistency and still learning different technique? I'm not just talking about getting bored making the proverbial 1000 billiards.

I mean, is it bad form to grow skillz as you go with different shapes? (I read caskwith say something in disagreement about this too...) Is it bad form to just do "what the briar tells you"?

[sandahlpipe]

I wish it were that easy where you pass a pipe makers exam and achieve the next level. For me, it's been a series of two steps forward and one step back.

I wouldn't label myself a novice, since I'm to the "I should know better" phase of learning. It has taken me the past couple years of practice to see what it is I need to see with the shapes I'm working on. Now, I'm learning how to make my hands do what my eyes see, and I don't think there are any short cuts in either of those steps.

As for learning with different shapes, you certainly can learn with other shapes besides the billiard, but the billiard is more objective, so it's easier to tell if you've hit the mark you were aiming at. When you do whatever the briar tells you before you've learned how to read a block, no one will be able to tell you whether or not you hit your mark, because chances are, you didn't have a mark to aim at in the first place.

My advice is to pick a shape (or design a shape on paper) and make exactly what you planned. Disregard flaws in the briar, and ignore grain orientation. Pipes that start off as billiards and end up something else usually don't look right in the end. Not until you've mastered the basics, at least.

You may find that you learn almost all the techniques you need by making a good straight billiard and then duplicating it 10 times. The rest of the skills and techniques can be learned on a bent billiard.

[Sasquatch]

Make whatever you like.

The criticism on a simple, "definable" pipe like a billiard is simply easier to understand and act on (improve upon) than the criticism on a blowfish.

What you need to get better is to understand lines, shapes, proportions etc on top of the technical acts of drilling, staining, finishing. All roads lead to Rome here, but only if you get advice that you can put into the next pipe.

And truly, do some billiards. Other stuff gets better because of what you learn on billiards.

[W.Pastuch]

I say fuck billiards!
Just kidding. Or not - I actually think that you should make all other "shape-chart" shapes, they're just as important, easy to compare and contributive (is that a word??) to your skill and experience as billiards...

[The Smoking Yeti]

You may find that you learn almost all the techniques you need by making a good straight billiard and then duplicating it 10 times. The rest of the skills and techniques can be learned on a bent billiard.

Umm.... no?

I come from a rather different perspective here, as I have never made a billiard and don't have any plans to in the future. Making billiards and bent billiards will teach you a lot about making a certain sort of pipe. However, there are lots of other techniques and rules you will never learn just making this sort of shape.

In the end it all depends on what kind of pipes you want to make. Make what you want, and learn to understand WHY something doesn't look right. Once you can figure out the WHY, you can begin to learn how to make it right. This skill is something that no specific shape will teach you, rather experience with a wide variety of forms.

Every pipe presents problems which you have to solve. The more problems you solve the better you will be at making pipes.

Cheers!

Yeti

[Houncer]

You may find that you learn almost all the techniques you need by making a good straight billiard and then duplicating it 10 times. The rest of the skills and techniques can be learned on a bent billiard.

Umm.... no?

I come from a rather different perspective here, as I have never made a billiard and don't have any plans to in the future. Making billiards and bent billiards will teach you a lot about making a certain sort of pipe. However, there are lots of other techniques and rules you will never learn just making this sort of shape.

In the end it all depends on what kind of pipes you want to make. Make what you want, and learn to understand WHY something doesn't look right. Once you can figure out the WHY, you can begin to learn how to make it right. This skill is something that no specific shape will teach you, rather experience with a wide variety of forms.

Every pipe presents problems which you have to solve. The more problems you solve the better you will be at making pipes.

Cheers!

Yeti

This should generate a good debate! How can we put the two theories to the test? Find two complete noobs and have them make ten pipes. One noob makes billiards & the other does whatever he/she wants. Then on the 11th pipe the group picks a shape and vote which is best? Too subjective probably, but still fun. So much would depend on the carvers ability to learn as no two makers are likely the same.

I am currently making my third "billiard" and will happily be one of the test noobs. .

[sandahlpipe]

By affirming that one can learn everything on billiards, I'm not saying you can't learn them by another method. Grain-orientation and Asymmetry you'll have to learn by some other means. But principles of lines, proportions, symmetry, fit and finish can all be learned on a billiard.

You may find that you learn almost all the techniques you need by making a good straight billiard and then duplicating it 10 times. The rest of the skills and techniques can be learned on a bent billiard.

Umm.... no?

I come from a rather different perspective here, as I have never made a billiard and don't have any plans to in the future. Making billiards and bent billiards will teach you a lot about making a certain sort of pipe. However, there are lots of other techniques and rules you will never learn just making this sort of shape.

In the end it all depends on what kind of pipes you want to make. Make what you want, and learn to understand WHY something doesn't look right. Once you can figure out the WHY, you can begin to learn how to make it right. This skill is something that no specific shape will teach you, rather experience with a wide variety of forms.

Every pipe presents problems which you have to solve. The more problems you solve the better you will be at making pipes.

Cheers!

Yeti

[LatakiaLover]

Billiards are just the closest thing to a "universal shape" that serves well as a standardized ruler. Copying ANY shape is the best way to learn your tools.

There's nothing unique to pipes going on with that. From playing musical instruments to taking photographs, step-wise refinement and the isolation of skills development via pre-defined exercises has been around for nearly as long as there have been humans.

[Sasquatch]

My pipes got better when I really nailed the solo from Stairway to Heaven, that's for sure.

[LatakiaLover]

My pipes got better when I really nailed the solo from Stairway to Heaven, that's for sure.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1X0Hi4eml0Q

[Sasquatch]

Totally.

[PremalChheda]

I get an A+. Nate gets a C-.

[Charl]

I'm graded as an AA+ pipemaker. Don't you guys in the states get graded?
AA+ for African Asshole, the plus for showing that not all guys from Africa are black.

[Sasquatch]

You get a plus for not being black?


Holy shit Charl, there's not too many places on the internet you could write that.

[Charl]

OK then, I'll take the Minus, due to popular demand.
So I've been downgraded to AA-.
It's still better than the CA+ that you have, Todd!

[caskwith]

Nothing wrong with CA!

[Charl]

Well, CA glue is important, after all.

[Ratimus]

California glue? Is that kinda like Kentucky jelly?

[mejoshee]

I thought epoxy was bad to get on my hands....