pipemakersforum.com

Hi, my name is Brian Johnson and I'm 36 years old. I live in the mountains of Brevard, NC where I work at a Young Life camp called Carolina Point that does youth outreach to high schoolers. I'm married and have 2 kids. My daughter is 2 and my new son is 6 weeks!

I've been smoking pipes since my grandfather gave me my first pipe after high school 18 years ago.

Over the years I've turned into a collector and recently, my grandfather has entered into the late stages of Parkinson's and my Mom has given me all his pipes. Owning his pipes is an honor.

I have always wanted to make my own pipes and this year decided to give it a try. I'm on my 4th predrilled and I'm absolutely hooked. I'm already frustrated that I have to rely on pipe characteristics that are decided for me with predrilleds. I would buy a lathe tomorrow if I thought I could run it. I've been reading everything I can get my hands on but no real comprehensive instruction on what to do once I purchase one!

I'm so looking forward to the community, advice, and experience found on this forum.


"...remove anything that doesn't look pipeish"

Welcome!

Happy you found the forum. Before I started using a lathe, I read a ton of stuff on how to operate it. In the end, I was more confused by what I read than before I read it. I am sure that knowing all the lathe vocabulary and science is probably a good thing when talking with a machinist, but, in my opinion, it is a fairly straight forward machine. Once you get in front of one, you'll learn pretty quickly. It is an incredible tool that I would say is pretty user friendly. Go buy one tomorrow!

Look forward to seeing the pipes you make.

Kiel

Welcome to the forum!

Do some reading on lathes, but more importantly, watch someone work. Many skills for pipe making are best learned by doing and watching. When you do get one, get one that's stabile and true. Don't waste your money on cheap lathes. Buy a good one because it's your workhorse and you don't want the frustration of the tailstock not lining up or the bed being twisted. A good quality used one is better than a new cheap one. Buy once, cry once.

Thanks guys! I have been looking at the Jet Mini and the Delta Midi. I've read lots on lathes on this forum. Would y'all suggest I start with one of these?

Either of those should do nicely. I have the Jet and couldn't be happier. Pick up a good set of briar jaws if you can.

Thanks Jeremiah! I was looking at the Briar Pipe Tooling site with the chuck with pins. I think it would make it easier drilling draft holes and chambers. Thoughts?

hutchpipes wrote:Thanks Jeremiah! I was looking at the Briar Pipe Tooling site with the chuck with pins. I think it would make it easier drilling draft holes and chambers. Thoughts?

That should work. Steve (smokingdawg on this board) makes briar jaws that can fit onto other chucks. I have a oneway chuck and his jaws and couldn't be happier. Mine doesn't have pins, but that's ok for me.

As far as cost goes take a look at the Rikon midi lathe. It's far cheaper than the Delta or Jet. I have been running mine for 3 years now with no problems. It is under powered for turning larger things but just right for pipemaking.....most of the time. There is one benefit the Rikon as if you have never used a lathe before.....you will rarely have a "catch" and have a tool jump out of your hand or something rip out of your chuck jaws. Instead you have "stalls" where the machine bogs down and the tools completely stops the workpiece (this is why my local Woodcraft uses them for classes).

This is a newb response but if you don't have the pins, how to you perfectly line up your draft hole with your chamber?

I draw lines on the side of the block and line them up with my drill bits. Pins aren't for alignment. They mainly help you rechuck your stummel if you take it off the lathe. If you want your drilling to be straight, make sure your block is square when you chuck it.

Get the pins, and a set of pin gauges.Rikon has been improving their line. Smokin Dawg or Trent have the best going for them in jaws! Compare price and functions you will need.Welcome to the Forum!!!

Any time Steve's jaws come up I have to take a moment and sing their praises. They are amazing. You wool not be disappointed if you get a set.

Does Steve have a site?

hutchpipes wrote:This is a newb response but if you don't have the pins, how to you perfectly line up your draft hole with your chamber?

if your block is square, you can simply draw the lines on the sides of the block. If the only movement of the block in the chuck is a (just over) 90° turn, everything will still be aligned!

Are the sides of most briar blocks square? I'm guessing the bottom and opposite side from the stem is what would need to be square right?

hutchpipes wrote:Are the sides of most briar blocks square? I'm guessing the bottom and opposite side from the stem is what would need to be square right?

No, the two sides have to be square, because they are what you clamp in the chuck. If they are squared, you can freely rotate the block between drilling the airchamber and drilling the tenon/airway without getting out of alignment.

The angle of the top/bottom and front/back of the block aren't important, as your drill always at the same angle, irregardless of the surface it's going to drill in (not taking into account the possible wandering of the bit)

hutchpipes wrote:Are the sides of most briar blocks square? I'm guessing the bottom and opposite side from the stem is what would need to be square right?

Some blocks are square from the supplier and some need to be touched up. I'd say 9/10 of mine are square. As Massis said, the important part is that the two sides that get clamped into the chuck need to be parallel to each other. Whether there's unevenness on the top or bottom doesn't matter. Especially if you face before drilling.

I did originally work with the tower jaws on the oneway chuck before I got the ones from Steve. And since they are intended to clamp round or semi-round pieces, they don't clamp down on the center of your block. This led to a much longer time spent lining up the block, and made the block more prone to moving than the briar jaws I now use. In short, the briar jaws help significantly with alignment issues as long as you square your blocks prior to drilling.

Excellent! So you use Steve's jaws in the oneway chuck? How do I find Steve's site?

hutchpipes wrote:Excellent! So you use Steve's jaws in the oneway chuck? How do I find Steve's site?

Yep. That's how I do it.

This thread has his contact info: viewtopic.php?f=21&t=5934&hilit=smokingdawg