First pipe from a block

[miscoipipes]

Hello everyone, this is my second pipe & first one from a block (olive wood).
After reading this great forum for a year I tried to use everything I have learned to make this pipe. And I learned much more actually doing it
It's supposed to be a billiard but I was afraid to take off more material to make the bottom and walls too thin for olive wood.
I want to say thanks to everyone on this forum for sharing their experiences and being so helpful.

Any advice and helpful critiques would be much appreciated,
Dimitry

[Revelation]

Much nicer than my first few. Congrats.

[LatakiaLover]

Looks like you have indeed been readin' a lot and payin' attention.

That is absolutely stellar work for a second pipe. I can't recall ever seeing that much technical difficulty tackled so soon (successfully, anyway).

I expect a few of the board's heavyweight pros will comment on some of your details and/or choices. Note everything they say, ask for clarification when necessary, and when the last drop of learning has been squeezed from this pipe, go make another. Briar if possible. (There are guys here who can help you with that, too, if necessary).

I'd start the next one by posting a sketch of it first so they can assist from its inception.

Watching you attain cruising altitude is gonna be a helluva ride, I think.

Bravo

[Alden]

Excellent work Dimitry. There is a little too much forward cant, bring it back about halfway between where it is, and being perfectly vertical.
Another 2 millimeters of olive on the shank would be perfect. You want the wood of the shank to be about equal to the amount of bamboo before the first knuckle. I don't like that style of slot, that sort of fills the entire back of the button. I would prefer a tight little well shaped wide oval, flat in the middle and perfectly rounded sides. However you shape the slot though, just focus on cleaning up the lines so they are very clean, no bumps or waves. You can clean that up with small needle files, or sandpaper folded over until it is rigid.
Your shaping and stem work are really quite nice. It wouldnt be confused with a Masters work, but it certainly looks like you've been making pipes for some time. You already shape better than some who have been doing it for awhile. You've got the idea of what to do with the bowl and the stem, mostly it is dialing in the shape and learning to make the lines very crisp.
Obviously though, I'm blown away by your pipe, and these are some things to take it from good to excellent.
I admire your dedication to reading and studying what is on the forum already, it is also how I began. An entire year of study before picking up my first block. I would say you did much better than me though !

[miscoipipes]

Looks like you have indeed been readin' a lot and payin' attention.

That is absolutely stellar work for a second pipe. I can't recall ever seeing that much technical difficulty tackled so soon (successfully, anyway).

I expect a few of the board's heavyweight pros will comment on some of your details and/or choices. Note everything they say, ask for clarification when necessary, and when the last drop of learning has been squeezed from this pipe, go make another. Briar if possible. (There are guys here who can help you with that, too, if necessary).

I'd start the next one by posting a sketch of it first so they can assist from its inception.

Watching you attain cruising altitude is gonna be a helluva ride, I think.

Bravo

Thanks for a comment and advise, appreciate it!

It's amazing how perfectly you execute those replacement stems. I hope some day my stems will be close to yours

I was thinking between briar and morta for the next one but I guess I will go for briar

Thanks again for your informative and helpful posts on this forum!

[miscoipipes]

Excellent work Dimitry. There is a little too much forward cant, bring it back about halfway between where it is, and being perfectly vertical.
Another 2 millimeters of olive on the shank would be perfect. You want the wood of the shank to be about equal to the amount of bamboo before the first knuckle. I don't like that style of slot, that sort of fills the entire back of the button. I would prefer a tight little well shaped wide oval, flat in the middle and perfectly rounded sides. However you shape the slot though, just focus on cleaning up the lines so they are very clean, no bumps or waves. You can clean that up with small needle files, or sandpaper folded over until it is rigid.
Your shaping and stem work are really quite nice. It wouldnt be confused with a Masters work, but it certainly looks like you've been making pipes for some time. You already shape better than some who have been doing it for awhile. You've got the idea of what to do with the bowl and the stem, mostly it is dialing in the shape and learning to make the lines very crisp.
Obviously though, I'm blown away by your pipe, and these are some things to take it from good to excellent.
I admire your dedication to reading and studying what is on the forum already, it is also how I began. An entire year of study before picking up my first block. I would say you did much better than me though !

Yes, the cant is too much forward and the slot is way to large. I tried to improve the slot shape and overdid it And now I can see "another 2 millimeters of olive on the shank would be perfect", thanks!

[miscoipipes]

Thanks for comments! I really appreciate you advises... and kind words

[miscoipipes]

I need an advise what to do next. I was planning to make a morta rhodesian but maybe I need to make a briar classic shape (billiard/lovat etc.)? What do you think?
I also much appreciate some critiques from KurtHuhn, Tyler, ToddJohnson, scotties22, Sasquatch, PremalChheda, The Smoking Yeti, WCannoy... sorry I cannot name everyone on this forum ... so many professionals here... I'm waiting to get a feedback and some advice. Thanks!

[Alden]

Make another one of these. Make 4 more of these.

[DocAitch]

That is an amazing pipe for your first. Using bamboo, and doing it that well is way off in my future. You have some obvious machining skills. You might want to view George's videos on stem finishing under "A thank you to George" in the stem section.
Very well done
DocAitch

[miscoipipes]

That is an amazing pipe for your first. Using bamboo, and doing it that well is way off in my future. You have some obvious machining skills. You might want to view George's videos on stem finishing under "A thank you to George" in the stem section.
Very well done
DocAitch

Thanks for taking your time to write a comment!
Yes, I have watched this video. It's very informative and George has the great ability to explain things clearly and effectively. Really nice work George, thanks for sharing!
Using bamboo is not that hard. You just have to break the whole process to steps in your head before you start, take your time and be very careful with files and sandpaper. I've spent around 15 hours to make this pipe because I wanted to "feel" all the new-for-me tools I used and to understand the whole process. As we all know any pipe should not be only good-looking outside but also well engineered.
By the way, I've smoked the pipe yesterday and was satisfied how well olive&bamboo work together

[miscoipipes]

Make another one of these. Make 4 more of these.

I want to try something new. I really like this pipe by Manduela: http://scandpipes.com/product.asp?product=1938

Maybe I'll try to make something similar... What do you think?

[sandahlpipe]

Something else you might want to consider is the curve leading into the stem flare. The way the stem flares out from the bamboo isn't exactly the same curve as you have between the knuckles of bamboo. It's a bit more abrupt. But for a second pipe, this is fantastic work. You must have some background that helps you to be able to execute this in 15 hours as your second pipe. The first time I did a bamboo pipe properly, it took me 20 hours. Nice work!

Alden's advice to try to make the same pipe several more times is good advice.

[miscoipipes]

Something else you might want to consider is the curve leading into the stem flare. The way the stem flares out from the bamboo isn't exactly the same curve as you have between the knuckles of bamboo. It's a bit more abrupt. But for a second pipe, this is fantastic work. You must have some background that helps you to be able to execute this in 15 hours as your second pipe. The first time I did a bamboo pipe properly, it took me 20 hours. Nice work!

Alden's advice to try to make the same pipe several more times is good advice.

I've tried to make the stem flare matching the curve of bamboo but did not have the right file (and hands) for that. Just ordered an Iwasaki 3mm round file (as you suggested in one of your posts).
My occupation is web development so not much help here

I will make the same pipe from briar. I also try to make it looks more like billiard this time

Thanks for an advise and a helpful comment, Jeremiah!

[Charl]

Well done!
To add one little detail to the above: with bamboo I like to turn a "tenon" on the stem side of the bamboo, with the spacer ring slipping over. That way, in my personal experience, the stainless tenon grips better. That's my opinion, any case. It's also then real easy if the tenon becomes a bit too loose in the mortise (I don't know if it's just me, but it happens quite often through the process of making a bamboo pipe). Bit of steam, check fit, superglue to the walls of the mortise and you're sorted.
Your stem shaping is cool, but work a bit on sanding to get all those marks out.
It might just be the photo, but something looks wrong about where your airway meets the bottom of the bowl? The opening normally should look more sort of oval in shape, whereas in the pic it looks round.
Btw, (sorry Alden!) for me the olive shank should have been much longer, at least another 8-10mm.
PS - Don't get a big head now! You're off to a good start, use the advice, but never forget that you still have a shitload to learn.
I know I do. This is my ninth year of trying to make a decent pipe. According to me, I still suck.

[sandahlpipe]

I've tried to make the stem flare matching the curve of bamboo but did not have the right file (and hands) for that. Just ordered an Iwasaki 3mm round file (as you suggested in one of your posts).
My occupation is web development so not much help here

I will make the same pipe from briar. I also try to make it looks more like billiard this time

Thanks for an advise and a helpful comment, Jeremiah!

That's cool. I'm a web developer by day as well.

As for the file, I'd go for a #2 pippin file to get that curve right. The round file works well for tight radii and the pippin file works well for more gentle concave lines.

[miscoipipes]

I've tried to make the stem flare matching the curve of bamboo but did not have the right file (and hands) for that. Just ordered an Iwasaki 3mm round file (as you suggested in one of your posts).
My occupation is web development so not much help here

I will make the same pipe from briar. I also try to make it looks more like billiard this time

Thanks for an advise and a helpful comment, Jeremiah!

That's cool. I'm a web developer by day as well.

As for the file, I'd go for a #2 pippin file to get that curve right. The round file works well for tight radii and the pippin file works well for more gentle concave lines.

Thanks for the tip! I will get a #2 pippin file as well

[miscoipipes]

Well done!
To add one little detail to the above: with bamboo I like to turn a "tenon" on the stem side of the bamboo, with the spacer ring slipping over. That way, in my personal experience, the stainless tenon grips better. That's my opinion, any case. It's also then real easy if the tenon becomes a bit too loose in the mortise (I don't know if it's just me, but it happens quite often through the process of making a bamboo pipe). Bit of steam, check fit, superglue to the walls of the mortise and you're sorted.
Your stem shaping is cool, but work a bit on sanding to get all those marks out.
It might just be the photo, but something looks wrong about where your airway meets the bottom of the bowl? The opening normally should look more sort of oval in shape, whereas in the pic it looks round.
Btw, (sorry Alden!) for me the olive shank should have been much longer, at least another 8-10mm.
PS - Don't get a big head now! You're off to a good start, use the advice, but never forget that you still have a shitload to learn.
I know I do. This is my ninth year of trying to make a decent pipe. According to me, I still suck.

I did exactly like you described. Made a tenon and the ring integral that inserts into the bamboo (I learned this from wdteipen viewtopic.php?f=10&t=6291&hilit=cut+tube ).
The scratch marks are there as you mentioned. Did not have good sandpaper so I've just ordered some Siarex Sandpaper (thanks to Sasquatch for advise).
The airway is just tiny bit higher (couple millimeters) but for the first drilling I decided to call it Ok My lathe was going reverse and it took a couple hours to understand why my brand new drill bit won't drill Well, it was my first time using a lathe and it was scary
Olive block I used was small so this shank is a maximum what I could do.

Thank you very much for taking the time to leave the helpful review, appreciate it.
Btw, your pipes are beautiful according to me

[pipedreamer]

Very nice work for a second pipe. Aldens words are golden, make the same pipe at least twice, more would be better. It will pay off in the long run!!!

[mightysmurf8201]

Bravo! You certainly have been learning and listening. Now just put it into practice some more and let your hands get the feel for the process. Personally, I'm really digging the bamboo on olive combo. I may have to try that real soon.