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Hi there,

So i got 2 kits from alexander-zavvos on ebay, both look really nice, but have some issues. As i do not on or have near me to fix this i will change my ideas.

So, the blocks were suppose to be with a 9mm filter stem:


1- this will become a dublin or just some go crazy try. It was going to be a copy of an old BBB and my first, but i am really concerned about how it went thru on the other side.









Measurements Approximately
PLTF-03 Width Height Length Chamber Diameter Chamber Depth Weight
mm/gr 50,00 63,00 133,00 19,00 48,00 138,00
in/oz 1,97 2,48 5,24 0,75 1,89 4,87

2 - this will became a poker, i think. (as my first try)








Measurements Approximately
PLTF-05 Width Height Length Chamber Diameter Chamber Depth Weight
mm/gr 43,00 54,00 137,00 19,00 39,00 105,00
in/oz 1,69 2,13 5,39 0,75 1,54 3,70


As i will make those look worse, i am not going all crazy about the mistakes, but i would be happier if i would be the one doing bad to them as getting them not in the way they were suppose to..

Please forgive my bad english i will write in a better way when not drunk or angry.

*please let me know if i post on the wrong place. This is a post to get opnion on what design should i go with the blocks.

So what are the problems?

It appears that the vent hole passes past the centerline of the tobacco chamber and approximately
3 mm into the anterior chamber wall on the first stummel.
Neither stem has a good joint with the stummel and it appears that the mortise and vent hole are on different axes if I'm reading the marks right on the second stummel.
The walls of the tobacco chamber are also very rough and will take considerable smoothing.
Those kits appear to be very poorly done, I hope you didn't spend a lot of money on them.
I would first try to exchange those kits and I would let Mr Zavvos know that his workmanship is being displayed on the web. eBay may also have some protective policies- explore that.
I would hesitate to work with that deep penetration- it will limit your ability to shape it. Getting a suitable joint between stummel and stem may be beyond you as well.
Vermont Freehand has high quality kits available.
DocAitch

I live in rio - brazil and everything takes 1-2monthsnto get here and since the olimpics are startig things will get worse. And for that i am keeping them.

I will try a cherrywood/poker out of the secound and something "free" on thenfirst. I will take this to learn the materials and all. The stem fits without the filter and that said they will be smokable. As i am a newbe to this world i hope i make a mess with them and so when i. Can get my hands on better blocks i will be ready.

I actually sent an pm to steve but no reply yet i will send an email.

I will post the updates here as i have not many tools ( close no none) this will take some time.


Problem 1 - stem dont fit with filters, specially number 1.
Problem 2 - poor chamber drill both ( started on one angle and changed, specially number 2)
Problem 3 - on both the drill went thru on the other side of the chamber ( air draft) on the worse it was 3.5mm .

To be fair, after i sent the pic he asked in not a nice way if i wanted my money back. Since it would cost me more to send them back.....

If you search the forum, this isn't the only thread noting a problem with briar bought from this guy. If he's going to give you a refund, I'd take it. Then next time, order from Steve Norse at Vermont Freehand. He ships internationally and sells the good stuff. He even sells quality pipe kits.

Steve has been on a little holiday this weekend. Send him an email and he should respond soon. He will get you taken care of.

sandahlpipe wrote:If you search the forum, this isn't the only thread noting a problem with briar bought from this guy. If he's going to give you a refund, I'd take it. Then next time, order from Steve Norse at Vermont Freehand. He ships internationally and sells the good stuff. He even sells quality pipe kits.

Tks, as i said on my introduction i only saw after i bought it. I would take my money if i could send it back.., Anyway,

Here is a kit 4 hours later this was 90% manual as i only have a dremel and not a big fan.

I have no skills as I am a computer geek.. This been said...

There are the mistakes i can see.

1- one hall too thin ( 3.5mm) and all uneven

2 - not the shape i was going for but i could not think how to get this rounded and i actually liked this way. But some are straight some walls are more "rounded" as if they had a few beers.

3 - buy more 400grids sendpaper as i only user 120-280


I can see thenbig flaws like the stem part were i send too much, or on the cheek? That was hard to send.
I know this is a crap fisrt pipe from the others i have seen do please give me your thoughts




I will buff and apply 7 more tunge coats ( this is the first). Also i will apply some coating on the bow as the wall is too thing. ( carbon) not sure how but i will ready more. I read some nice stuff with honey, i even saw a guy doing wonders with cigars asshes, but dont worry i will read.

As i work and take care of a 2 years old i dont have much time to do things, so some mistakes are due to " lets do this fast". I will change as i go thru more projects.

Anyway, not a pipe maker but this was fun.

Please review as this should be and dont need to be nice. There is no improve in kind words. If you think this is garbage and i should throw out let me know. I only have comercial pipes so from the reviews i have been reading my standards sucks. I am not a rich guy also so i am saving to in december maybe get me a pipe from someone here .
Again,
This was long, sorry. I am just happy ....

It's a start! Now, if you're still interested, at least you know what this supplier is like. So try somebody else next.

Charl wrote:It's a start! Now, if you're still interested, at least you know what this supplier is like. So try somebody else next.

Sure will, tks!

Looks pretty good with limited tools and your first effort. You will be able to smoke that.
Just make sure that that first stummel has a bit of extra wood at the front. 3 1/2 millimeters should allow a thick walled conventional shape, but a free hand with some extra material would give you a better safety's margin.
I used to do my shaping with a die grinder, which is a big brother of the Dremel. Just take your time. There is no reason why you have to do it in 4 hours.
DocAitch

Secound pipe, make 100% by hand. Only user the dremel to " buff" and that is it. Just learn that i should take pictures from the pipe during the carving. Just realized it is crooked looking from the front, the stem looks as bad as you think. I took my time to learn that vulcano is very soft arounf files. Also my files are too " heavy" need some small ones.
I did not like this pipe. Chamber is all crazy and not rounded, the air draft was not right ao that made me crazy to see my "end project". Anyway, i took some time to test some sending and all. It is not perfect i just hope it will smoke.

I did smoked the first one i did and it was ok.

Comments are wellcome, i aready know they look like crap, and proprably would end up dog-toy..... If you have some comments that can make me see something I am not seen let me know.

Actually, I like it. Looks like some of the stuff I did way back.
The vertical view shows that the sides of the stummel bulge out prior to the joint with the stem. I think it would look better with the sides curving in (concave) rather than out (convex). The flow of the shape into the stem would be more natural that way. The side views have a nice flow.
You can straighten out the inside of the bowl to some extent with rough sandpaper wrapped around a dowel.
DocAitch

If you really want to get better at making pipes, it will help a lot for you to draw a shape you want to achieve and then post the drawing along with the pipe. Others will also tell you that winging a shape of your own is less of a growth exercise than attempting a classic style with well-defined proportions and shape. Its up to you to decide if you care about that stuff. For the time being its great that you're having fun. If it has two holes that meet in the right spot, its going to smoke, so no matter what happens you'll be able to burn tobacco in it.

Tks both. I was going to copy a billiard i have but the stem / draft hole was bad drill and as seen on the last pic it is now t straight. So i went to this half way.

I can see the concave idea and i agree and i also was going to try to fix the bowl it is so unaligned that i am afraid to do worse. ( the inside is carved like it was done 2/3 times in different angles. )

I am definitely thinking about reworking to fix the front view. Also if i had the materials i would re-do the stem and go concave. This would definitely look less of a brick and more as a pipe. Tks for the insight

I agree with the advice to cut a billiard, but I also know the constraints that you faced with that poorly drilled kit.
I applaud you for getting a smokable pipe out of it.
When you get a decently drilled kit from Steve Norse, go for a billiard. The necessity of cutting the shape to a standard will teach you a whole lot about the techniques of shaping briar and when you can make a decent billiard (actually more like 10 decent billiards) you can apply those techniques to any shape that you can imagine
DocAitch

Steve is on vacations so i just order a kit from a turkey guy. Lets hope they are not like the last ones. I will get some from steve but as everything can take over 6months to arrive ......

I also did some minor work on the secound and it looks less heavy but same crap look.

danilo wrote:Steve is on vacations so i just order a kit from a turkey guy. Lets hope they are not like the last ones. I will get some from steve but as everything can take over 6months to arrive ......

I also did some minor work on the secound and it looks less heavy but same crap look.