pipemakersforum.com

Does anyone have any sources for buying a good adjustale type pipe reaming tool? I've seen one that can be expanded as the pipe cake is reamed out. I've been repairing pipes fro a local pipe shop and I thought it might be useful to have one.

Have you tried the internet?











http://careysmokeshop.stores.yahoo.net/1339reamer.html

Thanks CKR! That's exactly what I was picturing in my mind. I did do a search on the internet but, nothing came out.

Welcome,

Add 'tobacco' and you avoid all the plumber stuff.

A battery terminal cleaner will do a nice job on tough cake. eBay has a couple of the Pipnet and Senior type reamners up most times I look.
Mike Stanley
http://mikes-pipe-site.tripod.com

Are these brand names of reamers?

Yes, here is a link to an eBay auction of a senior. I have no affiliation with the seller.
Mike Stanley

http://cgi.ebay.com/Adjustable-Pipe-Rea ... dZViewItem

This is the brand I have. I like it on all but the most conical bowls.

http://cgi.ebay.com/PIPE-REAMER-BY-KLEE ... dZViewItem

To my experience, all that adjustable stuff does not really do it for me. I do a lot of estate revamping, and the only thing for me were those "PipNet" things. Made and patented in Switzerland, I believe.



I have one all in black. The interchangeable front pieces are of four different diameters, and each one carries four sharp and sturdy metal blades.
Starting with the smallest one (and possibly going up – depends on the cake built up in the bowl and the overall diameter of the chamber) you apply some even abrasive effect on to the cake. All the adjustable ones put that pressure up only on one point of the edge of the thing breaking out the cake. So the PipNet thing does some rather even work on the cake. Kind of "shaves" it off. If you prefer to ream your bowls back to the wood, the PipNet will not leave those circular scratches, but some very even wood. Will not work on very conical chambers. The junction between the vertical part of the wall and the bowl's bottom is a bit tricky (it is with all reamers I tried, since those curves are all individual). I did not have a bowl yet, that was too wide or too narrow (at least with serious smoking pipes…).
Only issue for me: The grip could be a bit bigger, so you can hold it better. Doing 20 bowls with this can leave you with some blisters. Doing 10 with one of those seniors really messed up my right hand once…

I would agree with Alex and would heed the voice of experience.

These look close

http://www.thebriary.com/accessor.htm

about half way down the page and reasonably priced to boot.


Scalpo in pace

I picked up one of the senior reames from cup-o-joes. I use it all the time and have been pleased.

I've got a PipNet and a Senior and I'll use the PipNet 95% of the time because it does a far more consistent job.

I wrap sand paper around a wooden dowl...

but that just me.

smokingpat wrote:I wrap sand paper around a wooden dowl...

The sandpaper tends to clog up pretty quickly, so I use this method in combo with a Senior.

Having read Alex & Obie's posts, I'll order a Pipnet from Scotty's (they call it a Bjarne) with my next tobacco order, worth a try.

i have a bunch of sand paper hanging out from body work on my vespa.

Call me crazy but i like the controll in my cake i get with 400 grit sand paper.

I have a senior pipe reamer, but i have not had much luck with it.

Hope you don't all run me out of town on a rail, but I have a different method that has served me well for 30 years or so. I use a straight-sided (cylindrical) 1/2" carbide burr with a round end on it - the kind you get in the hardware store with the very rough dendritic surface made for wood carving. These are usually an "aluminum" color. Has a 1/4" dia. stem about an inch long, so it's not long enough to get to the bottom of a deep bowl. My solution to that was to extend it a little with a 1/4" steel coupling and a short piece of '/4" rod - chuck it up in a drill, and very carefully work it around and around and up and down. Until you're used to it, I'd recommend doing it outside in good light, so you can see you're removing an even amount. I can usually go all the way down with the 1/2" diameter, but you might want a smaller one around for really tapered bowls (I don't like very narrow bottoms, so don't have many). I have never gotten into the raw wood this way, but I'm now well-experienced and careful to keep smooth even sides in the chamber. Let me know how you like it if you try it - I find it a LOT faster and better for following all the various tapers.

I just use my chamber bits...

I also heard of another reamer... If memory serves me right it was the British button reamer.

I have only restored about 50-60 pipes over the past year. I have tried a number of bowl reamers and have been frustrated with most devices. This device has saved me so much time and is much easier to use. I also have made a lot fewer mistakes when reaming bowls with this device. Here is a like to the device I'm talking about.
www.uptowns.com/product_info.php?products_id=194