Result from a 5 dollar block.

Tano · Post by **Tano** » Sat Mar 10, 2007 11:39 pm

I'm practicing on the cheap blocks so that when I tackle the expensive ones, I hope to have achieved the confidence.
Any comments?

sethile · Post by **sethile** » Sun Mar 11, 2007 8:17 pm

Very nice work, Tano! I really like the flow of this pipe, especially nice is how fluid and graceful the edges are that you have running along the entire side planes of bowl, shank, and stem. I like the over all balance between bowl, shank, and stem too. The stem accent works very nicely, and the shape of the stem looks very beautiful, and well matched to the stummel.

The button seems a bit thick. Is this a pre-molded stem? If so, you've done a outstanding job with shaping it to match. The only clue is the button and slot just don't look hand cut. If it is hand cut, you did a heck of a job on those, other than the looks a little too thick.

How many pipes have you made? This does not strike me as an early effort at all, and you've certainly made a fine pipe out of a $5 block!

Tano · Post by **Tano** » Sun Mar 11, 2007 9:01 pm

Hi Scott,
Thank you for your comments.
This is probably my seventeenth pipe. The stem is hand cut, and now that you mentioned it, the button does seem a litle thick, probably because on the previous pipe I made it too thin, go figure.
Started in late 2005, spent lots of money on tools and materials and loving every minute of it.

Nick · Post by **Nick** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 2:10 pm

Really nice bud. All in all I can't see much to critique about it. You did a great job with those sharp edges. Those are darn hard to do. I'll second Scott, in that I thought the stem might have been molded due to the look of the button. The button looks extremely symetrical. Great job on that. A bit thick maybe, but some times that's not all that uncomfortable.

sethile · Post by **sethile** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 8:07 am

Tano wrote:Hi Scott,
Thank you for your comments.
This is probably my seventeenth pipe. The stem is hand cut, and now that you mentioned it, the button does seem a litle thick, probably because on the previous pipe I made it too thin, go figure.
Started in late 2005, spent lots of money on tools and materials and loving every minute of it.

You and I are close in our development, Tano. I've recently finished #22, and been at it just over a year. I'm completely obsessed with it at this point, and having a wonderful time (well, mostly). I used ebauchons for the first 11, then started using Plateaux for some. Judging from this one, I'd say your ready, but I still ruin stuff now and again, and it seems like I've run into a lot of bad Plateaux too. I wrecked an ebauchon this weekend, as well as some ebonite! I think it was advice to Rad that the best way to get better is to practice. I've got lots of distroyed material to show that I've taken that to heart

Your stem work is very nice. How are you cutting your slot? This one looks extremely even and symetrical. Speaking of too thin on your last and over correction, I've been trying to get mine a bit thinner, and I sanded through my last one this weekend on one of the final grits (just a pin prick but wrecked it never the less). I think my problem was in the slot this time. The stem is .140 thick behind the button, just a hair thinner than my usual .150, but the slot was not even enough this time and the pin prick was where I'd gotten the slot a bit too open. I'd like my slots to look more like yours appears here in this pipe.

Again, very nice pipe, Tano--looks nice and light, gracefull, and very smokeable! If my $5 blocks turned out like this one, maybe I'd be less likely to want to risk ruining plateaux too.

staffwalker · Post by **staffwalker** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 7:19 pm

Hi Tano, looks like you are coming along just fine. Thanks for sharing the pics.

Like you I am just getting started. Did my first one over Labor Day weekend last Sept and finished number 30 two days ago. guess that averages out to 4.6 per month. Sorry to not be able to post any pics here, my pipes are much better than my photos would be. The last ten or twelve have been very good.

I think most of the improvement is due to a day I spent with Tyler Lane Beard back in Jan. I learned lots of things that I never had really given any thought to. I also confirmed many other items that I had figured out on my own but wasn't sure they were right. To be honest, I thought at the time, (forgive me Tyler), that I hadn't really learned all that much but to my surprise the first pipe I completed after that visit was much better than anything I had done before. Since then each has been better than the last. I think most of all I learned to be very critical and to notice the smallest of details, in many cases, I had noticed them before but never took the time to correct them. After a day with Tyler, I do now.

If I could encourage any beginner here to do one thing it would be to try and find an established maker with whom you could spend a day. This forum is a great resorce but direct first hand knowledge can make a hugh difference.

Thank you Tyler for taking the time to spend a day sharing your knowledge with me.

bob gilbert

Tano · Post by **Tano** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 7:47 pm

Hi Scott,
When I'm working on the button thikness, I test it by putting it in my mouth. this is the only way I can tell how comfortable it feels. I'm afraid that, if I used measurment alone, I would probably sand through.
I make the slot, first by drilling with a tapered bit and allowing the bit to pertrude 1/16" to 1/8" to the other end. Then I mount the rod, horizontaly, in a centering vice. Chuck a T199 dremel bit and use the tiny hole as a guide. The vise allows for a controlled feed of the rod into the bit. Unless you trust your nerves don't do it free hand. The finishing touches are done with a combination of needle nose flat files, 1/16 drill bit, and also sand paper string.
So far I have found this process to work best for me.

sethile · Post by **sethile** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 8:54 pm

Tano wrote:...When I'm working on the button thikness, I test it by putting it in my mouth. this is the only way I can tell how comfortable it feels. I'm afraid that, if I used measurment alone, I would probably sand through.
I make the slot, first by drilling with a tapered bit and allowing the bit to pertrude 1/16" to 1/8" to the other end. Then I mount the rod, horizontaly, in a centering vice. Chuck a T199 dremel bit and use the tiny hole as a guide. The vise allows for a controlled feed of the rod into the bit. Unless you trust your nerves don't do it free hand. The finishing touches are done with a combination of needle nose flat files, 1/16 drill bit, and also sand paper string.

Thanks, Tano! I'm using a very similar process (also trying it in the mouth and even testing the draw). I use the T199 freehand, and that is where I think I have my issues. I drill the rod with a 5/32" taper drill, stopping about 5/8" from the bit end of the rod, and then follow that up with 1/16" drill through the bit end. If I went all the way with the tappered drill I think I would have to leave the stem too thick behind the bit. What size tappered bit are you using? After I use the 1/16" bit to finsih out the air hole, I then use the T199 tool in a dremel freehand to start the slot opening. Then I funnel that down into the airhole with the 1/16" bit chucked into the drill press and hand holding and feeding the stem into it, and then cleaning that up with lots of handwork with small needle files and sandpaper. Mine just don't end up being very neat and are not consistant enough either.

Is your dremel chucked into a press arrangement of some sort when you feed the stem/centering vice arrangement into it, or are you using the T-199 in a drill press? I love the idea of getting a cleaner more controlled cut with the T199 than I've managed using it freehand.

magruder · Post by **magruder** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 10:51 pm

Tano,
Very nice looking pipe.
I like your choice of material for the stem adornment.
In a post above you mention sandpaper string. I am unfamiliar with it.
What is it and where do you get it please?
Thanx much,
Steven Magruder Morrisette

Tano · Post by **Tano** » Wed Mar 14, 2007 12:18 am

Steve here is a picture of the (it's actually called) abraisive cord.
Scott, many times I've used 9/64 for airhole on stem, drilling like you do. This time I used a 5/32 and drilled so as to expose only 1/16 of the tip of the drill on the other side. The end tip is 1/16 anyway.I agree that if you want a .150" bight, it could pose a problem. When all was done the bight on this last one measures .189" maybe a bit thick for some but I didn't mind. Whenever I use a narrow hole I get whistling, and end up enlarging it anyway.

sethile · Post by **sethile** » Wed Mar 14, 2007 8:13 am

Great pictures of your set up, Tano, thanks! I really like your vise/press arrangement for the T199 and may give that a try. I like a thinner bit (.150 max), but it is a challange to get the slot open enough, and thin enough without starting to see daylight like I did on my last one

Post by **KurtHuhn** » Wed Mar 14, 2007 1:01 pm

I think that what you guys are stumbling on here is the size of the slot bit you're using. A 1/16" bit to open up the slot is freakin' huge. A 1mm is going to give you a much more material to work with, and will allow you to go much thinner (I've gone down to as low as .120 with no problem) on your bits.

I make a small mark in the center of the rod on the slot side while I've got the rod on the lathe. And then I just use a Dremel with the #199 cutter bit mounted in the flex-shaft to cut the slot, and then a 1mm bit to open up the slot into the airway - all freehand. I haven't had a problem sanding or filing through since switching to a 1mm slot.

RadDavis · Post by **RadDavis** » Wed Mar 14, 2007 1:23 pm

A 1/16" bit to open up the slot is freakin' huge.

I have to disagree, Kurt. I cut my slit pretty much the same way you do and open the slit side to side with a 1/16 bit in the dremel. All of my bits are between .140 and .150, and I've never had a problem.

Rad

sethile · Post by **sethile** » Wed Mar 14, 2007 9:57 pm

I've done pretty well with 1/16" drill for the last 5/8" or so too. I can easily get .150 or less thickness behing the bit, and it still affords a nice open draw.

Tonight I tried chucking the T199 in the drill press, and put the drilled rod in the vice. I don't have a cool cross slide vice like you do, Tano, but even sliding the vise accross the drill press table by hand to push the rod into the T199 improved my slot a lot over the completely freehand method I was using. Thanks very much for the tip! Hopefully I won't wreck the slot outline when I go to opening it up with the 1/16" drill and files

Tano · Post by **Tano** » Wed Mar 14, 2007 11:32 pm

Glad to see that it helped you, Scott. If you're tempted to get a vise like mine, be carefull and make sure that your drill press has lots of vertical room for it. I'm quite limited when I want to drill with a longer bit.

Post by **KurtHuhn** » Wed Mar 14, 2007 11:39 pm

RadDavis wrote:
A 1/16" bit to open up the slot is freakin' huge.
I have to disagree, Kurt. I cut my slit pretty much the same way you do and open the slit side to side with a 1/16 bit in the dremel. All of my bits are between .140 and .150, and I've never had a problem.

Don't get me wrong, it's totally doable. But for the untrained eye?

I guess this is where personal preference comes in. I prefer a 1mm slot. However, I won't talk smack about a 1.5mm slot. Both can be made into a perfectly thin stem.

But a 1mm slot still makes a thinner stem.

Nick · Post by **Nick** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 8:34 am

Well, I get my slots with a T299 bit in my high speed dremel and then widen then with a .33 mm drill bit, sand the inside up to 20000 grit and come out with a bit that's .088 inches tall.

RadDavis · Post by **RadDavis** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 1:51 pm

Don't get me wrong, it's totally doable. But for the untrained eye?

Absolutely! Hell, my eye was untrained when I started hand cutting stems. I just followed the directions that Tyler posted as best I could. Tyler's instuctions say to use a 1/16" bit to widen the slot, by the way.

I guess this is where personal preference comes in. I prefer a 1mm slot. However, I won't talk smack about a 1.5mm slot. Both can be made into a perfectly thin stem.

Absolutely! My point was that a 1/16" bit isn't "huge". It's what most pipe makers use. You seemed to be implying that a 1/16" bit is the wrong tool for the job, and it's not.

But a 1mm slot still makes a thinner stem.

A .5mm slot will make an even thinner stem.

Rad

Nick · Post by **Nick** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 8:53 am

To cut my slots I use a scroll saw blade. I've tried a few times to use a drill bit and dremel and damn if i don't just screw the hell out of it. I used needle files for a while, but the just weren't thin enough. I don't remember where I got the idea, but I took a scroll saw blade, snipped in half and viola! I can cut a damn thin slot with it. Takes a while, but its much easier to control. And since I'm not worried about time efficiency, who cares how long it takes?

RadDavis · Post by **RadDavis** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 10:44 am

Hey Nick,

Have you tried this Dremel bit for your slits:

http://www.toolbarn.com/product/dremel/199/

Use the highest RPM and go slow, and it won't run away with you. It cuts a perfect slit in about 5 seconds. Then, when you go to widen the slot with a drill bit in the dremel, you have a handy guide to go by.

Rad