Tapered bits

buster · Post by **buster** » Mon Jan 12, 2009 10:40 am

I've been reading the wiki about stem making and they talk about tapered bits. I was wondering if these bits are necessary in stem making. If they are what sizes are used and where do you find them. Thanks for all the help.

kkendall · Post by **kkendall** » Mon Jan 12, 2009 11:02 am

I buy mine at Jamestown Distributors

The long tapered bits
http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/us ... int+Drills

And regular length tapered bits
http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/us ... lar+Length

Charl · Post by **Charl** » Mon Jan 12, 2009 12:18 pm

Or if it is too expensive or, like here in SA, unavailable, grind your own.

ToddJohnson · Post by **ToddJohnson** » Mon Jan 12, 2009 1:40 pm

Strictly speaking, no, it's not necessary to use tapered bits. After all, you can buy a functional pipe for $5, and it certainly won't have a tapered draft hole through the stem. It is, however an excellent way to promote undisturbed airflow from bowl to bit. Grinding your own and doing it well is not especially easy--you've got to relieve the flutes if you really want it to cut--so I would recommend purchasing a set at Home Depot for around twenty bucks. You will get a 5/32", 11/64", and 3/16" I believe.

Todd

Leus · Post by **Leus** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 11:26 am

Hi all!

I'm in the process of rebuilding my shop again (long time since I made a pipe) and I'm really interested in some tapered bits. However, having never used those, I'm really lost regarding the proper size. Can anybody give me a recommendation on most used sizes that I should buy?

Cheers,

Post by **KurtHuhn** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 12:18 pm

I think you'll find that 5/32" and 1/8" are the most commonly used in hand made pipes. Or the metric equiv....

Ryan · Post by **Ryan** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 12:41 pm

KurtHuhn wrote:I think you'll find that 5/32" and 1/8" are the most commonly used in hand made pipes. Or the metric equiv....

I would add 9/64 to that group.

Post by **KurtHuhn** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 1:28 pm

Aw, crap - you're right, Ryan. I mistyped because I was thinking of bits I needed for another project. I have a half dozen each of 9/64 and 5/32 - but only one 1/8.

Leus · Post by **Leus** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 8:46 pm

So, I should just look for 9/64 tapered bits, right?

http://www.tool-net.co.uk/p-316684/tren ... l-bit.html

(Not actually buying from there, I just found that)

Ryan · Post by **Ryan** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 1:57 am

I use a 5/32 drill for the draft and a tapered 5/32 for the stem

Frank · Post by **Frank** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 2:02 am

Leus wrote:So, I should just look for 9/64 tapered bits, right?

http://www.tool-net.co.uk/p-316684/tren ... l-bit.html

(Not actually buying from there, I just found that)

The bit you linked to looks like a Regular Length. For most stems you'll need the Long Length like this one: Long Length Taper Bit

It would seem that Jamestown Distributors are the only ones that still carry the Long Length in the USA. I've no idea where they're available in South America or Europe.

Anvil · Post by **Anvil** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 8:06 am

I bought mine on Amazon but it was actually straight from the manufacturer through Amazon. Jamestown didn't have the extended length and Amazon was the only place I could find it. Amazon also has the benefit of being a large entity that may have more chance of selling/shipping items over seas.

Leus · Post by **Leus** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 10:03 am

Anvil wrote:I bought mine on Amazon but it was actually straight from the manufacturer through Amazon. Jamestown didn't have the extended length and Amazon was the only place I could find it. Amazon also has the benefit of being a large entity that may have more chance of selling/shipping items over seas.

Any links?

Sasquatch · Post by **Sasquatch** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 10:11 am

Lee Valley also sells these (in canada... believe they ship intl)

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx ... ,180,42240

I got the 11/64 which explains why my pipes smoke better than all these other turkeys'.

Leus · Post by **Leus** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 10:19 am

Those look great, thought 11/64 is roughly equivalent to 4.3 millimeters... kind of big, no?

Sasquatch · Post by **Sasquatch** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 7:09 pm

Yes 11/64 is probably as big as I would ever want to go. I've been doing my pipes that way because one of my favorite pipes is an older Il Ceppo and it is drilled really wide, and I like the way it smokes.

I could offer an incomplete but nonetheless extraordinarily wordy theory about airflow, but other guys have done it in other places, like Pipedia for instance. I will just say that I find having a fairly wide air passage in conjunction with a fairly wide bowl (like, 7/8") offers me a very cool and flavorful smoke. 11/64 is probably too big for a small bowled pipe (imho).

I am going to start another thread on this cuz I want to know what other guys think.

kbadkar · Post by **kbadkar** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 8:59 pm

Leus wrote:Those look great, thought 11/64 is roughly equivalent to 4.3 millimeters... kind of big, no?

Yeah, that's kind of big, unless you're Rick Newcombe. I would say 9/64ths (3.57mm) and 5/32 (3.97mm) are pretty much the accepted US pipemaker's standards for normal size pipes.

ToddJohnson · Post by **ToddJohnson** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 9:51 pm

kbadkar wrote:
Leus wrote:Those look great, thought 11/64 is roughly equivalent to 4.3 millimeters... kind of big, no?
Yeah, that's kind of big, unless you're Rick Newcombe. I would say 9/64ths (3.57mm) and 5/32 (3.97mm) are pretty much the accepted US pipemaker's standards for normal size pipes.

I use 11/64" sometimes, but not too often. I think Brian Ruthenburg uses if for all of his pipes. For what it's worth, most of the Danes step down from 4mm for the draft hole through the shank to 3mm for the draft hole through the stem. Most of the American carvers that I know of try to keep a consistent diameter throughout.

Todd

wdteipen · Post by **wdteipen** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 9:53 pm

I agree with 9/64" and 5/32". When I first started I was drilling 11/64". For pipes that I smoke myself I really like it but most pipe smokers seem to be convinced that it is too big so I usually drill pipes I sell at 5/32" from bowl to bit. I also buy the long tapers from Jamestown Distributors. They are very good quality bits.

Sasquatch · Post by **Sasquatch** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 10:01 pm

wdteipen wrote: For pipes that I smoke myself I really like it but most pipe smokers seem to be convinced that it is too big.

We just gotta edumacate those other pipe smokers. Our pipes are normative - they should adjust their preferences!