pipemakersforum.com

Any suggestions on procedures for adding a white inlay on side of a new stem?
Also where can I obtain small white inlays... either in round or diamond shape?
Thanks!

The normal method for adding round inlays is to get (or machine) rod stock in the diameter that you need, then drill a hole of matching diameter and epoxy the inlay in.

The advantage to machining the material to the size you need is that you can use any material, even wood.

Hi Patrick,

Cut the inlay material the thickness that you need, drill a hole larger than your tenon will eventually be, and face both sides. I drill the hole at 7/16". Chamfer the hole on one side.

Also cut a thin piece of whatever your stem material is going to be made of, drill it the same size as your inlay hole, and face one side of it.

Cut a tenon on your stem and machine it until the two disks you cut will slip over it (snug fit). Be sure and allow enough stem material sticking out beyond the disks to cut a tenon later to fit your mortise into the stummel.

Epoxy the pieces together with the chamfered hole on your inlay being the closest to the button end of the stem and the unfaced side of your stem material being closest to the tenon end.

After everything is set, proceed as normal and cut a tenon to fit the pipe.

You can get a large selection of wood or synthetic inlay materials from any place that sells pen blanks. Just make sure that they are going to give you a larger diameter than your stem. They come about 5-6 inches long. Just cut off what you need, and you've got more for later.

Rad

Wait, we just described two different things. I'm confused.

Are we talking inlays or rings, Patrick?

Thank you for very good info.!!!

My question was adding a white dot or diamond inlay to the side of a stem. Not the band... but go ahead give me both inlay and band!!! Patrick

My bad.

I always call rings in the stem "inlays".

I see now that Patrick was talking about inlays like the Dunhill white spot. I was wondering what he meant by "diamond shape".

Never Mind.

Rad

Hey, you never know - it'd be convenient to find precisely sized diamond shaped slices of material for rings on bulldog stems.

KurtHuhn wrote:Hey, you never know - it'd be convenient to find precisely sized diamond shaped slices of material for rings on bulldog stems.

I realise your comment was made in jest, but for the benefit of guys who don't have a lathe, this stuff can be used for rings, since it has a constant thickness: Synthetic Ivory
They also have other colours - search their site for G10.

Oh, no. I was serious! Then I could use it as a guide for shaping the rest of the stem.

Thanks for that link. I was wondering if I could get that stuff in any form other than rod. Though now that I have a metal lathe, slicing off perfect pieces of synthetic ivory is a non-event.

Finally a question I can answer. . .

Here's my method:

1. Drill hole(s) in stem. I use a #45 bit (.082") and go .100"~.125" deep. Since I use two dots, they need to be perfectly aligned or it looks bad (I've scrapped a few stems) so I clamp it in a v-block. It may be overkill, but I used to be a toolmaker so I have a few in my box anyway. You could just as easily use a vise or simply use your hand to hold it in a v-notched piece of wood.



2. Turn the plastic rod(s) to size. I don't have a lathe so I chuck them in the drill press and use a file. I use exotic materials imported from the orient (a.k.a. plastic toothpicks made in China). Sorry, no pic.

3. Glue the rod(s) in stem. I use cyanoacrylate:



4. Snip rod(s) off with really sharp wire cutters or nippers. These pictures show about how much material to leave:





5. Finish stem as normal:



Extra sharp viewers may notice that the stem in pic 1 is longer than the ones shown afterwards. One of the toothpicks shattered (below the surface) when I cut it with an old pair of wire cutters. No way to remove it, or re-drill it (I’d already removed it from my fixture), so I had to cut it short and re-turn the tenon. I think it actually looks better - more “lovat-like”.