Heater For Stem Bending

[Mike Messer]

I had a brainstorm, today, and I made a very simple, cheap stem heater to use for stem bending... a metal cone, with a small hole in the top which I place over the burner of my gas stove. Understand, my lifestyle permits this. I have a band saw in my dining room and a mini metal lathe in my entry foyer. Breakfast is Mozzarella toast with ebonite and briar dust.
I used brass flashing. Aluminum flashing would probably work, too, or an aluminum pie pan even. Sounds a bit improv, but it seems to work very well, and gas is very cheap.
Cut-out an 8 inch diameter circle. Then cut a radius line to the center. Then cut out a 1-1/2 inch circle in the center. Then form a cone with a 5 inch dia. bottom , about 3 inches high, and with an approx. 1 inch dia. hole in the top. Fasten in the overlap area with a tacker gun near the edge and near the top, so you can bend down the points with pliers.
I place the cone over the burner of my gas stove top, with the burner set as low as it will go. and heat the tip by passing it over the hole in the top of the cone. I heat the area to be bent by passing it over the hole slowly, and systematically, rotating, for a few seconds, then pause a few seconds to let the heat sink into the material. Then heat it again. I'm not sure what the softening temperature of ebonite is. I've read mfg. specs. that range from 158 to 220 deg F (70 to 105 deg. C) which is not too extremely hot..When you remove it from the heat and it stays very hot to touch for several seconds, meaning the heat has penetrated the material, that's about when you can bend it. I suppose it could vary a bit depending on the specific product.
As for the stage at which to bend it, I've read here, after rough sanding, so you can fine tune the shape, before fine sanding and polishing.
Some of you pros might add some to this.
So, that's it.

Edit 8-25-09
Be very sure, if you use brass, that it is not leaded brass. A lot of it is, and it could be toxic.

[SimeonTurner]

You had better be careful about strangers seeing into your place....the police might show up hoping to bust up a meth lab...LOL

Seriously though, this sounds like it works great. I'm just curious though, why go to all the trouble? Couldn't you get the same results from heating the stem over an alcohol burner or heating it in the stove? (I prefer to use the stove because the entire stem gets evenly heated, which allows for smoother bends and less acute angles).

If this makes for a better bending process somehow, that is awesome. I'm just curious if you might be able to accomplish the same thing with less trouble?

[baweaverpipes]

WOW! Seems like a hard way to do something simple.
Using an alcohol burner or heat gun is much easier for me.

[RadDavis]

I would recommend spending $20-30 dollars on a heat gun.

And bend the stem only after it's shaped and finished.

Fine tuning the stem's shape after bending is a pain in the ass.

YMMV.

[KurtHuhn]

Yup. A $10 heat gun is more than sufficient for the job.

[ToddJohnson]

A candle will work.

[KurtHuhn]

I just eat a couple habanero chiles, then breath on the stems.

[xmhr]

WOW, you've done nice work and if it works for you - use it.
I use a small candle.
PS Band saw, belt sander and other tools I keep in every room. Wife always yell when briar dust is found in the kitchen )))

[Mike Messer]

I usually stall before I spend money on tools, money being a bit tight, and see if I can come up with a way to do it using things I already have.

[ToddJohnson]

I usually stall before I spend money on tools, money being a bit tight, and see if I can come up with a way to do it using things I already have.

I'll send you a candle so you can have your stove back.

TJ

[RadDavis]

I'll send you a candle so you can have your stove back.

TJ

Todd,

That is very generous of you.

Rad

[Streamline]

Why not just pick up an old toaster from the local good will for $2 and set it up to 275-300 F for a few minutes. It would give a nice even moldability without risking overheating the stem like an open flame of 1200 to 1400F could do. My two cents.

[KurtHuhn]

I used to use a toaster oven, but I quickly learned that heating the entire stem can have it's own set of undesirable effects - like the ebonite tenon changing sizes, or decomposition of any epoxy used for rings or delrin tenons. I much prefer the control of localized heating.

[Frank]

It's interesting how many guys try to reinvent the (pipemaking) wheel. No matter how many times folks list the tried and tested methods of doing something, someone always tries a different route that seldom works very well.

If you can't afford a new heat gun, go to your local thrift store and buy a used handheld hairdryer. Even that should work better than your stovetop.

[Kettletrigger]

It's interesting how many guys try to reinvent the (pipemaking) wheel. No matter how many times folks list the tried and tested methods of doing something, someone always tries a different route that seldom works very well.
stovetop.

I agree that trying a different route often ends in failure, but when an improvement is discovered it's a fantastic feeling. If it weren't for the tinkerers, we'd still be living in caves. I think that experimentation should be encouraged.

Tinker on!

[Frank]

I agree that trying a different route often ends in failure, but when an improvement is discovered it's a fantastic feeling. If it weren't for the tinkerers, we'd still be living in caves. I think that experimentation should be encouraged.

Tinker on!

I don't for one instant disagree with you, but some of the Heath Robinson contraptions that are put forward in the face of simpler, more effective methods are sometimes laughable, to say the least.

[Mike Messer]

I have to say, I am not as poor as I may have implied, and I have a lot of candles, already, (Thanks, Todd) but they seem messy, and they can get soot on the tip. I even have a 5 gal. propane tank and a torch, and I have three blow driers, but the stove-top cone works really good for me, and Kurt hit the nail on the head. Localized heat. The cone focuses the heat in a one inch stream, and it could be smaller. It would not be so good if you worked in a shop or a specific room reserved for pipemaking, unless, of course, it had a gas stove in it.

[Nick]

Generally, I use the following procedure:
1. Strip down naked.
2. Lie on my back with my legs help up over my chest.
3. Holding a zippo in one hand and the stem in the other, I place both in front of my ass, first the lighter and then the stem.
4. Light zippo
5. Cringe as a few days growth of ass hair is singed away
6. Yell to my neighbors that no, I am not lighting the dogs on fire again
7. Break wind.
8. Bend stem

(using a zippo is very important as the air movement will blow out the flame from a butain lighter or matches)

[Frank]

Nick, you should have a video camera set up when you do that, for the day you let rip a "wet one". It'll go down great on YouTube!

[ToddJohnson]

Generally, I use the following procedure:
1. Strip down naked.
2. Lie on my back with my legs help up over my chest.
3. Holding a zippo in one hand and the stem in the other, I place both in front of my ass, first the lighter and then the stem.
4. Light zippo
5. Cringe as a few days growth of ass hair is singed away
6. Yell to my neighbors that no, I am not lighting the dogs on fire again
7. Break wind.
8. Bend stem

(using a zippo is very important as the air movement will blow out the flame from a butain lighter or matches)

This seems more practical than the stove idea, though I think I'll still stick with my simple alcohol burner.

TJ