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These questions have been baffling me for some time. The first one relates to something pretty commonly encountered when making a regular pipe and I wish I could get your advice before drilling my next block. The remaining two questions are about less "normal" shapes like calabash. I have no intention to make these shapes in the near future, just curious about how they work.

My drawing sucks, although it does speak clearer than my words Thanks you.

For question 1:
Yes. I use a diamond ball bit and smooth the sharp edges. I don't know if it's really necessary, but it only takes me a couple seconds and my customers seem to appreciate it.

Question 2:
Either one would work, depending on your drilling rig, (A) might be easier to actually do. I do not know if there are any differences in smoking qualities.

Question 3:
That sharp bend will cause condensation. I have seen calabash pipes drilled like this, and I've always wondered how they smoked.

Side note:
When I make a calabash, I make the bowl in two pieces. The main body of the pipe is made from one block of briar, and the bowl is turned from another. You hollow out the main body of the pipe and the bowl inserts into the space left. I can't recall correctly, but I think someone recently posted pictures of the process. Todd, was that you?

m.c. wrote:These questions have been baffling me for some time. The first one relates to something pretty commonly encountered when making a regular pipe and I wish I could get your advice before drilling my next block. The remaining two questions are about less "normal" shapes like calabash. I have no intention to make these shapes in the near future, just curious about how they work.

My drawing sucks, although it does speak clearer than my words Thanks you.

1. You don't want to leave burrs, but you also don't want to create a funnel to suck in tobacco bits. You can break the edge a tiny bit with sandpaper for a more finished look.

2. No. A forward-canted bowl that allows a nice round central draft hole entry will be easier to smoke to the bottom than a bent pipe where the draft hole enters from above and is oval, but the difference between the two drawings will be negligible.

3. The way this is drawn, moisture would trap at the bottom, in the angle, and gurgle. I don't quite see how you'd drill it, though. In the drawing there's no clearance for the drill from the bowl.

Jack

Jack

Kurt I'm pretty sure the diagrams you are thinking of were posted by Yashtylov in a gallery thread.

Ahh yes... this thread here 2nd page:

viewtopic.php?f=18&t=3428&start=20

Thank you. I got several points clear:

1. The small edges in Q1 need to be smoothed somewhat. The only difference is how far you go at it, ie, dremel or sandpaper.

2. Try not to make an oval opening of the drafthole. Try to put bowl and draft on the same straight line or nearly straight line.

3. My memory is at fault. I revisited the thread of which Sasquatch provided the link. It should be hollowing the main body of the calabash, not drilling two holes to meet each other. (Hollowing that amount of chunk? I would rather plant my own gourd! )

JHowell wrote:I don't quite see how you'd drill it, though. In the drawing there's no clearance for the drill from the bowl.

You have sharp eyes. My drawing was roughed out in less than two minutes. The left side drill hole is supposed to pass out of the top of bowl. (I said my drawing sucks. )

Now the only remaining question is the dilemma between: (a) highly-smooth opening of the draft hole, with the disadvantage of trapping in backy bits. (b) less smooth opening, but less chance of blocking up. Could anybody else provide any insight?

Taken on the flip side, the Yashtylov method averts all of the issues you are trying to solve. Doesn't look too easy though!

Sasquatch wrote:Taken on the flip side, the Yashtylov method averts all of the issues you are trying to solve. Doesn't look too easy though!

Yes, indeed. This morning when I was lingering in bed, I even fansied making all billiards, dublins, calabashes and non-calabashes to be composed of a hollowed mainbody and a detachable bowl with multiple vertial draftholes. They must be champ smokers. Another bonus is that you can use virtually any sort of exotic wood for the mainbody. What an adventure! Anybody done that before?