Widening the End of the Airhole in Bent Pipes?

[Progcat]

Hello Everybody,

I am new to the site and have really enjoyed reading all of the helpful information. I have a question I hope somebody may be able to answer.

I noticed in some of my bent Italian pipes that there seems to be a widening or opening at the end ot the airhole where it meets the tenon. It looks like the airhole was filed down toward the direction of the end of the tenon to allow a little "path" to guide the pipe cleaner and alow a smoother transition in a bent pipe and not bump into the wall of the mortise. Has anybody done this and do they think it is a good idea?

Thanks,

Progcat@msn.com

[KurtHuhn]

This is standard operating procedure for deeply bent pipes, and pipes that don't have a smooth transition in the airway. Quite common, and mostly necessary.

[kbosi]

Yes I do, When ever it is needed. Your customers will thank you for it.

[pipemaker]

This is quite common in bent pipes, and the examples I have seen range from a crudely enlarged airhole where the entire diameter has been enlarged with an oversize drill bit, to a finely polished "ramp" where only the lower portion of the hole has been ovaled to align with the draft hole in the tenon.

I think the second method will reduce turbulance in this area and is the prefered way to go.

JMHO

Mike

[pipemaker]

Random,

There is no hard and fast rule that determines what degree of bend will require modifying the draft hole.

The major determining factors are the diameter of the mortise, the depth of the mortise, the depth or vertical placement of the tobacco chamber in relation to the draft hole, and the diameter of the shank.

Actually, it is possible to design a highly bent pipe that easily passes a pipe cleaner without requiring any special drilling.

It is simply a matter of laying out the geometry of the tobacco chamber, mortise and draft hole, and drawing the shape of the pipe around this.

Mike

[pipemaker]

People use the term "highly bent", but how bent does a pipe have to be in order to be "highly bent"?

I would consider an Oom Paul to be a highly bent shape.

Mike

[JMB]

random wrote:
"People use the term "highly bent", but how bent does a pipe have to be in order to be "highly bent"?"

That would be just above "lowly bent"
Sorry random just had to be a smart "A"

[Tyler]

Here's an example of a pipe that needed no "ramping" to pass a cleaner and is "highly" bent:



The trick to this lies in the ivory shank treatment and a briar sleeve that lines the ivory and a relatively shallow and oversized mortise in the stummel.

Tyler

[KurtHuhn]

There are a couple tricks you can pull where you don't need a ramp to pass a pipe cleaner. I like Tylers example above the best. It's also the cleanest.

If you are *extremely* careful about where you drill the airway, you might never need to ramp it. However, every once in a while, you manage to screw it up and need to fix the stummel before you can pass a pipe cleaner.

[ToddJohnson]

Another thing you can do is drill the draft hole so that it cuts a groove in the back edge of the mortise. Then face the end of the shank to remove the last 1/8" or so. You'll end up with only a tiny knick which will disappear when the mortise is champfered. This allows you to drill at a more accute angle and get the drafthole centered in the mortise.

Todd

[Progcat]

Thank you all for your input. It gave me some good guidance. Now on to making a bent pipe!!!

Progcat@msn.com

[ArtGuy]

For most of the pipes that I have been making the airhole is drilled and a different angle than the mortise. I ramp the mortise to allow a cleaner to pass.