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Hi all I just watched a video by Mike at Blakemar briars. Typical Brit its all done old school does anybody know what tool he uses to cut the tobacco chamber???? heres the site http://www.Blakemar.co.uk

Hey nothing old school about my workshop. lol

I believe it's called a chisel

I love watching other people make pipes, in this case the amount of machine work that is used on a 'handmade' pipe.

David

WOW! What a fantastic video. That answered more questions then reading a hundred posts.Thanks. Sam

I love watching other people make pipes

Me too! And I suppose it's only pipemakers that do. Some interesting methods that he's got!

What I see in that video is a lot of awkward use of certain tools...

The sanding stages looks very nice, thought.

Leus wrote:What I see in that video is a lot of awkward use of certain tools...

The testing of the stem fit while the tenon cutter is running made me cringe a bit...

BeatusLiebowitz wrote:

Leus wrote:What I see in that video is a lot of awkward use of certain tools...

The testing of the stem fit while the tenon cutter is running made me cringe a bit...

I'm thinking I wouldn't be wearing long sleeves...

Talk about familiarity with your tools! He was sure efficient.

Hm, this is what I call efficient (youtube playlist)

Making of Mario Grandi pipes.

Some crazy stunts with a revolver lathe there.

Leus wrote: Hm, this is what I call efficient (youtube playlist)

Making of Mario Grandi pipes.

Apparently I need to upgrade my bandsaw setup. I wasn't sure if that was briar or room temperature butter. Also, how does that guy have any thumbs left?

Leus wrote:Hm, this is what I call efficient (youtube playlist)

Making of Mario Grandi pipes.

Some crazy stunts with a revolver lathe there.

Ok, I really want one of those now!! That is pretty sweet!

Cool videos but it doesn't look like there's much attention to detail going on. If you want to mass produce poorly engineered pipes then just get a fraising/milling machine.

wdteipen wrote:Cool videos but it doesn't look like there's much attention to detail going on. If you want to mass produce poorly engineered pipes then just get a fraising/milling machine.

I absolutely agree on your point of view Wayne ,different approaches to the manufacturing process are indeed recognizable in the finished pipe inspected by an experienced hand.

I forgot to mention that the tool he is using is a turning chisel. You can find them at a fairly reasonable price at http://www.harborfreight.com/. Cheers, sam

It seems like using a handheld chisel as opposed to a toolrest/mechanically fastened would be quite dangerous as well.
And if you have the lathe, why the prefab stems? To each his own, I suppose.

It's really just turning a very small bowl, something that most experienced wood turners could do quite easily. Pipes take to mechanical milling due to their symmetric nature, but there's nothing fancy about doing all this stuff with a VERY simple rig on a lathe.

What I find interesting in the videos is what methods dictate what operation in what order. Very different than what I do, but of course, he makes 5 pipes and I am still working on the first one.

I looked some of this guy's pipes up on eBay and youtube, from what the finish products show, these are all mammoth ass pipes. Like he left more briar to compensate for flaws, without regard to the weight or dimensions of the end result.
Fairly impressed with his bandsaw, (the machine, not the operator) not so thrilled by the quantity over quality method though. Seeing anybody chunking briar into old shopping carts repeatedly really makes you wonder about the quality of these pipes.

I think "quality" is relative - Mario Grandi pipes in my experience smoke really well. The fit and finish are decent but not great, and the shaping is .... not especially crisp or defined. It's a bargain "handmade", and they don't pretend anything else. Some of the pipes are pretty nice, and they go for more like 250, but the run of the mill are about 80 to 100 bucks and they are not bad value in terms of smoking. If you are looking at them in terms of how to really shape and finish a pipe super well, look elsewhere.

You gotta take 'em for what they are.

Sasquatch wrote:I think "quality" is relative - Mario Grandi pipes in my experience smoke really well. The fit and finish are decent but not great, and the shaping is .... not especially crisp or defined. It's a bargain "handmade", and they don't pretend anything else. Some of the pipes are pretty nice, and they go for more like 250, but the run of the mill are about 80 to 100 bucks and they are not bad value in terms of smoking. If you are looking at them in terms of how to really shape and finish a pipe super well, look elsewhere.

You gotta take 'em for what they are.

I agree. I have a MG poker, smokes great. I hope to purchase one of the higher 'fiammata' grades and see how the quality is on one of those. You can't beat an $50 (yep seen a few of them listed as low as $50) to $120. That's a Peterson, Stanwell or Savinelli price for a great smoking handmade.

Wow, that sucks. Good to have a lathe!