PAPER THIN!!!!

[hawky454]

Okay so I had a bad day in my shop. I cut into a block I've been holding onto for a long time now, just waiting for the right time (I guess I chose the wrong time). The saw just didn't want to go where I wanted it to! So to make my long depressing story short, I ended up cutting to close to the bottom of the tobacco chamber. I was about to toss it in my pile of misfit stummels, but thought I could get some good practice shaping with it, so I took it to the sanding disc. I love the way it turned out and I would like to be able to make this a useful smoking device. Problem is, that cut I made on the band saw earlier didn't actually cut into the chamber but there is a tiny spot (the size of the tip of an ink pen) that is paper thin! Just a lil bitty dot and the only reason why I know it's there, is I held the pipe up against a bright light and you can make out where the thin dot is.

So now, if I made my problem clear, I'm hoping someone, somewhere out there has a solution? I know some pipes are sold pre-carbonized and I think that would actually do the trick. I'm not looking to sell this thing, I only carve pipes for my enjoyment and I never really smoke down to the bottom of the chamber anyway but I would just like some extra protection there for piece of mind.

Does anyone know how to get and apply this carbon coating? I'm looking for any suggestions you all may have as well, unless your suggestion is to "throw it away." If thats the case please don't bother responding.

Sorry I know this is long, but I'm sure some of you, if not all of you, know what it feels like to make a mistake such as this.

Thanks for your time and I'm anxious to hear some of your creative ideas!

Dave

[KurtHuhn]

The easiest bowl coating I know of has the ingredients: pumice, activated carbon, sour cream, and buttermilk. I strongly suggest not skipping the pumice. Add ingredients until it's the consistency of latex paint. Paint it on, make sure the bowl bottom gets plenty, and let it dry.

I don't know that this will help, but aside from tossing the pipe, there's not much else you can do. The problem here is that, no matter what kind of coating you put in there, that paper thin area is still going to burn. While the burning stuff might not be touching wood, the heat is still making it through.

[e Markle]

The easiest bowl coating I know of has the ingredients: pumice, activated carbon, sour cream, and buttermilk.

Half a dozen people have recommended that I include pumice in my bowl coat, but I have no idea where to find the stuff. Any online vendors that you know of? Thanks.

[sethile]

McMaster Carr has pumice. It's also used in fine furniture finishing, to rub out the finish after it's cured, so you'll find it at at places catering to quality wood finishers.

Mccmaster Carr:
http://www.mcmaster.com/#pumice-powders/=bfsci0

Woodcraft:
http://www.woodcraft.com/Search2/Search ... ery=pumice

In terms of saving that really thin bowl, you might try coating the thin area with plaster of paris first. I did that on one that had a fissure that went all the way through. Kept it for myself. and it smokes great!

[KurtHuhn]

McMaster-Carr also carries activated carbon, as well as a handful of other useful chemicals for use around the shop or home.

[Boekweg]

And if all that fails, don't forget Duct Tape! Duct Tape fixes every thing! . . . . .ya!




ps. that was a joke, put down the duct tape.

[hawky454]

And if all that fails, don't forget Duct Tape! Duct Tape fixes every thing! . . . . .ya!




ps. that was a joke, put down the duct tape.

You crack me up man!

[staffwalker]

Back when I was drilling with a hand drill and before I learned to do the draft hole first, I drilled a few pipes too deep so the draft hole entered, in some cases, almost a quarter inch high. I came up with a concoction, which sounds bad but really works and doesn't seem to change the taste of the pipe when smoking. I built the bottom of the bowl up so the draft hole entered at the correct point. I'm still smoking some I fixed five years back and even after repeated careless reaming the bottom of the bowl still contains the paste. I've also used this method to repair bowl burnouts on pipes that came off ebay. Once it sets it becomes part of the cake and can be reamed without flaking out.

Ream some of your old pipes but save the carbon which comes out. Place it in a simple coffee grinder, grind until it is completely pulverized to fine dust. Mix a couple drops, it won't take much, of honey to form a paste you can smooth in the bowl with your finger. You will have to experiment to get the right mixture, just enough honey to be able to spread it and for it to stay where placed and smoothed. Form a thin layer of this mixture in the bottom of the bowl, let dry for a couple of days. Spread a second coat over the first and allow to dry again. Continue repeating until you have built the bottom of the bowl as high as possible without interfering with the draft hole. After you have it as high as possible, smoke it. The first bowl may taste like honey but subsequent bowls won't The honey caramelizes and holds the carbon in place, in fact, I think it turns the whole thing to concrete. bob gilbert

[hawky454]

Mr. Gilbert,

Hey, I'm gonna give you're solution a try. I'll let ya know how it works.

Thanks!

[Bosaiya]

I've had some success lining the bottom of the bowl with clay. It distributes the heat over a larger area and provides some modest insulation of its own. Since it's porous it eventually fills with the juices and gets a nice covering of carbon just like anything else. There's no taste.

[smokindawg]

I've used the powdered grout mix. Make it into a paste and coat over the spot as thick as you find necessary. I've fixed pipes with low bottoms and close to burn out with it and after a couple smokes you can't even see it and the cake will form just like on briar.