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Many words have been written here about the usage of Delrin both pro and con. It appears you either love it or hate it.
If my question has been touched upon in the past I apologize (blame the new guy) and perhaps someone could direct me to the thread. If it is a new subject then dive in everyone.
I'm in the process of making a pipe where I intend to insert a Delrin sleeve in the shank and a Delrin tenon on the stem. I'm sure it's been tried before but in my reading I've not come across it and all the how-to tutorials and videos only discuss the usage in the tenon. Am I about to fall into a snake pit or is this a viable process and what are the good and bad points?
Chas.

I've made some filter/system pipes using delrin for both and wasn't really happy with the result. While the tennon fitted well there was a lot of flexibility in the joint, my solution was to insert a stainless steel tube into the tennon after which it was still not as rigid as Delrin in wood.

David.

What was the diameter of your tenon? I'm going with 5/16 and if I have room I may bump it up to 3/8.
The larger the diameter the stiffer the rod. (Oh boy, here we go with that comment!)
Chas.

oklahoma red wrote:Many words have been written here about the usage of Delrin both pro and con. It appears you either love it or hate it.
If my question has been touched upon in the past I apologize (blame the new guy) and perhaps someone could direct me to the thread. If it is a new subject then dive in everyone.
I'm in the process of making a pipe where I intend to insert a Delrin sleeve in the shank and a Delrin tenon on the stem. I'm sure it's been tried before but in my reading I've not come across it and all the how-to tutorials and videos only discuss the usage in the tenon. Am I about to fall into a snake pit or is this a viable process and what are the good and bad points?
Chas.

Why do this?

baweaverpipes wrote:
Why do this?

In common forum parlance, "+1."

As much as I hate agreeing with BAW, I am curious.

And I would surely have to counter with "why not"?
I love to take the paths less taken. If I fall in a gulch then I will not go down that path again.
If no one ever tried something different where would we all be?
I am quite familiar with Delrin. I work with plastics every day and I used to injection mold a ton of the stuff.
It's "inertness", if you will, is very well known as are its self-lubricating properties which have been mentioned here frequently.
So why use it all? Obviously in the past someone stepped out and tried Delrin as joint material between stem and shank and viola! The pros and cons are now at it.
I thought "well if one half of the joint being Delrin is thought to be good then MAYBE making the other side with it might be better". Then again maybe not.
That is why I'm seeking as many opinions as I can get. You know what they say about opinions.
Has anyone tried yet making a pipe from a compressed cow pattie? Try it you might like it.
Chas.

I tried it because I wanted to create an easy clean system pipe, most of the system pipes I restore have wells that are really gunged up and require agressive cleaning and several s/a treatments to remove the sour taste.

I was using 12mm rod drilled out for a filter (8.5mm) (and then stiffened)). I have made delrin liners for cracked shanks which work well to.

David.

David if you are cleaning up System pipes, once you get them in shape, apply a little tung oil in the well - it does a very good job of preventing juice from soaking into the stummel and makes them much more cleanableish.

Good idea on the internal repair with delrin.

You will find that using a delrin mortise with a delrin tenon creates greater friction and less viscosity. It sort of defeats the purpose of using a "slippery" material to create a stable joint. There's nothing wrong with trying it, but many things have been tried. I once watched a video where a guy strapped a jet engine to a Buick out in the middle of the desert. It didn't end well, but at least he met his maker knowing that he had taken the road less traveled.

TJ

ToddJohnson wrote: I once watched a video where a guy strapped a jet engine to a Buick out in the middle of the desert. It didn't end well, but at least he met his maker knowing that he had taken the road less traveled.

TJ

He also used delrin on delrin. Sad story.

Well... Todd actually managed to answer my question about the JATO pack I was gonna attach to my next pipe....

Sasquatch wrote:Well... Todd actually managed to answer my question about the JATO pack I was gonna attach to my next pipe....

See, now that would be cutting edge. Forget delrin on delrin or these half-ass, jankie shapes that everyone on the forum likes... add a jet pack to pipe. Your name will be immortalized with all the pipe icons of history.

Careful Ernie or they'll buy us matching STUPID/I'M WITH STUPID T-shirts.

Todd is right. Delrin on briar, slick. Delrin on Delrin, grabby.

JHowell wrote:Todd is right. Delrin on briar, slick. Delrin on Delrin, grabby.

That's pretty much what I had heard too.

Would a stainless steel mortise sleeve be of benefit?
(to help stabilize the shank from expansion/contraction due to temp and moisture cycles)

Rob

How many pipes do you see with shank liners? This will tell you if it's necessary or of benefit.

I have made a churchwarden in 9mm with a delrin sleeve, and the tenon out of delrin also. It was too much friction and a pia to remove the stem, so I replaced the tenon with ebonite and that made all the difference. The customer says he has had no problems with that combo. Now where do I tie that rocket?