Live and learn!

[Sasquatch]

I thought it might be fun to make a custom fitted box for a nice pipe. I was wrong. It sucked pretty much from the get-go, but in the end I wound up with what I wanted to see - a protective case with fitted foam (used the expanding foam, got a great fit, but what a pain in the ass!), and a separate area for tamper, matches etc. If you've ever travelled with a pipe, you know how nice protective case is, and how nice it is to have your "kit" all in one place.

[LAH]

Very cool! I'll have to give it a try sometime when I feel like getting aggravated.

Abe

[frazeeg]

I've been meaning to make something similar to this, but out of leather so it has a smaller footprint in a suitcase. Thus far I've just been using a Ziploc bag and wrapping my pipe in a handkerchief.

I'm not a fan of those clasps that you used. I've never gotten them to align correctly and they always pop open on me. Might just be me though. Or I'm buying sub-par clasps.

Any chance you took any pics of the expanded foam process? I'd love to try that some time.

[Sasquatch]

I took no pix of the foam process. "Process" is too formal of a word anyhow. "Experiment" might be more fitting.

Encasing a pipe in foam amounts to solving two problems. First, protecting the pipe. We don't want a super duper tight fit, we want the pipe to come out, so a layer or two of wrapping won't hurt. I did a layer of plastic food wrap and a layer of aluminum foil.

The second problem to solve is getting the pipe back out, which is to say, opening the box again, and without damaging the pipe. So for this I figured rather than trying to cut the foam, it would be better to have a separating membrane, so I again wrapped the pipe in foil, but this time I took a large sheet, folded it over the pipe and kind of indented the pipe shape. Filled the bottom of the box with foam, pressed the foil and pipe in, foamed the top of the box, and closed it with clamps.

It actually worked not bad. I can see wax paper working well here too.


So peel out the tinfoil, and you've got a box full of pipe shaped foam, which then needs to be treated to some kind of flocking or fabric or something to cover it. I had purple felt on hand.

[Sasquatch]

PS you're right about the clasp - wouldn't trust it too much. I will look for better small hardware. Probably Lee Valley again.

[taharris]

Sas,

Nice pipe, by the way.

I like the brass inlay on the stem. Nice touch.

Todd

[Sasquatch]

Thanks Todd. The pipe came out great - really a nice piece from PME, cut very well and just as pure as, uh... something really pure. Everything I hoped when I cut the block.