First Billiard Attempt: Smoke Stack

[d.huber]

Here is my first attempt at a billiard. Somehow, I let it become a stack, but that's cool with me! It's also the first pipe that I drilled and partly shaped on my lathe. As such, the drilling is off as well as a slew of other problems. I had a great time on this first shot at the billiard shape and I hope to be more successful creating it in the future.

For now, it's feeding time! Take a gander and then tear it apart.









Note: Minor edit. This pipe is a stack.

[sam a]

i'm glad to see you made a billiard... now go make some more. as for critique, you are well aware i'm no pro, but i'll speak up and give you my impression anyhow. i think the staining looks a bit uneven, the contrast looks strong here and weak there. the shank and stem seem to wobble a bit and the shank doesn't look centered on the bowl (especially in the 6th pic). the stem also could use some more careful sanding, lots of scratches. but all in all its not a bad pipe, i think it shows you "understand" and with more practice will be able to "do". a small tweak here and a small tweak there and i think it would be very nice.

[wdteipen]

That's not bad at all, David. The only thing I see is that you need to round the edges of your slot. But, hey, at least you sanded the tobacco chamber.

[Sasquatch]

If you made a billiard out of clay and hammered it on the table, this is the shape.

Really difficult to keep a pipe like this "inviting" if it has a brandy shape (a fat ass in otherwords). It gets to where they have a sort of pinched up shape, and this one is getting close. If you build a billiard so that the fattest part is more toward the middle and generate a much more gradual curve on the bottom, you'll get a much more open shape, one that is reaching up for the tobacco instead of closing it's mouth so you play the choo-choo-train game.

Looks like your chamber and your shank are at 90 degrees. This is, as we big time famous pipe makers say, a "no no". Give that thing some forward cant and the whole thing will relax.

Visually, the barrel on the stem is very heavy.

So.... go back and do another. It's hard, and everybody here knows it.

[LAH]

Not too shabby for your first billiard, now go for another one.

Abe

[Growley]

David,

Nice job. I think with a few tweaks you could make this shape work better for you.

The only thing I would add to what's already been said, is that there are a few sanding marks both on the stummel and stem. The stem could use more polish, and I don't think a tapered stem works the way you have it (I could definitely be wrong on that).

From a briar standpoint, I wold say that when you get to where you're selling them more, a piece like this would call for some rustication. Those few pits look a bit too large to be passed off.

Also, for me, the saddle could be a little more convincing. It looks like it's half way between 90 degrees and the quarter circle. I'd say either flatten it out and make it 90 degrees, or take a rat tail file or other rounded tool and give it a good quarter circle on top and bottom.

You're doing a lot of things right. Your stem fit looks like just an extension fo the briar, nice and smooth with no dips at the connection.

Keep it up!

[PremalChheda]

Not bad for an early pipe, and it looks to be an improvement on the earlier ones I saw. Take your time on setting the drilling, and you should be able to get the holes drilled straight. On the next pipe you make, take a little more time on the shaping in the final stages. You should be able to make a very nice looking shape. The finish looks good. When you make a shank that you want to appear straight, you must taper the shank from the bowl/shank to the end of the shank through the end of the saddle just a little. There may be only a difference of 1/16 in sometimes. This will create visually straight shank. If there is no taper and it is equal diameter all the way through, it will appear to look smaller at the bowl/shank meeting. It looks like it may be slightly smaller at the end of the shank, but its hard to see in a picture sometimes.

[DMI]

The stummel has been well covered so all I'll say is that you landed in the ball park but not on the diamond.

The stem however.... you need to remove the mould flashing from the side seams, you have sanded off the original finish except for the bits nearest the button and somehow you managed to put a sideways bend in it.

I think it is a good effort but you need to pay attention to the details.

David.

[d.huber]

Thank you all for your feedback! It is extremely helpful and appreciated!