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Lining up shank end correctly
Posted: Tue Dec 11, 2012 10:20 am
by buistd
Hi there - After a good (lucky) run with my first three pipes, I have run into a bit of trouble with 4 and 5. I realise that for the experienced pipe makers out there this is probably a tedious question to have to answer but I'll go with it anyway! Any tips on ensuring that the shank end (done with Forstner bit) is perpendicular to the bowl? I've been having all sorts of troubles with getting the lines I have drawn on blocks to actually correspond to how I am drilling them!
Re: Lining up shank end correctly
Posted: Tue Dec 11, 2012 11:05 am
by Ocelot55
What do you use, a lathe or a drill press?
Re: Lining up shank end correctly
Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2012 9:10 am
by buistd
Drill press
Re: Lining up shank end correctly
Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2012 9:30 am
by Ocelot55
I'm not sure if there is a "trick," just proper execution. Start with a block that has been squared. It can be done without squaring, but squaring reduces the likelihood of messing up. Draw all your lines on the pipe very precisely. The trick for me was making sure that as I set the block in the vice I was constantly checking where I was up and down and side to side. If you just worry about just the side view your stem could wind up coming off the stummel at an angle.
Most of it is just trial and error. Oh and DO NOT MOVE THE BLOCK ONCE IT IS SET....for a straight pipe at least.
Re: Lining up shank end correctly
Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2012 9:42 pm
by The Smoking Yeti
The biggest thing is as he said- line it all up. Once you drill the mortise- DO NOT MOVE THE VICE. Follow it up immediately with the forstner.
Re: Lining up shank end correctly
Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2012 10:39 pm
by Sasquatch
Forstner first.
Re: Lining up shank end correctly
Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2012 11:40 pm
by the rev
sas, if you are doing a big bend do you do forstner, mortise then airhole?
rev
Re: Lining up shank end correctly
Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2012 2:34 am
by Ocelot55
Sasquatch wrote:Forstner first.
Yep.
Rev, I find it easier to drill the mortise first with a steeper bend and follow up with the draft hole, otherwise your draft hole wants to act like a pilot hole for the mortise.
Re: Lining up shank end correctly
Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2012 4:51 am
by buistd
Thanks for the replies. I have been doing the forstner first but haven't yet squared my blocks. That's probably where I'm going wrong. They look squared enough to my amateur eye but I didn't realise they have to be properly squared. Next question (at the risk of sounding like a rube) how do I square a block with limited tools?
Re: Lining up shank end correctly
Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2012 10:45 am
by Ocelot55
You don't have to square your blocks at all, it just makes things a bit easier. I've made quite a few pipes on a drill press without squaring the blocks that I have perfect drilling on. You just have to take your time.
I just recently bought a disk sander from Grizzly to square my blocks. Relatively inexpensive.
http://www.grizzly.com/products/12-Disc-Sander/G7297