Newbie pipe maker. Here's a few of my first attempts.

[Bobostro61]

Good day everyone. I'm just venturing into pipe making and would like to post a few pics of my first attempts at making pipes.
I know they aren't perfect, just thought I'd throw them out here. All comments good or bad are welcome!!

My very first pipe from a plateaux block.


#2


#3


#4


#5


#6


#7

[Sasquatch]

So.... those are exactly what they should be. They show a guy mastering some shaping skills (aren't diamond shanks fun?), getting pipe pieces to fit together pretty well (a little bit crisper stem/shank transition on some of the pipes would be gooder).

The last freehand (the dark brown one) is I think better than the others, it's starting to show some flow, it's a little more graceful.

So here's your homework: go take all the vulcanite stem you have, and throw them in a bag, and put the bag in your attic. You might need one some day for something, and I'd hate for you to say "Wow, I threw those out because Sas told me too and now I need one - I'm gonna kill that bastard."

But. You gotta get away from the shape, size and proportion that those stems are offering. The are dictating your shaping, and more importantly, showing up at the end of the day stem and stummel, and that's stopping you from seeing your pipes as whole units, as compositions. It's not to say that you can't do so with a pre made stem, but starting from a rod, you have to choose everything - thickness, length, shape. It forces you to consider the whole pipe whereas popping a premade stem on is sort of allowing you to concentrate on getting the physical stuff right (tenon fit etc) and not much more.

As a new pipe maker, you don't "see" what guys who have cut 1000 pipes see. "I made a pipe!" and that is so. But the experienced eye says "Ahh, there's a block of wood with a Giudici 221 saddle bit stuck in it.". And now the adventure is about moving from being the first guy to the second, and it's quite a process, I can assure you. Luckily, it's fun as hell.

[the rev]

but when do we get to the place we can throw pipes at other pipe makers?

rev

[Sasquatch]

You can throw anything at anytime, if it's at EMarkle.

[Bobostro61]

Oh man, I'd love to throw away the premade stems and turn my own.
But, until I have a spare grand to throw at a metal lathe and another grand to throw at a wood lathe, and another 50 grand to put an addition on my 1 car garage to house all the machinery, I'm stuck with a band saw, 10" drill press, sanding discs, files, buffing wheels on the hand drill, and sand paper. Guess I'll have to live with premade stems for a while. Some day though!!!

[Sasquatch]

Drill press is all you need. Have a look at the section on using Delrin tenons in the stem-making area.

[The Smoking Yeti]

It's true, drill press and a decent clamp= all the stem love in the world- unless you start trying to cut beads.

[Bobostro61]

For some reason I was under the impression that the rod stock was all square and had to be turned round on a lathe. Looked at it on PME and saw the round acrylic. I'll have to order some of that one of these days. Just wonder how much I'll waste before a decent stem is produced. Maybe I need to order half a dozen rods or so!

[Cory]

For some reason I was under the impression that the rod stock was all square and had to be turned round on a lathe. Looked at it on PME and saw the round acrylic. I'll have to order some of that one of these days. Just wonder how much I'll waste before a decent stem is produced. Maybe I need to order half a dozen rods or so!

It doesn't need to be round. I am not sure I follow your logic with "needing" round rod stock. I would venture to say drilling would be easier (sans lathe) with square rod stock. Kurt made a great hand cut stem photo essay without the use of a lathe. You should definitely check it out. Go to Board Index>Pipe Making>Stem Work>Hand cut stems photo essay (it is the third sticky in the Stem Work sub-forum).