First ever pipe....what tools are a must?

flea1 · Post by **flea1** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 10:13 am

I am getting ready to make my first pipe ever...could someone look at my list of tools and tell me if I need any hand shaping tools. I can not afford a lathe at this point. Here is a list of my tools:

drill press
band saw
router with table
table saw

What bits, files...etc...should I buy first?

achduliebe · Post by **achduliebe** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 10:25 am

I would throw in a decent rasp, a file and a chainsaw file. I actually have a Nicholson file/rasp combo that has a flat file and a flat rasp. It also has a concaved rasp and a concaved file. I also have just a regular old file, like you would use to sharpen a lawn mower blade. A chainsaw sharpening file and a 1/4" prism shaped file. All of which I beleive I picked up at Lowes. I actually think all, except for the chainsaw file, were in a combo pack together.

flea1 · Post by **flea1** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 10:29 am

About how much do the combo sets run?

Post by **Tyler** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 10:47 am

A German Shorthair!! Wow...gorgeous avatar pic. German Shorthairs are my favorite breed.

You'll also need sand paper at 220, 400, 600 grits, and some buffing wheels and buffing compounds. You can use your drill press to buff.

Tyler

flea1 · Post by **flea1** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 10:54 am

Yes...shorthairs are beautiful dogs. I have one (pictured dog is not mine) his name is Harley...great dog wonderful personality.

What types of bits will I need for the tobacco chamber?

Post by **Tyler** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 11:00 am

flea1 wrote:What types of bits will I need for the tobacco chamber?

Spade bits that you grind to an appropriate profile. If you don't want to grind them yourself, you can buy them from Pimo or inquire in the "Buy, Sell, Trade" section of this forum. Someone here might sell you some.

achduliebe · Post by **achduliebe** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 11:15 am

As for the combo file/rasp and my other files. I think I maybe spent around $15 for all of them at Lowe's.

Post by **Tyler** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 11:25 am

I just thought about the fact that you apparently intend to drill your first pipe yourself. With that in mind, another key tool is something to turn the tenon for the stem. A Pimo tenon turning tool is the least expensive route, and a metal lathe the most expensive.

flea1 · Post by **flea1** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 11:47 am

Yeah...I have looked into the Pimo tool and will probably purchase that fairly soon. What are some good stains (brand)? What are some alternatives are to buffing (by hand)?

Post by **Tyler** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 12:33 pm

Do a search on leather dyes for stains. As for buffing, you need buffing wheels that you can mount in on a motor (or in your drill press).

flea1 · Post by **flea1** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 12:41 pm

Cool...thanks a lot guys! This gives me a better idea of what I need to get.

achduliebe · Post by **achduliebe** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 12:48 pm

Another little hint to start out cheap. I got some cheap buffing wheels from Harbor Freight Tools. There were, I beleive, 3 wheels in one pack and I think they came with an arbor and some buffing compound. I used the buffs but did not use the compounds, I got those from PIMO. The wheels were a bit small, but they will do for starting out. I think they are like 4" wheels. I mounted the wheel that I was going to use on the arbor and chucked it up in my hand drill (that was before I had a drill press). It did an ok job.

flea1 · Post by **flea1** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 1:24 pm

so what kind of buffs would i use on my drill press

bscofield · Post by **bscofield** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 1:42 pm

Yeah tyler, what kind of buffing pads are there for a drill press?

incidently i have a (relatively) cheap grinder to re-shape spade bits and to buff pipes. It cost $90 (it's a delta from lowes). I have 3 *soft* buffing wheels from lowes that run about $7 each.

achduliebe · Post by **achduliebe** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 2:17 pm

I would think that you could mount any of them on an arbor and chuck them up in the drill press. The only catch is that your buffs will be oriented horizontally instead of vertically. That is the way that I plan on buffing my next pipe. That is unless I get a grinder between now and then.

flea1 · Post by **flea1** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 2:33 pm

I think I will just jack up my truck completely off the ground, remove one of my tires, hook up the buffer to the wheel and have my wife rev up the engine and buff out my pipes that way.......

Nick · Post by **Nick** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 2:39 pm

Kurt Huhn grinds Silver and Demming bits. I think Random grinds very precise spade bits too. You might drop them a note.

achduliebe · Post by **achduliebe** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 2:42 pm

You could definately do that....just tell her not to juice it too much or she might end up flinging your stummel into your neighbors yard!

flea1 · Post by **flea1** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 2:52 pm

THAT IS TOO FUNNY!

So when you guys finish the final product...I've heard some people rub honey in the tobacco chamber. What do you guys do?

Post by **Tyler** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 3:30 pm

flea1 wrote:THAT IS TOO FUNNY!

So when you guys finish the final product...I've heard some people rub honey in the tobacco chamber. What do you guys do?

Oh boy... 8O

...this is quite the can of worms.

Do a search on "bowl coating".

Tyler