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So I started a pipe with the intention of making a zebrawood shank extension for it. Long story short I screwed up the extension and destroyed the briar tenon I intended to insert into the zebrawood. In order to salvage the project I faced the briar smooth and turned a tenon on my new zebrawood extension that I then attached to the stummel. As a result the mortise on this pipe is not briar but zebrawood.

I'm a little concerned about expansion/contraction inside the mortise. The stem tenon is ebonite. Do you guys think that joint will wear alright? Is this another shop pipe for me?

I would sleeve it with delrin or something.

So you think it will be a problem, Sas? The mortise is 5/16" so I could insert some delrin and turn my tenon down to 1/4"

Any other alternatives?

I've used a reverse tennon on a couple of really thin shanked pipes where I'm afraid they might crack and I've seen others done with stainless tube as a standard tennon (as in a lot of the bamboooooos).

David.

Oaky, I realized something that I should have several hours ago. I have on my shelf right now a Stanwell Zebrano which just so happens to have a zebrawood extension. Upon closer examination the mortise is not briar at all. I guess if Stanwell can make it work so can I. There is, however an acrylic ring around the top. I wonder if that provides the true "grip" for the tenon.

I have found that woods other than Briar can be a lot more prone to cracking when fitting or inserting a tenon.

I recommend reinforcing the Zebra Wood either inside or outside.

In the past I have used a brass pen making tube in the tenon and then lined it with Briar to drill the mortise.

Todd

taharris wrote:I have found that woods other than Briar can be a lot more prone to cracking when fitting or inserting a tenon.

I recommend reinforcing the Zebra Wood either inside or outside.

In the past I have used a brass pen making tube in the tenon and then lined it with Briar to drill the mortise.

Todd

Has anyone tried to stabilize some wood by using a vacuum and loading the wood up with a plastic resin and then curing the resin? As a game call maker I have used it to stabilize punky spalted maple, and it comes out rock hard plastic and still looks like wood. here is a source. http://www.turntex.com/index.php?option ... Itemid=121

The penturning community uses it all of the time, so does the callmakers and knifemakers. The best of 2 of worlds, wood and acrylic in one. For more info, look at the International Association of Penturners forum.

Marvin

Zebrawood isn't all that stable, as tropical hardwoods go. Reinforcement might not be a bad idea.