Fixing leakers at shaping

[hutchpipes]

Hey folks! Pretty new to this but have run across something while shaping a new pipe. I have 2 pits that leak air into the draft hole. I'm also still not finished shaping so I would need to take more wood away before filling. Here are my questions:

Can I fill these leakers and still have a reliable pipe?

Do I fill with regular wood putty from Lowes?

[WCannoy]

Sure, you can fill 'em...

Just don't sell it, unless you want that to be the quality of pipe associated with your brand.

[hutchpipes]

Thanks Walt! Thinking shop pipe. Would you fill with regular wood putty?

[WCannoy]

Thanks Walt! Thinking shop pipe. Would you fill with regular wood putty?

I don't really know, to be honest with you. When this happens to me, the pipe becomes a chew toy for my dog.

[hutchpipes]

Haha!

[scotties22]

Sand it until they are full of briar dust. Then drop some CA glue on them until all the dust is wet. Then go to your next grit and do the same thing. By the time you are done sanding the pits should be filled enough to stop airflow.

[sandahlpipe]

I wouldn't even consider selling something that has air leakage. But if it's just for a shop pipe, filling with epoxy or super glue will work fine. I should send Walt's dog some more chew toys, actually...my dog doesn't chew stuff.

[hutchpipes]

Thanks Jeremiah! No chance I'm selling it. But as expensive as briar is, if I can use it in the shop, I will!

[hutchpipes]

What I'm hearing, epoxy works better than wood filler...

[Sasquatch]

Anything that gets permanently hard and will take some color will work. The super-glue thing is the easiest.

[alexsar]

It all sounds pretty easy, but what about the temperature?
At least one of the pits seems to be at the bottom of the chamber where the temperature should be pretty high.
Will it be safe to use epoxy or super-glue there?

Well, I'm asking because after few hours of drilling and shaping of what was supposed to become my new port I just came across this look-through...

Any chances, or just few minutes of fun for my dog?

[sandahlpipe]

I usually inspect the chamber for flaws as soon as I've drilled the block and before I get too far with shaping. If I spot a flaw in the chamber, I usually just ditch it. Having said that, read the specifications on your epoxy to see how high of heat it will withstand once it cures. Then also coat the chamber with a bowl coating. But don't sell something like that. Or, just set it aside as a dog toy or for practice somewhere along the way.

[DocAitch]

I remember reading years ago that some of the European mass producers used a mix of water glass (sodium silicate ?) and briar dust for their fills. That should be pretty heat resistant.
DocAitch

[alexsar]

sandahlpipe and DocAitch,
thanks a lot for your input!
Looks like sodium silicate (liquid glass) + briar dust could be a solution...
Thanks again!