I'll Try This Again Pics All Resized

[shikano53]

I had this in the wrong area so hopefully this will work better.
Apple



Here is the Dublin




Thanks Doc for your comments.

[shikano53]

here is Docs comments
I am going to respond as if these photos were posted in the Gallery.
If you really want a critique, you should post them there.
These pipes show some promise, but you have a way to go to achieve crispness.
Try to think of each of these pieces as an assemblage of geometric shapes. The apple for instance has a distorted (partially squashed)but symmetric sphere for a bowl and a tapered cylinder for a shank. Your transitions could be cleaner and sharper. The shanks on both flare prior to reaching the bowls. If you work with the aim of maintaining that cylinder until it reaches the bowl, then join the two shapes with a smallish radius, you will have a cleaner, crisper transition.
The posterior cheeks on the apple bulge out and distort the bowl. Cut yourself a circular form from cardstock and compare it to the outline of your apple in the top down photo. This portion of the bowl is cut by hand even if the top and shank are cut on a lathe. Figure out a way to hold your piece firmly and use your file to work the area a bit at a time until it's is round.
The Dublin top is jarring. The Dublin is a regular symmetric shape and throwing in that top only detracts from its appearance. My comments on the transition and the geometric forms apply to the Dublin as well.
I think you are wasting your time with the horn until you achieve a good transition and symmetry.
DocAitch

[shikano53]

Any other comments or suggestions would be appreciated.
thank you

[sandahlpipe]

If you're going to bend the stem, you should have something in the bowl that repeats the theme. If you're going to bend at all, heat the stem even,h and gently bend the whole stem. You don't want any kinks in the bend. That's ok for corn cob pipe manufacturers and basket pipes, not something you invest so much time into.

Your stems are lumpy as well. Bulging at the spot right after the shank face on the Dublin especially. Use a file held at a skew or wrap sandpaper around an emery board to keep that transition even.

The bowl on the Dublin is just a bit too chubby for the diameter of the shank. And the stem on the apple is just a half inch or so too long. Also, neither stem fits great. It looks like both of them have light gaps.

[shikano53]

Thanks sandahlpipe, I still have trouble at the shank/stem interface and I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong or if it is a tooling issue. I use a Forstner bit or an Endmill. Is either better than the other? I have a couple of Freud and a couple of Milwaukee Forstner bits and I think the Freud faces better.
Thanks for the feedback. I'll begin applying them right today.

[sandahlpipe]

Without a picture of the shank face, my suspicion is that you have some tearout. Forstner bits should be sharpened to get a smooth finish. Also, if the tenon isn't tight when you buff and/or sand that junction, dust can get in between shank and stem. Make sure you are drilling the mortise and facing the shank without moving the briar. If you have the option of using a tool besides a forstner bit for facing (either a metal lathe tool or a scraper on a wood lathe) you can get a smoother finish more easily.

When you do end up with a light gap, you can lay a piece of sandpaper on a piece of glass and carefully sand the shank face flat, adjusting the pressure on one side or the other to remove the high spots.

[shikano53]

Thank you so much! Wow great information. I have posted a few pics that I just took of the shank face, tenon and looking down as from the driver's seat. I resized them all to 800x450 or somewhere in there so I hope they fit OK. I never thought of checking for tearout. So all I have is a wood lathe. If I got a scraper would I place my toolrest parallel the face of the shank? By that I mean in front of the shank as opposed to along side when I'm turning the shank.
Pics
Pic of the shank face

Pic of delrin tenon face (should have focused it better)

Driver's view

2nd Driver's view

Looking down at the top of the bowl - I realize now looking at these pics that it isn't really very applish.
Thank you again so much

[sandahlpipe]

Yes. When I do shanks on the wood lathe, I face the shank with the scraper. Make sure it's nice and sharp.

Now that I'm seeing your stem shoulder, that looks a bit rough as well. If you're using delrin and have the ability to do the same facing on the stem on your wood lathe, I'd suggest doing that. Then drill the hole at the same angle. If not, make sure your facing tool is sharp and take light enough passes that you don't tear out the stem shoulder.

I'd also wipe the mortise of dust before fitting the stem. Keep it up. You'll get there with practice.

[shikano53]

Thank you!! I really appreciate the helpful comments! If I can ask one last question.
What size scraper would you recommend using and what profile? I don't have a scraper.
Round nose or square nose? 1/2" 3/4" or 1"?
Kindly

[sandahlpipe]

I made my own scraper. Square nose and how wide is irrelevant since you'll really only use a corner. Also, get some ez lap diamond hones in fine and extra fine to do the sharpening. It'll help you get a keen edge like nothing else.

[shikano53]

Thanks Jeremiah, I will get a scraper tomorrow. I found a few at a local place here and they are on sale now so I'll save a few bucks in the process. I'll pick up two of those ez lap hones as well.

[DocAitch]

A counterbore with an appropriately sized pilot ( https://www.mscdirect.com/product/details/71010326 ) will also suffice for facing the shank. If you are using a drill press, drill the mortise, then switch to the counterbore while the stummel is still clamped in place.
The face of your shank looks convex in that photo, and that will make it difficult to achieve a flat fit.
I also use a piece of cylindrical stock (either wood or aluminum) which is faced, bored for a pilot, onto which I have glued a circle of sandpaper to dress up shank faces which need it. The pilots can be ebonite, Delrin, or any other handy material.
DocAitch

[shikano53]

Thanks Doc. I will do so.

[shikano53]

Here is a picture of the 2 endmills I have. A 13/16 4 flute and a 5/8" 2 flute. What is the purpose of the pilot part of the counterbore? Dumb question probably although the word 'pilot' makes me think it should be set so that it makes first contact?? with the surface you want to face and that's why they can be found in different diameters? I do have a wood lathe and that is what I am using. Also, does it matter or make a difference if you use say, a 13/16" endmill but the stem you want to use is only 5/8"?

[DocAitch]

The pilot rides the mortise, which should already be drilled.
I gave you a longer response in your other thread.
DocAitch

[PremalChheda]

Until you are able to get better equipment and tooling, you can learn some skills with file, sandpaper, your hands, and eyes to correct what your tooling cannot achieve. These basic skills will be very beneficial later on as well.

[shikano53]

Until you are able to get better equipment and tooling, you can learn some skills with file, sandpaper, your hands, and eyes to correct what your tooling cannot achieve. These basic skills will be very beneficial later on as well.

I hear ya! Slowly saving to acquire equipment. I appreciate your comment about the 'eyes'. I am amazed daily at what the human eye is capable of and how it adapts to what you are asking it to accomplish.
Thank you again for your comments and nudge along the path.