Latest Work At My Ongoing Attempt To Improve My Billard Making Skills

[shikano53]

This is my latest try.

[wdteipen]

Not bad. Two things: 1) the rim is angled and should be at a 90 angle to the front of the bowl; 2) keep working on the transition from shank to stem. It should be seamless. This one is pretty tool dependent. Without a metal lathe, it can be difficult. Never shape the stem or shank without the two together.

[shikano53]

Thanks Wayne!

[shikano53]

Wayne, or any member, could you please tell me how to get that seamless transition at the shank/stem junction? That continues to be one of the frustrating parts of the process for me.
I use a Forstner bit first to face the shank. Then I drill my airway. Then I drill the mortise for the tenon.
I then use my scraper to create a shallow concave on the shank face.
I generally get it nice and seamless. The issues start once I've stained that shank face. The stain builds up and I find that sanding it can destroy that nice seamless, interface.
Would anyone please be kind enough to share with me how to create that nice seamless interface while it's on the lathe and to keep it once you get to the staining phase of the process?
Wayne, if I trim the rim down to here, would that potentially correct the off- balance?

Thanks for your help.

[wdteipen]

Wayne, if I trim the rim down to here, would that potentially correct the off- balance?

No. Look at how the bowl cants slightly. The rim should cant slightly with it. As it is now, the rim is parallel to plane of the shank. The height of the bowl isn't the issue. It's the plane of the rim.

Like this:


It's hard to get a smooth cut with briar using a forstner bit. About the best you can do in my experience is make sure your bit is razor sharp and advance the bit slowly taking small cuts. Sanding by hand afterwards is wrought with potential to mess it up both by changing the plane in relation to your mortise and inadvertently rounding the edges which appears to be the biggest issue with your pipe. Before I got a metal lathe, I struggled with facing the shank. I never had much luck with forstner bits personally. They always left a rough cut. All of those problems go away with a metal lathe. Before I got a metal lathe, I faced with a square cutter on a wood lathe and got better results but it takes practice to get it precise with no gaps.

[shikano53]

Thanks Wayne, there was no image in your post. I'll take a look on your website, but I understand what you mean.
I doubt I will ever get a metal lathe, I don't have the resources for a purchase like that. I understand the limitations of the Forstner bit, I also have end mills that I use but I'm not sure they face any better.
I depend on my scraper to face it.
Thanks again for the information.