Latest pipe - lovat

munkey · Post by **munkey** » Wed Jan 02, 2008 6:37 pm

I completed this pipe yesterday. It has been in process for quiet a while and felt good to wrap it up. It is about 5.5 x 1.5" and weighs 1.2 oz, the stem accent is boxwood.

RadDavis · Post by **RadDavis** » Wed Jan 02, 2008 8:30 pm

Hey Scott,

That's a great looking pipe! Beautiful blast also. Did you do that?

One thing that bugs me a little, and this is only if you were going for a classic lovat: The bottom of the shank seems to have a bit of a curve to it. The pipe seems higher on each end than it is in the middle. If you did this on purpose, that's fine. It's a great looking pipe, just not a classic lovat shape.

The stem work looks outstanding.

Congratulations!

Rad

munkey · Post by **munkey** » Wed Jan 02, 2008 8:50 pm

Thanks, Rad.

The lines were deliberate, I was going more for a Danish neo-classical take than a traditional one. I might have missed the mark there too, but it's what I was shooting for.

I was in Yuma for Christmas and was able to use Jody's blasting rig. I've also worked out a deal where I'll have access to a local shop's cabinet, but I haven't gone and done that yet. The next batch of pipes to be blasted will be taken there with my own bucket of media.

Tano · Post by **Tano** » Wed Jan 02, 2008 9:03 pm

Scott,

Beautiful finish did you get the shine by adding shellac or just buffing with wax? When I don't use shellac on a very dark stain, I end up with a white film on the surface.

munkey · Post by **munkey** » Wed Jan 02, 2008 9:20 pm

Thanks, Tano.

I did use shellac on this one.

RadDavis · Post by **RadDavis** » Wed Jan 02, 2008 9:24 pm

munkey wrote:Thanks, Rad.

The lines were deliberate, I was going more for a Danish neo-classical take than a traditional one. I might have missed the mark there too, but it's what I was shooting for.

I was in Yuma for Christmas and was able to use Jody's blasting rig. I've also worked out a deal where I'll have access to a local shop's cabinet, but I haven't gone and done that yet. The next batch of pipes to be blasted will be taken there with my own bucket of media.

Ok, now it's a really great looking pipe! You need to point these things out. Say: "This is my take on a Danish neo-classical lovat. Notice the subtle downward curve I've added to bottom line of the piece and the ever so slight taper of the shank"

Then I wouldn't have said anything about something bugging me a little bit.

Great work!

Rad

Post by **KurtHuhn** » Thu Jan 03, 2008 9:34 am

Awesome pipe, Scott!! I absolutely love it.

It has one of those elements that is very difficult to do when you don't have a metal lathe - the very narrow saddle ring. If you don't use integral tenons, that's almost impossible. When I see a pipe put together that well, I seriously consider maxing out a credit card to get myself a metal lathe.

Frank · Post by **Frank** » Thu Jan 03, 2008 2:28 pm

KurtHuhn wrote:When I see a pipe put together that well, I seriously consider maxing out a credit card to get myself a metal lathe.

WOW!

I just assumed you had one judging from the sterling work you do on your pipes.

RadDavis · Post by **RadDavis** » Thu Jan 03, 2008 3:07 pm

Frank wrote:
KurtHuhn wrote:When I see a pipe put together that well, I seriously consider maxing out a credit card to get myself a metal lathe.
WOW! I just assumed you had one judging from the sterling work you do on your pipes.

Ha!

Do a search on the topic Frank. Me and Kurt have gone round & round over the need for a metal lathe in pipe making.

I'm glad to see he's starting to come around, though.

Rad

munkey · Post by **munkey** » Thu Jan 03, 2008 3:42 pm

RadDavis wrote:
Frank wrote:
KurtHuhn wrote:When I see a pipe put together that well, I seriously consider maxing out a credit card to get myself a metal lathe.
WOW! I just assumed you had one judging from the sterling work you do on your pipes.
Ha!

Do a search on the topic Frank. Me and Kurt have gone round & round over the need for a metal lathe in pipe making.

I'm glad to see he's starting to come around, though.

Rad

I don't know what you guys are talking about. I crafted this one using only jeweler's files and an xacto knife.

Frank · Post by **Frank** » Thu Jan 03, 2008 3:49 pm

munkey wrote:I don't know what you guys are talking about. I crafted this one using only jeweler's files and an xacto knife.

Bah! Pull the other leg!

Bearing in mind, I'm a one-legged pirate, matey!

hazmat · Post by **hazmat** » Thu Jan 03, 2008 4:11 pm

KurtHuhn wrote:Awesome pipe, Scott!! I absolutely love it.

It has one of those elements that is very difficult to do when you don't have a metal lathe - the very narrow saddle ring. If you don't use integral tenons, that's almost impossible. When I see a pipe put together that well, I seriously consider maxing out a credit card to get myself a metal lathe.

Kurt.. I think I'm looking at the area you're talking about here, but not sure. Can you point it out for posterity?

Scott... beautiful pipe. Love the blast and the accent. Good stuff!

Post by **KurtHuhn** » Thu Jan 03, 2008 4:45 pm

Frank wrote:
KurtHuhn wrote:When I see a pipe put together that well, I seriously consider maxing out a credit card to get myself a metal lathe.
WOW! I just assumed you had one judging from the sterling work you do on your pipes.

Naw, I haven't used a metal lathe since I worked as a machinist in college. I guess I'm just really good with a wood lathe.

RadDavis wrote: Do a search on the topic Frank. Me and Kurt have gone round & round over the need for a metal lathe in pipe making.

I'm glad to see he's starting to come around, though.

Never!!

Actually, I've wanted one for years, but just simply can't afford to get one. I'm not really a wood lathe snob even though I come across as one over the Internet. I do tend to find ways of doing a similar operation without a metal lathe, so sometimes seeing folks claim something can't be done without a metal lathe raises my hackles. I won't complain for an instant that it more difficult on a wood lathe, and that a metal lathe would make my life much easier. I'd be a complete idiot if I did.

Every time I get enough scratch together to buy a metal lathe, the wife takes the cash to pay some bill or another. Like, do the kids really need *MORE* clothes? I just bought them clothes and shoes last year....

One day. One day I will have a metal lathe. Now, if anyone would like to donate to the cause, my paypal address is.....

hazmat wrote:Kurt.. I think I'm looking at the area you're talking about here, but not sure. Can you point it out for posterity?

The area of the stem, right before the flat part of the bit, and right after the boxwood. That part is as thin as a vulcanite accent ring. Now, you *can* do something like that if you use a 3/16" steel tube as your tenon, and are very careful not to sand into it when creating the saddle, but it's not ideal. I'd much rather do that on a metal lathe with an integral tenon.

LatakiaLover · Post by **LatakiaLover** » Thu Jan 03, 2008 5:50 pm

KurtHuhn wrote: The area of the stem, right before the flat part of the bit, and right after the boxwood. That part is as thin as a vulcanite accent ring. Now, you *can* do something like that if you use a 3/16" steel tube as your tenon, and are very careful not to sand into it when creating the saddle, but it's not ideal. I'd much rather do that on a metal lathe with an integral tenon.

Lathe, schmathe... I gotta stand up for the drill press guys.

I could knock out an exact copy of that stem in 60-90 minutes, and there isn't a lathe within a mile of my shop. The tenon & rough shaping would be finished in the first 15.

I'm tellin' ya, the old French and English factories knew some stuff. An "everything is always centered" press-style arrangement has its advantages.

kbadkar · Post by **kbadkar** » Thu Jan 03, 2008 7:06 pm

Okay, you got me stumped. How is it that you turn a precise tenon on a drill press?

LatakiaLover · Post by **LatakiaLover** » Thu Jan 03, 2008 10:29 pm

kbadkar wrote:Okay, you got me stumped. How is it that you turn a precise tenon on a drill press?

It's nothing secret or mysterious. Just stand a lathe on end, and spin the tool instead of the work is the only conceptual difference.

Precision comes from the tolerances and rigidity built into the tools, not the concept. I use a widget made by Tim West's father-in-law. It's a slightly updated copy of a tool designed many decades ago by the founder of a company Tim bought a while back. In my specimen---I've no reason to think they're not all this way, though---adjustability down to a third of a thousandth is no problem, which is just about the threshold of what "matters" with the materials used in pipe making. (Meaning being able to take smaller slices wouldn't get you anything.)

flix · Post by **flix** » Thu Jan 03, 2008 11:58 pm

LatakiaLover wrote:
kbadkar wrote:Okay, you got me stumped. How is it that you turn a precise tenon on a drill press?
It's nothing secret or mysterious. Just stand a lathe on end, and spin the tool instead of the work is the only conceptual difference.

Precision comes from the tolerances and rigidity built into the tools, not the concept. I use a widget made by Tim West's father-in-law. It's a slightly updated copy of a tool designed many decades ago by the founder of a company Tim bought a while back. In my specimen---I've no reason to think they're not all this way, though---adjustability down to a third of a thousandth is no problem, which is just about the threshold of what "matters" with the materials used in pipe making. (Meaning being able to take smaller slices wouldn't get you anything.)

LL,

Where can this be gotten? Does Tim still sell these?

--Michael

flix · Post by **flix** » Fri Jan 04, 2008 12:00 am

Oh, and BTW, Scott. Very nice pipe!

--Michael

RadDavis · Post by **RadDavis** » Fri Jan 04, 2008 1:22 am

Here you go, Michael:

http://www.jhlowe.com/machine_parts.htm

They aren't cheap.

Rad

LatakiaLover · Post by **LatakiaLover** » Fri Jan 04, 2008 1:37 am

flix wrote: Where can this be gotten? Does Tim still sell these?

As far as I know he does. Usually keeps one around on the shelf, and replaces it when sold. They're available to the public on his site.

Know that setting up a drill press to work as a "tenon machine" such as the old factories had requires some know-how, same as a lathe. Most important is to use one with high torque, and that's very rigid. Torque because the WestWidget works best at slow speeds, and rigidity because you're putting pressure between the legs of a "C" shape when cutting.

Finally, they aren't cheap. Be prepared for sticker shock. $400 for a beer-can-sized tool.

Most of the guys here will likely warn you away from making stems the way I do, and for what it's worth I agree. You can do the lathe thing for the same money and have a tool that's more generally useful. Less specialized. (Repairmen have different priorities than carvers, speed and repeatability being the main ones. A repair shop is more like a little factory with specialized stations, while a carver's is more like a studio.)

The main reason I mentioned this in the first place was simply to join the pseudo-battle between the wood and metal lathe contingents. Just for fun.