Shank Cap

[hawky454]

I was wondering if anyone could share with me how "shank caps" are executed. I'm gonna use a picture of a pipe by Tyler (please let me know if I'm way out of line here.)


I understand how extensions work and all but I don't understand how these shank caps are executed and perfectly rounded. Please, if this question has already been answered than I apologize.

Amazing pipe by the way.

Thank you for your time.

Dave

[DMI]

The difference between an extension and an endcap is length.

Eder has a nice little photo set: http://mrhydepipes.com/?id=pipemaking,1,4

David.

[Sasquatch]

I do that kind of thing by drilling the cap material at two different diameters - say, 1/2" half way through, and 3/8" all the way through. This creates a little step. Then I cut a matching shape on the end of the pipe (on the lathe) and epoxy it on. When the epoxy sets, I round out the extension and drill the mortise out (presumably at the same diameter as the hole in the cap).

[RadDavis]

I do that kind of thing by drilling the cap material at two different diameters - say, 1/2" half way through, and 3/8" all the way through. This creates a little step. Then I cut a matching shape on the end of the pipe (on the lathe) and epoxy it on. When the epoxy sets, I round out the extension and drill the mortise out (presumably at the same diameter as the hole in the cap).

If your mortise is the same diameter as the hole in the cap, do you end up with just a face to face connection with no tenon of briar into the shank cap??

Rad

[Sasquatch]

Only if I put it on backwards.

Here's a little drawing of the situation. The end of the pipe needs a little "tenon" to fit into the little mortise, the stepped part inside the shank cap.

[RadDavis]

Only if I put it on backwards.

Here's a little drawing of the situation. The end of the pipe needs a little "tenon" to fit into the little mortise, the stepped part inside the shank cap.

Gotcha. That's what I thought.

Rad

[SimeonTurner]

Only if I put it on backwards.

Here's a little drawing of the situation. The end of the pipe needs a little "tenon" to fit into the little mortise, the stepped part inside the shank cap.

Man, that shank needs a lot of refinement still. It needs to flow to the FRONT of the pipe more cleanly, and it needs to not have any taper (the taper will really show funny on a pipe like that). Also, your pipe needs more pronounced cheeks.

[caskwith]

Only if I put it on backwards.

Here's a little drawing of the situation. The end of the pipe needs a little "tenon" to fit into the little mortise, the stepped part inside the shank cap.

Man, that shank needs a lot of refinement still. It needs to flow to the FRONT of the pipe more cleanly, and it needs to not have any taper (the taper will really show funny on a pipe like that). Also, your pipe needs more pronounced cheeks.

Still better than anything you have made!

[SimeonTurner]

Still better than anything you have made!

Well, duh. I'm a fantastic critiquer, and a terrible pipe maker. That's why I can charge so much for my pipes. People pay extra for paradoxical stuff.

[jogilli]

well.. it's not tylers cap.. but one I've done.. repost from another forum for the visual

james

as you can see on picture three the stepped mortise sits about 1/2 the way up the last step on the ivory... and the ebonite ring takes up about 1/2 of the first step.. that way the ivory also sits flush.. its hard to describe, but the ivory sits flush between the 1 and second steps.




attached....


and another view

[Growley]

So Sas, when you're making that step are you doing it for strength or some other reason? Also do you mind attaching a pic of the drill bit you're using to cut those steps in your cap?

[caskwith]

Looks like you have made things overly difficult for yourself there James. Glue the ebonite and ivory together and treat as one piece with one tenon on the pipe. Simples

[jogilli]

Good idea.. I normally work them as two different pieces... I'll try that next time

james

[caskwith]

Good idea.. I normally work them as two different pieces... I'll try that next time

james

Fine on large shanks but you may not have room for two tenons on small shanks, plus its easier to screw up.


Another little tip, always use a standard size hole (ie 10mm or 12mm) for your caps. That way if you screw up a cap it is very easy to just make a new one. When I make caps i use make one from a piece of scrap acylic as a protector for the end of the shank, then when I have finished shaping and finishing the pipe I make the final cap and attach it, saves a lot of sweating and hassle.

[jogilli]

Roger that.. I figured that out a while ago ... my tenons are 7mm (90% of the time) and the the shank caps are normally 10 .. gives me 1.5mm around the stummel ring .. makes it easier to glue in place ..I'm using Standard (not mm) size forstner bits for the caps... and just cant remember the size... but I'm standardizing where I can..

as for the two pieces.. their worked together.. just never glued them together before turning..I have a box of scraps with premade rings from different material with similar diameters... but what you say makes sense after I think about it.. I've just never been in a crunch for time...and only have worked horn and ebonite as as single piece...

got thrown for a loop thow last week.. a customer wants a nosewarmer w/an ivory cap... so I had to increase the mortise up to the 10 mm to hold the tenon with and 12mm diameter in the cap... and a 14mm mortise on the stummel to hold the cap in place .. it's coming out nice, but I have very little tolerance w/the filter canal and the top of the shank.....

who said math wasn't important.

tks
james

[caskwith]

Roger that.. I figured that out a while ago ... my tenons are 7mm (90% of the time) and the the shank caps are normally 10 .. gives me 1.5mm around the stummel ring .. makes it easier to glue in place ..I'm using Standard (not mm) size forstner bits for the caps... and just cant remember the size... but I'm standardizing where I can..

as for the two pieces.. their worked together.. just never glued them together before turning..I have a box of scraps with premade rings from different material with similar diameters... but what you say makes sense after I think about it.. I've just never been in a crunch for time...and only have worked horn and ebonite as as single piece...

got thrown for a loop thow last week.. a customer wants a nosewarmer w/an ivory cap... so I had to increase the mortise up to the 10 mm to hold the tenon with and 12mm diameter in the cap... and a 14mm mortise on the stummel to hold the cap in place .. it's coming out nice, but I have very little tolerance w/the filter canal and the top of the shank.....

who said math wasn't important.

tks
james

Sounds like a great little challenging project, look forward to seeing some pictures of the finished piece!

[Sasquatch]

So Sas, when you're making that step are you doing it for strength or some other reason? Also do you mind attaching a pic of the drill bit you're using to cut those steps in your cap?

For strength, yes - joinery comes down to 2 principles - one is physical strength, which this offers - it's much less likely to dislodge from a sideways tap, for instance, because there's briar in the way.

Second principle is surface area - more glued surfaces = more strong, and it's just that simple.

And it keeps the cap centered.


All I use for drilling is a couple of forstner bits - go in 1/8" with the first (biggest) one, and all the way through with the next one.

[Sasquatch]

Man, that shank needs a lot of refinement still. It needs to flow to the FRONT of the pipe more cleanly, and it needs to not have any taper (the taper will really show funny on a pipe like that). Also, your pipe needs more pronounced cheeks.

Quit being such a shank end, Simeon.

[KurtHuhn]

I understand how extensions work and all but I don't understand how these shank caps are executed and perfectly rounded. Please, if this question has already been answered than I apologize.

You got most of your answers regarding the mounting of the end cap, but in terms of the above it's actually pretty simple. Turn it on a lathe.

I don't know how Tyler did it, but I have a piece of ebonite that I use as a jig where I mount drilled and trimmed pieces of ivory or whatever else on a spigot/tenon with some double sided tape tape to hold it secure, then shape the entire thing, including internal steps.

All my shank caps look like this on both sides:


Then I turn/sand the radius to what it needs to be. The inset allows me to inset the shank and stem, for a seamless fit every time.

Naturally, if the shank is not round, it isn't as easy as above.

[hawky454]

Thanks for your help guys!