First pipe...

[dustinfranc]

I have smoked for 20 years. And have always been fascinated by pipes, and had a special love for the almost elagant art that seems to be involved in their making. And... being an artist... decided to jump in... feet first! This is my first. Done with a stem i bought... and a burl i found under the deck of a cabin along Bear River in Wyoming. A drill press and sandpaper is all i had. Started before i researched. So its not traditional... nor formal. But... we all started somewhere right?
Dusty

[dustinfranc]

Any feedback would be helpful... this is something i plan on taking to the fullest extent of my capabilities...

[mightysmurf8201]

Pipes for critique are typically posted in the Gallery section, for future reference. What type of burl did you use? Only reason I ask is because some woods are not suitable or safe for smoking out of. There are some on this forum who have more specific info on that. That's not too bad for a first pipe from what I can see. More pictures from different angles would make it much easier to evaluate and provide productive feedback. If you plan on making more pipes, I recommend getting some good materials from Steve Norse aka. Vermontfreehand. http://vermontfreehand.com/ He will take care of you and set you up with the right stuff. Look forward to seeing more pipes from you, and welcome!

[sandahlpipe]

It's not bad for a first pipe. For the next one, get a pillar file and focus on keeping your lines on the shank from wobbling. The inlays are fun to do, but they do more to distract while you're learning than they help. I'd suggest going simpler on the adornments while you learn. Briar is definitely the standard, but you can use anything you want for practice. Hardwood burls of any kind will let you learn any techniques you need to learn. Before you smoke them, do some research and make sure they're safe to use and not toxic. Steve does sell cheap briar blocks for practice drilling that will work great for this stage when you run out of free stuff to practice on.

Keep up the good work and enjoy!

[dustinfranc]

Pipes for critique are typically posted in the Gallery section, for future reference. What type of burl did you use? Only reason I ask is because some woods are not suitable or safe for smoking out of. There are some on this forum who have more specific info on that. That's not too bad for a first pipe from what I can see. More pictures from different angles would make it much easier to evaluate and provide productive feedback. If you plan on making more pipes, I recommend getting some good materials from Steve Norse aka. Vermontfreehand. http://vermontfreehand.com/ He will take care of you and set you up with the right stuff. Look forward to seeing more pipes from you, and welcome!

Thank you for the information and critique. As a new user all info is helpful. I did not know that certain woods could be harmful. And since finding this burl... i have asked a few people... and no one can figure out what type of wood it is. It certainly does not look like any local grown or native trees. But then... it is a burl... i think... and therefore wouldnt necessarily look normal. Here is a pic of it cut with a miter saw... do you have any idea? Or know of anyone who would?

[sandahlpipe]

It's really hard to tell what the burl is with the image resolution so poor.

[dustinfranc]

It's not bad for a first pipe. For the next one, get a pillar file and focus on keeping your lines on the shank from wobbling. The inlays are fun to do, but they do more to distract while you're learning than they help. I'd suggest going simpler on the adornments while you learn. Briar is definitely the standard, but you can use anything you want for practice. Hardwood burls of any kind will let you learn any techniques you need to learn. Before you smoke them, do some research and make sure they're safe to use and not toxic. Steve does sell cheap briar blocks for practice drilling that will work great for this stage when you run out of free stuff to practice on.

Keep up the good work and enjoy!

Thank you. I will take that into consideration. I replied to another post with a pic of the wood i used. Any ideas as to what type of wood it is would be helpful. Here is another pic.

And as a new/novice maker. I have other free wood blocks... not briar obviously... that i was going to use as practice for my first peices. Again i dont know what type they are. Any ideas? Or any knowledge of who may be able to help me identify based on pics alone would be helpful?


Dusty

[dustinfranc]

It's really hard to tell what the burl is with the image resolution so poor.

I worried about that. The site wont let me download any good sized files. And i had to compress to post it. Thanks though.

Dusty

[sandahlpipe]

It's really hard to tell what the burl is with the image resolution so poor.

I worried about that. The site wont let me download any good sized files. And i had to compress to post it. Thanks though.

Dusty

It's not the size as much as it is the pixelation. Perhaps a picture in daylight would help with being able to see the bark and grain better. I don't know what kind of camera you're using for pictures.

A good bet in identifying wood is to check out a local woodworking store. At least around where I live those guys know their wood quite well. To be quite honest, though, most North American woods that have burls probably are going to be safe for smoking. Wood from most fruit trees is generally safe. But any wood will work just fine for practice in drilling and shaping. If you don't know what kind of wood it is, I'd suggest wearing a dust mask while you're sanding in lieu of a dust collection system. The dust is more often than not the cause of reactions.