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I just found out that a pipe I entered into the SC State Fair won 1st place in the hand carved wood working section. I don't have pics of it here at work, but I will post a couple pics of it tonight.

Also, my wife won first place in two divisions for cake decorating. She is awesome, here is her site if anybody would like to look at some edible art.

www.thepieceofcake.com

That's great news. I'd be a happy camper also.

So who says you can't have your cake and eat it too.

Way cool buddy!! That is awesome!

Can't wait to see pics. Also did you calculate the Re number and the heat disipation thing? That'd have been good infor to have for the contest.

Nick,

HUHHH????

No seriously, if you saw some of the people at the SC State Fair, you would understand that those little tid bits of info would be WAY over their heads.

Congratulations! Competition was tough there - it was a good show. Good to hear you did so well!

Ok, here are the pics.

Beautiful work!

But, what do you call it? What shape (other than freehand) would it be categorized under?

I've personally never seen anything like it...how's that, unique in all the world? I should copy it (just kidding!)

Volcano. No doubt about it.

And it's a really sharp looking one. I really dig what you did with the stem/shank junction.

Personally, though? I would like to see the stem a little longer.

Thanks for the compliments guys!

Kurt I totally agree, I do not like the stem at all. I cut the flippin' thing too short and just went ahead an finished it because I was under a time constraint to get it turned in for the fair. I think I might consider re-doing it before sending it on to my brother-in-law, who I made it for.

Oh, about the shape, I have no idea. I guess it is a volcano like Kurt said but I don't really shoot for any kind of shape. I kind of study the wood and then just come up with something on paper and then trace to the block and just tear into and see what happens. The finished product usually has some resemblance of the initial drawing.

As for the volcano shape, I am working on what I think will be an awesome volcano. I am very excited about how it is turning out and the grain pattern. Oh man it has such great potential I just hope I don't screw it up.

Is it really a volcano or is it a freehand? The bottom part looks more freehand than volcano to me, but, if it's a consensus as a volcano, I'll go with the flow.

For my perception it is a midget volcano. (Don't flame me for using a non PC vocabulary). On the first look I was with Kurt wanting a longer stem, but all in all it has some charm. Does the smoker have to have a maximum nose length anyway?

Hey Alex,

Yeah, I guess if the smoker has too big a schnoz he will just have to hang it out of the side of his mouth.

Thanks for the compliments guys!

That r0x0r bud. I like the stem just the way it is. With a longer stem, it may be too forward balanced. The shank/stem junction is totally kick ass. A really classy touch. You're getting really really good Bryan.

I'm sure you're right about the math. I'm a dork and I know it. You can tell by my pocket protector and palm pilot..

I wonder if you could add some sort of electronic gadget into a pipe? A thermometer in the heel? Maybe a clock? Ohhhh, a recorder, voice or even video! That would be cool! It'd be like a "spy-pipe."

Thanks Nick.

Yeah, you could call it the Swiss Army pipe! :thumb:

Heck I just finished up a rusticated pot that is 4 1/2" long. I say it is a cool looking pipe. Oddly proportioned but not awkwardly so. It reminds me of some of the unorthydox creations Roger Wallenstein makes.

achduliebe wrote:Thanks Nick.

Yeah, you could call it the Swiss Army pipe! :thumb:

Col Jeff Cooper would call it a "rooney pipe". I like that term better.

Thanks guys for all of your compliments. I was able to make it to the fair today and got to see the pipe on display. Very cool feeling. I actually had an admirer looking at it when I was there. Turns out he is an ocassional pipe smoker who is thinking about trying his hand at a pipe kit. I gave him my email address and also the address for this site. Told him to come check it out. That is the first time any of my pipes have been displayed in a public setting like this.

Thanks again for all the kind words.

Congratulations Bryan! Well deserved award--this is beautiful work, and very original. I like it, but might not meet the facial qualifications to smoke it

Your work keeps getting better and better, and it was already amazing me when I first saw it (your blow fish). I'm inspired be your creativity. Your pieces are very unique, and yet still very appealing to me, even though I tend toward the more traditional. How do you do that?

I'm still more or less in the learning through immatation stage, but I hope to graduate into my own style some day too.