Tutorial on pipe making #2 - Maple pipe - Lots of pics

[Ruben Calo]

This is a more in-depth tutorial than the one I posted before (you can check that one on my website)

I did this some time ago but just now I could manage to get the pics and text done to share with you guys.

I hope you enjoy it!


Cut maple block.

It's very important that the block gets properly squared.

Drawing the first likes for the desired design.

First hole to drill is the draft one.

Then the tobacco chamber one, checking all the time as not to overdrill and go past the draft hole.

As the draft hole gets filled with the waste from the tobacco chamber drilling, I hand check it with a drilling bit.

Then I carefully meassure the diameter of the stem I'm going to use.

Then I make the mortise, that will accomodate the stem's tenon.

 

[Ruben Calo]

Now this is how this future pipe looks like, all properly drilled.

Now I mark where I'm going to make the cuts to remove material.

And after I made those, I flatten the sides.

Now it starts to look like a pipe.

Once I reach that shape, I use a file, a belt sander and then sand paper to get the desired design.

When the pipe is almost ready, I check the shank diameter against the stem. In this case I'm using a stem from a Stanwell pipe I have, so I can't sand the entire piece, as I want to preserve the stem to use on the original pipe.

Because of this restriction, this is a pretty hard step. Once that's done, I can polish them together, that's not a problem.

 

[Ruben Calo]

Slightly rusticating the bowl.

Sheep horn, from where I'll take a small inner part to make a bolster between the stem and the shank.

How this piece looks like.

Working on it.

Drilling it so it gets on the tenon perfectly. After it's shaped properly, I'll polish the entire piece: pipe, bolster and stem.

I then decided to dye the wood, but leaving a part in the natural color as to remember it's not briar...

Finished pipe

 

[Ruben Calo]

Next week I'll get my pipes website online, so stay tuned for more briar pipes!


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Thanks for looking!

Ruben

 

[kauai Marc]

Great tutorial,what size bit do you use for the bowl and draft hole?can you point out a good supplier of pipe stem,thanks
Marc

 

[John M Cohea]

That's cool Ruben, thanks for sharing!

 

[swilliamf]

Great tutorial,what size bit do you use for the bowl and draft hole?can you point out a good supplier of pipe stem,thanks
Marc

I would like to know this also. I love the tutorial makes me want to try my hand at pipe making.

 

[mathil]

Check out www.pipemakersforum.com. Go-to resource on the web for aspiring pipe crafters!

 

[Ruben Calo]

Thanks gentlemen