Lord help me.

[Kelhammer]

I love pipes. Seeing as I need to stop buying them, I ordered a few blocks of briar. I have a decent shop in my garage so tools are not an issue. Please tell me what I am getting myself into. Any and all advice welcome.

Andy

 

[the rev]

make sure and go to the pipe makers forum, read a lot, and have fun.

john

 

[BigCasino]

I went in to my shop at 3:30 pm I just came up stairs my arms hurt and i have a torn up left thumb, but I have a new pipe started :sunny:

 

[somedumbjerk]

:cheers: :bounce: more pipe makers!!!! sorry i love making pipes, so i get stoked when other people get into it as well.

 

[Growley]

Essentially you just took your first dose of a major drug. Pipe making can be very addictive. I sold my favorite car to buy pipe tools. Now I'm selling my house to buy a bigger shop! I figure the kids can sleep next to the lathe. If I keep it running long enough it might help keep them warm. They can brush their teeth with the sandblaster, and dry their hair with the air hose.

I'm just kidding of course, at least about selling the house.

Have fun and show some pics when you're done.

Brian.

 

[Kelhammer]

My briar showed up yesterday. Now I need some stem material. The stuff looks salty. I guess there is no big hurry as the ground thawed yesterday. That will keep me from getting the lathe out of storage until things are dried out more. Or a cold snap to firm the ground back up. More time to get the shop cleaned up and seek inspiration.

Andy

 

[Kelhammer]

Well I have no stem material, but I could not leave well enough alone.

All comments welcome.

Andy

 

[kingcobradude]

what is that rustication on that corner of the pipe? I really like it

 

[Kelhammer]

That is the outer edge of the briar where the bark was. I just finished cleaning that area up. There was a lot of crud there still. I usually hold my pipe in my left hand. With this one, as my fingers encompass the bowl, the ends of them find a home in that area. It is quite nice. There is so much that could be done to this. Lots of fun.

Andy

 

[kingcobradude]

if it were me, I would trim up the shank where it is broke off and fit a stem. And I would use a high contrast stain on that.

 

[i.keenum]

I like the plateau showing through on the stem gives it some character. Now to get a stem for that bad boy. :twisted:

 

[Kelhammer]

It is not broken anywhere.

 

[BigCasino]

looks like a good start

 

[dshpipes]

Looks like a very good start. Your panels are well done. I bet once you get the plateaux on the bowl clear of bark, contrast stain that sucker, and get a stem on it, you're going to have an excellent looking pipe. Will you be carrying the rough effect of the plateaux from the shank onto the stem? You're adding a good chunk of time and narrowing your margin for error if you make that choice... but I think it'd be a cool one.

Good luck!

 

[Kelhammer]

I thought of trying to mimic the plateau onto the stem. However I will wait until I have a stem to decide. I may remove that area altogether, but where is the challenge in that? I do want to keep this pipe stubby. Is there a special way used to finish an area when you leave the plateau on as I have done here?

Andy

 

[dshpipes]

It's a lot easier than you might think. I'll PM you the details.

 

[BigCasino]

It looks like you hit your draft hole nice and dead center, I am curious what did you drill your tobacco chamber with ?

 

[Kyle Weiss]

The idea of plateaux on a panel pipe is brilliant. Most don't like 'em, but I tend to like panel pipes, especially if they're broken up with some circular, organic or other non-linear accent. Looks really nice. From the peanut gallery, I'd turn that square stem and make it a paneled poker...that'd look really class. More ideas for the future, if anything. Keep up the good work! Post more as you get it done.

8)

 

[Kelhammer]

I just used a drill I had for the chamber. I have left it a bit shallow so I can round out the bottom by hand. I have most of the nicks sanded out now. I am completely captivated by the grain in this wood.

The top and bottom have the same grain as the last end shot.

Andy

 

[dshpipes]

Yup. That's gonna be a looker.