Passing a Pipe Cleaner

[Zer]

A couple of curiosity questions:

I like to pass a pipe cleaner after each smoking session to clean my pipes. I have a Peterson 999 that does not pass a PC because the smoke hole is offset to make the bend to the bowl. The stem tenon is about a half inch long but the mortise is drilled over 1" deep. This in essence creates a sump - and certainly not a smooth flow from bowl to button. When I insert a pipe cleaner, it exits the stem tenon and shoots right for the bottom of the "sump" created by the deep mortise. My questions are:

Can I do anything to redirect that pipe cleaner to hit that offset smoke hole so I can clean my pipe after a smoke without taking it apart?

Does that additional empty space created by the deep mortise help my moisture issues or hinder them? I always thought a more laminar flow was what you wanted to keep moisture development to a minimum. :scratch:

 

[Canvasback]

I have a Pete 999 that passes a cleaner like a hot knife through butter, one of my favs. I tend to very anal about a cleaner passing, I have had some high grades that wouldn't pass a cleaner that went bye-bye.


Rodney

 

[jhuggett]

Peterson doesn't create all their pipes the same, even if the shape number is the same. Some are straight through drills like traditional pipes, others follow along the lines with their system pipes which creates that "sump" to trap moisture. It takes moisture out of the smoke which should make for a cooler smoke but that moisture can build up and cause a problem in the pipe. All depends on how you like it I suppose.

 

[LL]

Zer --

A pipe cleaner "ramp" can easily be carved with the proper tools.

The "smooth bore all the way" method works, and so does deliberately triggering condensation and trapping it, a la Pete's system pipes. Wet smoking occurs when a pipe falls squarely between the two designs.

 

[dougc905]

Can I do anything to redirect that pipe cleaner to hit that offset smoke hole so I can clean my pipe after a smoke without taking it apart?

I recently tried packing the space with filler. First I tried regular wood filler but that fell out or decomposed with the heat. Then I tried a wood filling epoxy called QuikWood. It comes as a cylinder with putty-like consistency. You cut off however much you need and knead it until mixed. This stuff worked. It dried hard and has not decomposed or fallen out when the pipe gets hot.

What I did was first find out what size the holes in the bowl were drilled to. I was interested in the airhole to the heel of the bowl and the tenon size. Selecting appropriately sized drill bits, I tried fitting them into the bowl to judge angles and distances. Then I mixed the putty and stuffed it into the tenon, packing it down with the heel of the tenon-sized drill bit. Inserting the stem let me guage how much to add. When the tenon hole was just a bit overfilled, the stem left an impression where the airhole was located. Then I used the drill bit for the airhole to the heel and twisted it in by hand, cutting a new airhole through the putty. After this was done, I played around cleaning everything up, running a pipe cleaner down the putty hole and generally making sure that once the epoxy putty dried, the whole works would fit together.

Anyway, it does work and I have modified a Savinelli 616 bent so that a pipe cleaner runs down to the heel of the bowl smoothly every time. I notice that the pipe smokes better.

Haven't noticed any change in the taste so I hope that the epoxy is not gassing-off when it heats. None of the epoxy gets anywhere close to fire!

Be aware that the Sav cost me $40 off eBay so I was willing to use it as a test piece. I wouldn't buy a new pipe that would not pass a pipe cleaner - you're just asking for gurgling and mess.

Any thoughts on this from persons more knowledgeable than I am?

 

[LL]

Doug,

A less messy, easily removable, etc. solution that doesn't involve worries about solvents and outgassing, is just to fabricate a properly sized and drilled out cylinder from an inert substance such as Delrin. Think "unattached tenon extention" for a mental picture.

 

[Sasquatch]

I would leave it alone. I've got pipes in all kinds of configurations, from Peterson system proper, to the sump style drilling you mention (which is basically unavoidable on certain designs) to straight-through. On your pipe, I would just make sure that the end of the tenon has a bit of a countersink shape to help prevent gurgling.

 

[Zer]

Thanks Brothers for all the help.

I took LL's advice. Chucked a suitable sized drill bit in my drill press, placed it in the smoke hole of my pipe and chucked the pipe into my drill vise. This gave me the alignment of the smoke hole in the pipe. I then cut a proper length of Delrin of the same diameter of the mortise, stuffed it in, and fired up the drill press. I redrilled the smoke hole through the delrin, and then "ramped" the hole with my dremel.

Pipe cleaner passes with no trouble. :cheers:

 

[dougc905]

You make it sound so easy!

Is the delrin plug a tight fit? I'm just wondering of you have made it a permanent part of the pipe.

 

[Zer]

The Delrin was a "snug" fit. I was able to push it in with my finger. I think it would be fairly easy to drill out if I wanted to remove it - so it's not a permanent part of the pipe.

 

[Zer]

Sasquatch -

I would have left it alone but I have a compulsive need to run a pipe cleaner through my pipes after every smoke - and I don't like to take them apart if I don't have to.

 

[Sasquatch]

We've all tinkered with a pipe or two!

I take my pipes apart and leave them apart for about a day after every smoke, so I'm not a pipe-cleaner passing fanatic. However, if a pipe SHOULD be drilled to pass a cleaner and it doesn't, I won't buy it.