First Pipe Carve

chopz

Can't Leave

Oct 14, 2011

352

0

• Nov 17, 2011

• #1

a rank amateur i am, but was inspired by pipe carves i've seen here. got a ebauchon from 4noggins - next time i think i may have to try one without the stem already turned as that proved to cause some difficulties. currently it's sanded to 240 and waiting for stain and wax to arrive. been meaning to ask - what's the point of lighting the stain after applying it?
the start:

 

chopz

Can't Leave

Oct 14, 2011

352

0

• Nov 17, 2011

• #2

starting to shape:

and where i'm at now:

lousy photos i know - only have my phone to take pictures.

 

olderthandirt

Lifer

Jun 26, 2011

2,011

2

Pacific Northwest USA

• Nov 17, 2011

• #3

Lighting the stain, provided it's alcohol based, sets the pigment rapidly by burning the alcohol off.
Look forward to more pics!

 

ejames

Lifer

Oct 6, 2009

3,916

22

• Nov 17, 2011

• #4

Looking good so far!!

 

riptide

Part of the Furniture Now

Jul 27, 2010

662

12

Colorado

• Nov 17, 2011

• #5

looking good cant wait to see the finished pic.

 

bambam

Can't Leave

Jun 22, 2011

393

9

Virginia

• Nov 17, 2011

• #6

Lookin good!!!! Can't wait to see what she looks like when she's done. ::

 

thesmokindragon

Lifer

Jul 12, 2011

4,135

4,215

• Nov 17, 2011

• #7

nice job brah, keep the hits coming ::

 

philip

Lifer

Oct 13, 2011

1,705

6

Puget Sound

• Nov 17, 2011

• #8

That's a very pleasing shape you came up with.
I hope to see more.

 

ace57

Lifer

Jun 21, 2011

2,145

1

• Nov 17, 2011

• #9

Looking good,can't wait to see it done.

 

pentangle

Part of the Furniture Now

Jan 21, 2011

548

1

Genova-Italy

• Nov 18, 2011

• #10

Yes i'm waiting too :wink:

Maurizio

 

terry

Part of the Furniture Now

Oct 7, 2011

778

1

• Nov 18, 2011

• #11

Good job..looks like you have the talent! ::

 

sherlock

Can't Leave

Aug 21, 2011

464

6

• Nov 18, 2011

• #12

Looks good. Nice job.

 

chopz

Can't Leave

Oct 14, 2011

352

0

• Nov 18, 2011

• #13

thanks for the very kind and supportive words. now if the stain and buffing stuff ever arrives i can continue. home depot had no buffing wheels i could use, so i chose to order everything online.

 

chopz

Can't Leave

Oct 14, 2011

352

0

• Nov 19, 2011

• #14

stained and waxed (and smoked). i'm not completely satisfied with the stain job - came out uneven. either i should have stained when the wood was rougher, or i should have hit it again with another coat of stain between sanding it with 400 grit and polishing it. i hit it with a coat of yellow, then one of cherry. also in retrospect i should have mixed the 2 stains before applying them.

 

lordofthepiperings

Lifer

May 3, 2010

6,441

1,490

Las Vegas, NV

• Nov 20, 2011

• #15

Looks good from the pictures. Hope it smokes well. Congrats on the first carve.

 

patiobum

Part of the Furniture Now

Nov 5, 2009

661

37

Baytown,Texas

• Nov 20, 2011

• #16

Looks nice.
You could sand it down and re-stain it later if you feel like it.

 

chopz

Can't Leave

Oct 14, 2011

352

0

• Nov 20, 2011

• #17

i've been debating sanding (just enough to take the wax off) and re-staining with one more coat of cherry. i'm surprised. i've never had a new pipe that was bare wood inside with no carbonization or coating and thought it would taste woody, but this is actually a sweet smoke from the start. actually quite sweet. still going slow with only a couple 1/4 bowls and one full bowl at this point though.

 

jchaplick

Lifer

May 8, 2011

1,702

9

• Nov 30, 2011

• #18

Looks good from my perspective, keep debating whether i want to try carving my own

 

buckeye

Part of the Furniture Now

Nov 16, 2010

925

8

• Nov 30, 2011

• #19

good job.did you reshape the stem.

 

chopz

Can't Leave

Oct 14, 2011

352

0

• Nov 30, 2011

• #20

i did reshape the stem and plan on going back to round the corners on the bit one of these days too. i showed my nephew (who's a cigarette smoker) and he immediately said "make me one" so i'll be doing one for him and another for myself one of these days.
grinding it down on a sanding wheel on my drill was fairly easy. sawing, not so much - might skip that part next time. the thing i had to keep reminding myself while using the wheel was to hold tight but use light touch. the natural tendency when trying to touch the wood lightly to the wheel is to lighten your grip too.