Heavy Metal (The Kind You Make Pipes With)

lonestar · Oct 13, 2011

Some of you may know I'm planning to put together a workshop and start making my own pipes.

I've been talking about it long enough, finally making the purchases (and theres a LOT of them) to begin tooling up the shop.

I've been looking for the right lathe for quite some time and finally found what I was looking for locally.

Its an older model Jet BD920n metal lathe and its going to be the backbone of the shop.

Once I have a set of custom jaws built for the chuck, and a couple dozen special drill bits, and some more cutting tools for the lathe, this badboy will rock and roll on some briar.

I'll spend the next few weeks piecing together all the other stuff I need to get started.

Slack sander, disk sander, bandsaw, briar blocks, more sandpaper, more dye.... I dont think the list ever ends.

Everyone who has bought pipes from me recently can consider yourselves Honorary Patrons of this endeavor.

dd951 · Oct 13, 2011

I was more than happy to contribute to such A worthy cause, Plus I got some really nice pipes at very affordable prices. :clap:

westcoastrich · Oct 13, 2011

How much money do you think you will have invested when it is completed ?

lonestar · Oct 13, 2011

How much money do you think you will have invested when it is completed ?

Lots.

Couple thousand at least, for mostly just basic stuff. Of course you can make a pipe without spending all of that, but I'd say at least $1,000+ for what most people would want.

This machine I bought is about $1500 brand new, but add $500 for a custom chuck, a few hundred in drill bits, a couple hundred more for a quick change tool post and bits, plus you'll need a grinder for sharpening/shaping the bits.....and thats just the lathe. You got got the whole rest of the shop to tool up too!

If I had the lathe I reeeeally wanted, I'd be $3,ooo for the machine, and another $1,500 in tooling to make it run. But a PM1127VF LB with 5C collet chucks, power cross feed and DRO isnt in my budget at the moment.

This lathe is more than I absolutely need to make a pipe, but if I'm any good at it I'll gladly try to make a living doing it. In a production environment, mo' bigger is mo' better.

~ Jerry, your contribution is most appreciated sir ~

kamikazesasquatch · Oct 13, 2011

Good luck sir. I'd really like to get into pipe making (and just wood working in general) when I get home. Should be able to afford a nice set up by that time

lonestar · Oct 13, 2011

Thanks man. When I get the shop up and running, you can make the drive to this side of the metroplex to take a look at it all.

I still have a long way to go !

kamikazesasquatch · Oct 13, 2011

I'd love to. I don't plan on being back until next September so you should have lots of time to get it up and going

lonestar · Oct 13, 2011

I thought you were coming home in a few weeks, plans changes ?

kamikazesasquatch · Oct 13, 2011

Oh, no. That's just vacation. Probably won't have much time then as I'll only be home for 3.5 weeks and don't have a car. Then it's back to the middle east for a while. I'll be back (as of right now) next September for good.

smokindawg · Oct 14, 2011

Good luck to you Lonestar.
I have that lathe too and it's what I use to make my pipes. Mine came with the factory stand with storage in it, a nice QCTP, both a 3 and 4 jaw chuck a box full of cutters. Makes it nice for metal working, but still needs other things for pipemaking.
I make a lot of my own tooling, including the jaws for holding briar. I mounted those on a chuck from Grizzly tools. For my machine it was much better priced than the oneway or the other name brands and it works just fine.
I also made a tool rest to mount on the cross slide for using wood shaping tools on the metal lathe.
Even after you get your lathe set up, there are many other tools you can make (Saves a lot of money when you can make or modify your own) that will speed up or make jobs easier.
All of this costs money of course and that is before you even start purchasing the supplies involved.
Make a living at it? I doubt I ever would. Make enough to help make this hobby pay for itself is more like it. I enjoy making pipes so the investment is worth it to me...... Especially if you do it slowly as you can afford it.
How was that for rambling........ LOL
Again, good luck to you Lonestar. Although I think that your figure as far as costs is a bit low, it is doable on a budget like that.

smokindawg · Oct 14, 2011

I have done a lot of reading on this lathe (Something I like too do on any tools I have) to see what I could do to make it better. I use it for both pipe making and metal work so like to make it all the machine it can be.
Here is a link to a page for some mods you can do to make the lathe a better overall machine. Some are easy to do, some not so. Some are very helpful mods, some just minor.
MODS!

lonestar · Oct 14, 2011

Thanks for the info Steve. I was planning to ask you about making some jaws for my chuck. I know you had mentioned it before when I was looking at midi lathes.

I have the 3 jaw chuck thats in the pictures, and a 4 jaw chuck too. I was looking at Ken Lambs alignment chuck that mounts on the 3 jaw, but damn thats pricey.

I'm sort of taking my time setting all this up, it will be a little while before I can afford the rest of the stuff I'll need.

pentangle · Oct 14, 2011

I think there is no reason to use machines to making pipes.A vertical driller is what is needed.The rest must be made by hand.We can buy so many machined pipes at effordable prices ,so no reason to spend time in common items.That's my opinion.If we have to start to making our own pipes we have to do something different,if possible something better than we can easily find on the market for about the same price of a decent ebauchon

Maurizio

lonestar · Oct 14, 2011

I agree Maurizio, you can make some really great pipes without a lathe. There are a few great pipemakers that dont use a lathe. The ones who come to mind are Roger Wallenstein, Daniel (posts under tNd on here sometimes) and yourself (some beautiful pipes you put up!).

But for making classic shapes, and for making pipes much quicker, the job is easier with a good lathe.

I like your work a lot, once I have the skills for making classic shapes, I will probably be making some freehand pipes as well.

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