Pipe mud: how thick can it be, yet stay effective and stable?

menuhin · Mar 16, 2015

I am trying to do a bit of restoration work for a really over-reamed pipe. The pipe's bowl chamber is so over-reamed (it's about or > 1&1/8") that if I can put a normal lining of meerschaum inside, it still won't be too small. I can also see some heat induced fracture patterns from inside the bowl, so I definitely have to put a layer of pipe mud to protect it.
I think I need to apply pipe mud and let it dry and then apply it again and do it multiple times to get the layer to a desirable thicker. But my question is - how thick can pipe mud be applied and stay stable for use overtime? And if I have to apply for a thick layer, do I have to smoke the pipe to dry (cure?) it out a bit more before applying another layer?
Hope some pipe-mud wrestlers and experienced members can give me some idea.

cortezattic · Mar 16, 2015

I've tried to use pipe mud to raise the bottom of the bowl in pipes with high draft holes.

I never got the mud to work properly and stay intact. Eventually, I resorted to using

bathroom tile grout -- but that doesn't seem applicable to your situation.
Bradley, The Ol' Cajun, has recommended something like this

but I'm not sure you would want to use it any more than the tile grout.

What's needed is a sure-fire recipe for good mud.

tbradsim1 · Mar 16, 2015

Fireplace Mortar repair is a wonderful thing, Spyder Cracks, forgeritaboutit, a good coat and pipe is like new. Btm lower than you like, raise it up with Mortar repair, comes in tan and black, your choice, I use tan so I can see my repair, heat cures it, load pipe and smoke hard, leave ash in btm, load it up again and fire it up again. The heat will set it up. Wet your finger or your Czech spoon to work it, a little goes a long way, non toxic. Happy Puffing Cher!

buroak · Mar 16, 2015

I have used fireplace mortar repair cement and pipe mud. I generally prefer pipe mud because it easier to shape, thin, and (if necessary) remove after it has dried. I reserve the mortar cement for repairs when the damage is severe and I think pipe mud will not very well work into the damage and/or adhere.
I would also advise that you apply sparingly whether you choose fireplace mortar cement or pipe mud. A couple of professional pipe restorers have warned me that the sodium silicate compounds in both substances limit the ability of briar to dissipate heat from the tobacco chamber.

menuhin · Mar 16, 2015

tbradsim1, Cortez, thanks for these tips from the two veteran gentlemen!

: puffy

:

I found something similar in where I live: 'Schamottemörtel'

http://www.ebay.de/sch/i.html?_odkw=Schamottem%C3%B6rtel&LH_PrefLoc=3&_sop=15&_from=R40|R40&_osacat=38219&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.TRS0&_nkw=Schamottem%C3%B6rtel&ghostText=&_sacat=38219

It's probably non-toxic because it is used to repair baking ovens. Will go to look for them in hardware store.

menuhin · Mar 16, 2015

@buroack
Yes, I think in a similar way: I also prefer pipe mud when the operation I have to work on doesn't seem too serious.
Will watch out for 'sodium silicate compounds' in their ingredient.

Thanks for the tip!

gambit88 · Mar 16, 2015

Do they sell the mortar repair in a smaller tube? I'd hate to buy that much and have it harden after only one repair.

okiescout · Mar 16, 2015

Mixed up a pretty large amount of cigar ash in a jar to make mud for a pipe I purchased of of e-bay. I had never worked with it before. There have been numerous discussions about it in the forum, so I just requested the guys at the B&M to let me have the cigar ash from several of the clean ash trays. I did not need near what I ended up with, but to compensate for getting the mixture too wet I had to add quite a bit of ash.

After I repaired the pipe I just set the jar on the window sill and forgot about it. Cleaning up the desk the other day I took the jar down to pitch it. I could not believe how hard the mud was. It had bonded to the jar so tightly I had to get a screw driver to break it off. It was a scrap jar but I wanted to see how really hard the ash got. Great stuff! I believe it is important to let it cure out though.

skaukatt · Mar 16, 2015

Fred Hanna posted a treaties entitled, Pipe Mud: A Solution to the Problem of the High Draft Hole, and Other Pipe Bowl Problems, that I stumbled upon. It can probably be found via a search. If I had his permission, I'd post it.
Lou

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