How Do They?

[hauntedmyst]

Assuming these are one piece of briar and they are going for the air hole being centered at the bottom, how in the world are they drilling these things? Did they invent drill bits that go around corners when I wasn't looking?

 

[alaskanpiper]

 

[cshubhra]

This will not pass a pipe cleaner

 

[didimauw]

Those are some strange pipes. I'm sure they drilled straight down, ( or to the left like the second) leading to the very bottom of the chamber lol.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Assuming these are one piece of briar and they are going for the air hole being centered at the bottom, how in the world are they drilling these things? Did they invent drill bits that go around corners when I wasn't looking?

View attachment 26947

View attachment 26948

Probably like any other bent. It's the external carving that creates the illusion. This pipe has a straight bore from stem to draft hole.

 

[Chasing Embers]

 

[Chasing Embers]

Like a full bent, a few guide holes are used.

 

[mikethompson]

 

[elessar]

Some (Ser Jacopo) are not drilled straight. There are methods to drill curved holes. I have used such a technique in the past. The 2nd pipe, Ser Jacopo Insanus, is to my knowledge not drilled straight. Although most bent pipes are drilled straight as shown by chasingembers.

 

[jonasclark]

A drill bit can be put on the end of a flexible shaft, encased in a rigid, bent tube. Many antique meerschaums have draft holes bored that way, which could not have been done using a straight drill. Whether this or that current carver is using these, I can't say.

 

[mso489]

I've heard there are drill bits that will drill a curve, but I haven't seen a diagram on how they work, but I believe it is a thing. Not everything is done as a straight shot. Though the diagrams provided show how many of them are.

 

[augiebd]

Love how much you can learn on this site, had no idea about drill bits that can drill a curve. Never gave it enough thought, the calculus suggests it should be possible.

 

[elessar]

A drill bit can be put on the end of a flexible shaft, encased in a rigid, bent tube. Many antique meerschaums have draft holes bored that way, which could not have been done using a straight drill. Whether this or that current carver is using these, I can't say.

This is how it is done. Drill head on a flexible shaft, fed through a rigid guide tube, which is itself supported by another guide fixture. Pretty simple on big holes. Quite tricky on small holes.