Do you keep a journal of your work on pipes?

[starship]

I am currently working on MY collection, pipe number 6 of XX.

I decided to and ordered a journal. Easy to print a picture before and after and tape on page, and list steps of work.

Anyone else? Comments

 

[xrundog]

I have a couple notebooks tracking the pipes I’ve bought, what I paid and some particulars. 2 or 3 lines usually. And then later if I sold it, for how much.
More than that and it would be taking up a lot of space.

 

[sablebrush52]

Nope! I have enough complications in my life. When it comes to spiffing them up, or doing a deep clean, I already know what steps I'm going to take.

For actual restoration, which means structural improvement, not just cleaning, I send them to a qualified restorer.

 

[Waning Embers]

Never even occurred to me.

 

[orlandofurioso]

Unfortunately not; too lazy I suppose .
But I really should ; I learn with every pipe I refurbish... and then I forget.
So thank you for the heads up.

 

[AirOne]

So far, I just use what's left of my brain to keep track of my pipes. For tobacco it's a different story

 

[Dshift]

My journal is folder of over 5000 photos and videos that I scroll through a 100 times a day searching for a specific photo....

 

[ssjones]

I keep a spreadsheet of all Pipes purchased or sold. If they have collector significance, they get a Reborn Pipes blog entry (as defined by me!l. My sheet starts in 2011, and is just under 500 entries. I have 60-couple in my collection.

 

[woodrow]

I don’t write up a specific pipe, but if I run across a great procedure or tip I’ll make a note about that specific problem and how it was solved.
ie - pipe will pinning, and different specifics for stem repair.

 

[Sobrbiker]

Nope

 

[Dshift]

For some weird reason, I don't remember all pipes I have restored from the top of my head, but as soon as I see a photo or brand and model, I remember all the work I have done on that pipe... We will see at what point this will change, but so far it's been around 400 restorations

 

[ssjones]

A couple of years ago, when Ebay started sending 1099's, I had to share my spreadsheet with my wife for our income taxes. That year, I sold a lot of pipes and it bumped our tax rate, not enough to cover what I sold! She had to incorporate me. And she was surprised that the bought/sold total was approaching six figures.... Now, I stay below the threshold.

 

[Sigmund]

Nope. If I had to document my projects I probably would not do any. I had enough of documentation in my professional life.

 

[Sobrbiker]

Nope. If I had to document my projects I probably would not do any. I had enough of documentation in my professional life.

Same as cellar spreadsheets, etc.
For me, smoking a pipe is an enjoyment, and bookkeeping/documentation is something I hate to do even when I’m being paid to do it.

 

[woodsroad]

No.

 

[didimauw]

No, but I save every pipe picture I've ever taken on a large hard drive.

 

[ssjones]

I just checked my pipe photo folder, I have 8,458 pipe photos stored, since 2011.

 

[xrundog]

I just checked my pipe photo folder, I have 8,458 pipe photos stored, since 2011.

That seems like a lot. But I don’t think it is if you’ve been at it continuously for that long. I probably have a similar cache.

 

[ssjones]

That seems like a lot. But I don’t think it is if you’ve been at it continuously for that long. I probably have a similar cache.

576 of those pictures are "misc", pipe events, accessories, etc.
I take on average 16 photos per pipe (12 finished and 4 "before").
I'm at pipe #466 in my log, so that math works out.

 

[georged]

Absolutely.


And another for finishes.

And another for stem types.

And another for overall pipe length.

And another for pipe weight.

And another for country of manufacture.

And then comes the set of combination journals which keep track of those things as groups.

All of which are then entered into another journal according to the day of the week the work was completed.

Which is further sub-divided into a volume of journals that are ordered by the first letter of the last name of the pipe's owner. (One volume---translated---for each of Earth's 7,160 languages)

And also a journal to keep track of all those ^^^^ journals, of course.

It's a bit tiring, by entirely worth it.