14k Champagne Spigot Pipe

[cosmicfolklore]

Was the gold marked .585 or .750. How many grams were used .I assumed you used the gold standard of 31.1 grams to a to an ounce.

My days are all measuring 28.4. I never got a good answer to the difference and I asked every jewelry mfg I ran into but never got a straight answer.

You’re talking about assaying value, and I have to do this rarely since closing the store. I don’t do buys anymore, and never did pawns. Yuck! Now, I just usually order 24k grains and alloy to 18k from there. But, my mistake I mentioned in the OP was that I inadvertently ordered 14k yellow on my last order. Instead of eating 20%
in getting an exchange, I decided to keep it to play with.
It comes in grains that I pour into either sheet or wire molds and reduce on my mill. I have to karat up from time to time. I’d been posting picture of these in the WAYS threads.

 

[kcghost]

I don't much care for pimped out pipes so I will take a pass on this one.

 

[craig61a]

That's amazing!

 

[STP]

Cool design, tastefully done, and nice presentation!

 

[Latakia Dave]

Why did the Leprechaun cross the road?

Ok, ok, ok... this one started out with a mistake, my mistake, that left me with some 14k to play with, let set in the safe, or take a loss by exchanging it. I usually don't like 14k, because it is more of a casting metal than a hand fabrication metal. And, because it is only a tad under 60% gold to alloy, it is cheapish, and it is hard as hell to bend and fabricate by hand... and it gets brittle fast. But, it was a beautiful color. Anyways... instead of just tossing the shit into the garbage, I thought that I'd make something for myself.

I had the stummel made for me and sandblasted, and I casted the stem... I have a bunch of really crappy colored stems in the garbage trying to get a half decent swirl... trying to get this one. I stained the stummel in a combinations of stains to get this brown crusty look. I wanted natural colors to go with the gold and silver combo.

I've thought about making the polkadots from a band run off the band and onto the stummel for a while now, but I just didn't have the right pipe for the design. Then after making a few spigots, I thought that tipping it over the top would just what a spigot design would need. So, the band started with a sterling band as the base. The cap and the dots are formed and fabricated 14k sheet that I rolled out to specs. The dots were punched from the sheet by hand using circle cutters. And, I formed them to fit the curve of the band and stummel shank.

The ones that free float below the band have small 99.9% silver tubes in the back. I drilled a tight hole just 3mm into the briar, and put a small sterling spike into the hole, so that when I push the tubed polkadot down onto the shank, it flairs out the tubing, making it a very secure compression fit. I do put a tiny bit of an epoxy in there as just a little extra security. The briar will have to break away to remove the dots. The cap is compression set as well. Glue is very much frowned upon in the bench jeweler world, but when you mix materials like this... it's a small compromise, but I use it very sparingly.

View attachment 123484
When I was drawing up the plans, I was thinking "bubbly" like champagne, toasts to the better things in life, Gentlemanly effervescence, without the tooty fruity. There was a time when a man wanted a bit of flair, there were only three choices, plaid, stripes, or polka dots. A polka dotted tie, handkerchief, swimming trunks. Not that I am afraid of a tad bit of tooty fruity... it was just a thought. Besides teensy weensy bikinis, polkadots are manly.

View attachment 123485
Polkadots... planets in space, the atoms of creation, dots of half tone printing, connect the dots... the rising golden bubbles of the grape released from their cork with a pop...

View attachment 123486
I spend a lot of time looking at and comparing the colors of gold, matching gold alloys to ring colors for repairs, calculating the changes of colors adding a bit of copper, silver, zinc... calculating percentages and karats to keep the ring the same color AND at the same alloy. Math... And, I love the way it reflects colors. This was why I wanted to use a yellow tobacco tin to set the pipe on. Red is also beautifully reflected in gold, but... champagne.

View attachment 123487
The key to a good spigot pipe is the bond. No one wants their stummel to drop off of the stem as you smoke. The briar holds the metal on the stem, so I played around with making the cap ring thicker, but tapered in to give the illusion of setting into the metal cap.
I test mine by holding the stem and slinging the stummel a few times. If someone is going to do this, I suggest they do it over a bed or pillow, ha ha. Have faith, but have a safety net. But, this one sets tight.

View attachment 123488
I've also polished up the internals of the stummel and the stem, and I am looking forward to the inaugural bowl in this one.

View attachment 123507

So, is it over the top? too much? I did contemplate adding a few champagne diamonds to the design... but, I just didn't want diamond bling sparking glittery light as I smoke, ha ha. A ruby or sapphire, sure... just not a diamond.

Anyways... what do you think?

I think it’s a great job ! Excellent work and a great job explaining the processes that you used to produce a work of art!

 

[JOHN72]

It really is a fantastic pipe, it looks great. Good work Cosmic...........

 

[Simmerdown☕️]

Why did the Leprechaun cross the road?

Ok, ok, ok... this one started out with a mistake, my mistake, that left me with some 14k to play with, let set in the safe, or take a loss by exchanging it. I usually don't like 14k, because it is more of a casting metal than a hand fabrication metal. And, because it is only a tad under 60% gold to alloy, it is cheapish, and it is hard as hell to bend and fabricate by hand... and it gets brittle fast. But, it was a beautiful color. Anyways... instead of just tossing the shit into the garbage, I thought that I'd make something for myself.

I had the stummel made for me and sandblasted, and I casted the stem... I have a bunch of really crappy colored stems in the garbage trying to get a half decent swirl... trying to get this one. I stained the stummel in a combinations of stains to get this brown crusty look. I wanted natural colors to go with the gold and silver combo.

I've thought about making the polkadots from a band run off the band and onto the stummel for a while now, but I just didn't have the right pipe for the design. Then after making a few spigots, I thought that tipping it over the top would just what a spigot design would need. So, the band started with a sterling band as the base. The cap and the dots are formed and fabricated 14k sheet that I rolled out to specs. The dots were punched from the sheet by hand using circle cutters. And, I formed them to fit the curve of the band and stummel shank.

The ones that free float below the band have small 99.9% silver tubes in the back. I drilled a tight hole just 3mm into the briar, and put a small sterling spike into the hole, so that when I push the tubed polkadot down onto the shank, it flairs out the tubing, making it a very secure compression fit. I do put a tiny bit of an epoxy in there as just a little extra security. The briar will have to break away to remove the dots. The cap is compression set as well. Glue is very much frowned upon in the bench jeweler world, but when you mix materials like this... it's a small compromise, but I use it very sparingly.

View attachment 123484
When I was drawing up the plans, I was thinking "bubbly" like champagne, toasts to the better things in life, Gentlemanly effervescence, without the tooty fruity. There was a time when a man wanted a bit of flair, there were only three choices, plaid, stripes, or polka dots. A polka dotted tie, handkerchief, swimming trunks. Not that I am afraid of a tad bit of tooty fruity... it was just a thought. Besides teensy weensy bikinis, polkadots are manly.

View attachment 123485
Polkadots... planets in space, the atoms of creation, dots of half tone printing, connect the dots... the rising golden bubbles of the grape released from their cork with a pop...

View attachment 123486
I spend a lot of time looking at and comparing the colors of gold, matching gold alloys to ring colors for repairs, calculating the changes of colors adding a bit of copper, silver, zinc... calculating percentages and karats to keep the ring the same color AND at the same alloy. Math... And, I love the way it reflects colors. This was why I wanted to use a yellow tobacco tin to set the pipe on. Red is also beautifully reflected in gold, but... champagne.

View attachment 123487
The key to a good spigot pipe is the bond. No one wants their stummel to drop off of the stem as you smoke. The briar holds the metal on the stem, so I played around with making the cap ring thicker, but tapered in to give the illusion of setting into the metal cap.
I test mine by holding the stem and slinging the stummel a few times. If someone is going to do this, I suggest they do it over a bed or pillow, ha ha. Have faith, but have a safety net. But, this one sets tight.

View attachment 123488
I've also polished up the internals of the stummel and the stem, and I am looking forward to the inaugural bowl in this one.

View attachment 123507

So, is it over the top? too much? I did contemplate adding a few champagne diamonds to the design... but, I just didn't want diamond bling sparking glittery light as I smoke, ha ha. A ruby or sapphire, sure... just not a diamond.

Anyways... what do you think?

Shocked Holy Shit GIF - Find & Share on GIPHY - https://giphy.com/gifs/lA3qoZE4TKQhi

 

[daveinlax]

Love It! It does it for me!

 

[Toast]

Definitely OTT - in the best possible way. My favourite so far. Love it!

 

[Streeper541]

Very nice sir.

 

[mso489]

Smoking that pipe without an audience is a waste of glamor. That is one jive cooker. Turn on the strobe lights and let the fireworks begin. The man with the golden touch.

 

[Casual]

Too much for me, but the craftsmanship is evident.

 

[elessar]

That is fan-f@#$&#*-tastic! I have never seen it's like. Very unique. Awesome!

 

[elessar]

Oh. And I want one too lol!

 

[mortonbriar]

It's excellent. And it's not over the top, it is just like champagne. Not an everyday drink, but when its time to celebrate something in style...

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Thanks everyone, I appreciate it.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Great workmanship, as usual!

 

[Bengel]

You need to do a reality show! Showing you making these and smoking them with your posse? (That is what they call it right?) Love the work Mike, just trying my hand at the facetious posts you are so good at!

 

[AlanH]

Why did the Leprechaun cross the road?

Ok, ok, ok... this one started out with a mistake, my mistake, that left me with some 14k to play with, let set in the safe, or take a loss by exchanging it. I usually don't like 14k, because it is more of a casting metal than a hand fabrication metal. And, because it is only a tad under 60% gold to alloy, it is cheapish, and it is hard as hell to bend and fabricate by hand... and it gets brittle fast. But, it was a beautiful color. Anyways... instead of just tossing the shit into the garbage, I thought that I'd make something for myself.

I had the stummel made for me and sandblasted, and I casted the stem... I have a bunch of really crappy colored stems in the garbage trying to get a half decent swirl... trying to get this one. I stained the stummel in a combinations of stains to get this brown crusty look. I wanted natural colors to go with the gold and silver combo.

I've thought about making the polkadots from a band run off the band and onto the stummel for a while now, but I just didn't have the right pipe for the design. Then after making a few spigots, I thought that tipping it over the top would just what a spigot design would need. So, the band started with a sterling band as the base. The cap and the dots are formed and fabricated 14k sheet that I rolled out to specs. The dots were punched from the sheet by hand using circle cutters. And, I formed them to fit the curve of the band and stummel shank.

The ones that free float below the band have small 99.9% silver tubes in the back. I drilled a tight hole just 3mm into the briar, and put a small sterling spike into the hole, so that when I push the tubed polkadot down onto the shank, it flairs out the tubing, making it a very secure compression fit. I do put a tiny bit of an epoxy in there as just a little extra security. The briar will have to break away to remove the dots. The cap is compression set as well. Glue is very much frowned upon in the bench jeweler world, but when you mix materials like this... it's a small compromise, but I use it very sparingly.

View attachment 123484
When I was drawing up the plans, I was thinking "bubbly" like champagne, toasts to the better things in life, Gentlemanly effervescence, without the tooty fruity. There was a time when a man wanted a bit of flair, there were only three choices, plaid, stripes, or polka dots. A polka dotted tie, handkerchief, swimming trunks. Not that I am afraid of a tad bit of tooty fruity... it was just a thought. Besides teensy weensy bikinis, polkadots are manly.

View attachment 123485
Polkadots... planets in space, the atoms of creation, dots of half tone printing, connect the dots... the rising golden bubbles of the grape released from their cork with a pop...

View attachment 123486
I spend a lot of time looking at and comparing the colors of gold, matching gold alloys to ring colors for repairs, calculating the changes of colors adding a bit of copper, silver, zinc... calculating percentages and karats to keep the ring the same color AND at the same alloy. Math... And, I love the way it reflects colors. This was why I wanted to use a yellow tobacco tin to set the pipe on. Red is also beautifully reflected in gold, but... champagne.

View attachment 123487
The key to a good spigot pipe is the bond. No one wants their stummel to drop off of the stem as you smoke. The briar holds the metal on the stem, so I played around with making the cap ring thicker, but tapered in to give the illusion of setting into the metal cap.
I test mine by holding the stem and slinging the stummel a few times. If someone is going to do this, I suggest they do it over a bed or pillow, ha ha. Have faith, but have a safety net. But, this one sets tight.

View attachment 123488
I've also polished up the internals of the stummel and the stem, and I am looking forward to the inaugural bowl in this one.

View attachment 123507

So, is it over the top? too much? I did contemplate adding a few champagne diamonds to the design... but, I just didn't want diamond bling sparking glittery light as I smoke, ha ha. A ruby or sapphire, sure... just not a diamond.

Anyways... what do you think?

Wow??

 

[cosmicfolklore]

You need to do a reality show! Showing you making these and smoking them with your posse? (That is what they call it right?) Love the work Mike, just trying my hand at the facetious posts you are so good at!

Good factitiousness requires a sense of irony that leaves the taste of iron in their mouth’s…. mineraly…. like a Flintstone’s vitamin.