3d Stem

[Scottmi]

Really nice stem you have designed there!!

thank you, KC!

 

[jpmcwjr]

A maker can call their pipes anything they want. The web site pipes show a cant but I didn't grok that in your photos.

I still maintain it's a stack! (And I've been wrong once before!)

 

[chilllucky]

I mean, as long as you're printing - go nuts! Let's see twin helix to louvered vents, directed up. Print it clear and watch the smoke chase itself around the track.

Pipe cleaners be damned. Just print another one when it goes sour!

 

[sardonicus87]

For stem material, I would be far less concerned about heat than about the potential chemical reaction to the vapor/liquid in the smoke.

 

[Steddy]

Nicely done!


Acrylic and Vulcanite are the most common because they offer the best properties for workability and durability. Polyester, vinyl, and Bakelite were all once commonplace on the market but not the go to for various reasons. Bakelite dust is highly toxic, so working it is hazardous to your health, these days it's overly expensive, and it's nearly impossible to bend without special equipment. Polyester was used by a few pipe brands in the US from the 60-80's but it has to molded instead of cut from rod stock, its nearly impossible to work or polish. It offers little in the way of durability and the colors tend to look washed out.

There are a lot of meer carvers using both Poly and Vinyl stems today but the problem with both is that they are nearly impossible to further shape once they are molded and this poses a lot of problems for briar pipe makers.

Vulcanized rubber and extruded acrylic are the two that offer best workability, durability, and eye appeal. They can be pre-formed or cut from rod stock. If pre-formed, they can be further worked, they offer the highest shine, they resist tooth damage better, and are the easiest to bend. They are the ones that offer the fewest drawbacks.

Juma makes great stems but it also has it's limitations. There are some people that are doing some pretty cool things with cast resin stems but I have not worked with any of them so I couldn't say if they're any good, but they look cool.

Thank you for a most informative reply

 

[Scottmi]

Now smoking with version 2 of the stem. The first one was a touch too open on the draw with a 2.8mm draft through the stem. Quick adjustment to the design and presto - now have one with 2.5mm draft. Passes pipe cleaners no problem, and draw is now perfect with this pipe for me.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Is there not a middle ground between comfort and durability?

Juma