Big Home-Brewed Billiard

[Sobrbiker]

Since we're talking about Mike's Magic Stem Stuff, here is a pic of some in raw form, plus how Jesse came to be familiar with it.

It was the only solution to replace a broken stem on one of his pipes because of the narrow vertical base (support) offered by the design, combined with the unavoidable stress riser of a traditional tenon/face 90-degree junction. a.k.a. Snap City. (there is no room for a reinforcing tube)

His high-dollar collectable would have either been relegated to display only or continual breakage without MMSS, in other words.



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That’s amazing stem work right there!

The big billiard is awesome, even though my personal preference is little guys.

 

[Tate]

Wrong thread. Beautiful pipe again!!

 

[sablebrush52]

Since we're talking about Mike's Magic Stem Stuff, here is a pic of some in raw form, plus how Jesse came to be familiar with it.

It was the only solution to replace a broken stem on one of his pipes because of the narrow vertical base (support) offered by the design, combined with the unavoidable stress riser of a traditional tenon/face 90-degree junction. a.k.a. Snap City. (there is no room for a reinforcing tube)

His high-dollar collectable would have either been relegated to display only or continual breakage without MMSS, in other words.



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And just to point out what George won’t say, look at how perfectly George continues the spiral fluting. Nobody does it better. Nobody.

 

[irishearl]

Group Six? This is truly a beautiful pipe, but the saddle bit simply pushes it off of the descriptive chart. ALL billiard pipes should have saddle bits!

Well done, Sir!

Not sure about that.

 

[Sigmund]

When do you get to smoke that beauty?

 

[ssjones]

And just to point out what George won’t say, look at how perfectly George continues the spiral fluting. Nobody does it better. Nobody.

As I looked at the blank/finished stem, I thought "what sorcery is needed to create that!" George has to be the Sorcerers Apprentice.

 

[orlandofurioso]

Apprentice ? George is the Sorcerer.

 

[orlandofurioso]

English pipes are more to my taste than Italian ones when it comes to shapes, but I like the Italian size range better because biggies aren't hard to find. (Unless ultra-rare Esserman-style giants, standard shape English pipes top out at Group 6)

So, what's a smoker to do?

Make a pipe that's just what you want by definition by making it yourself, of course.

6 7/8" inches long, chamber .92" X 2.05". Weight 72.3 grams (The last photo is alongside a Dunhill LB for comparison.)

No wood flaws cuz I hate wood flaws.

Grain is uniform mixed & tangled, cuz I love uniform mixed & tangled.

Finish isn't hard & gleamy because I like the hand feel of buffed wax.

Chamber isn't coated because I've never cared one way or the other, so why bother?

Stem material is Butera-contract Maachi acrylic, cuz green-over-time sucks and the mouth feel of plastic doesn't bother me.

Shape is a billiard because Billiards Rule. (duh)

Next step?

SMOKE IT!!!




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I never fully realized you are probably a fully realized person and so a fully realized pipe maker . Astonishing .

 

[kcghost]

I never got into the large pipe thing. A Dunhill with a bowl size in the grades 4 or 5 level is plenty for me.

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

I never got into the large pipe thing. A Dunhill with a bowl size in the grades 4 or 5 level is plenty for me.

Whereas I do favor Groups 3 to 4 by Dunhill

 

[LotusEater]

Beautiful pipe!
I love the heel and cheeks of the stummel and the saddle stem looks awesome. Thanks for the info re Mike’s Magic Stem Stuff.

 

[jguss]

I never fully realized you are probably a fully realized person and so a fully realized pipe maker . Astonishing .

Trust me, you don’t know the half of it

 

[orlandofurioso]

Trust me, you don’t know the half of it

I trust you with my life

 

[DesertDan]

Beautiful pipe, well done sir!

 

[georged]

When do you get to smoke that beauty?

That was yesterday. (This morning to non-Night People like me)

Two bowls of Brown Bogie and one of Kendal Kentucky, back-to-back.

That's the Old School way. Body slam new pipes with several bowls the first day, then once a day for a week, then into the rotation.

How did it smoke?

Pipes that are to your specification in every aesthetic and technical/dimensional detail are what I imagine tailored clothes and benchmade shoes feel like to yacht and private airplane people. Perfect

Actually maybe even better because there's no communication required when YOU are the tailor or shoemaker.

 

[AroEnglish]

That was yesterday. (This morning to non-Night People like me)

Two bowls of Brown Bogie and one of Kendal Kentucky, back-to-back.

That's the Old School way. Body slam new pipes with several bowls the first day, then once a day for a week, then into the rotation.

How did it smoke?

Pipes that are to your specification in every aesthetic and technical/dimensional detail are what I imagine tailored clothes and benchmade shoes feel like to yacht and private airplane people. Perfect

Actually maybe even better because there's no communication required when YOU are the tailor or shoemaker.






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I am the master of my fate,
I am the captain of my soul.

 

[G-beard]

I have a very similar pipe. Big billiards are great!

Yours is larger, though. This one is 5 & 2/3" long with a chamber that is 1.8" deep and 0.82" in diameter.

 

[georged]

Thanks for the info re Mike’s Magic Stem Stuff.

Heads up if you are a carver yourself, or are planning to hire someone to use it for you commission-style---know that it's a perfect example of "all engineering solutions have trade-offs".

It's tough as hell after it's shaped and "installed", but getting there is a bitch. Unless you're REALLY determined, the cutting and shaping ain't gonna happen. Imagine a material that laughs at belt grinders, and gives the finger to files. And it expands in a weirdly exaggerated way when heated. Smooth curves go zig-zaggy, and many incremental re-dos are necessary to hit the target.

 

[LotusEater]

Heads up if you are a carver yourself, or are planning to hire someone to use it for you commission-style---know that it's a perfect example of "all engineering solutions have trade-offs".

It's tough as hell after it's shaped and "installed", but getting there is a bitch. Unless you're REALLY determined, the cutting and shaping ain't gonna happen. Imagine a material that laughs at belt grinders, and gives the finger to files. And it expands in a weirdly exaggerated way when heated. Smooth curves go zig-zaggy, and many incremental re-dos are necessary to hit the target.

I’m not a carver I just appreciate the knowledge being shared.

Makes this even more impressive knowing how difficult the stuff is to work with

 

[RustiePyles CPG]

Heads up if you are a carver yourself, or are planning to hire someone to use it for you commission-style---know that it's a perfect example of "all engineering solutions have trade-offs".

It's tough as hell after it's shaped and "installed", but getting there is a bitch. Unless you're REALLY determined, the cutting and shaping ain't gonna happen. Imagine a material that laughs at belt grinders, and gives the finger to files. And it expands in a weirdly exaggerated way when heated. Smooth curves go zig-zaggy, and many incremental re-dos are necessary to hit the target.

It’s also not very conducive to bending…