Easy and Great Looking Pipe Tamper.

[bubbadreier]

Well I was looking through some of the member's albums that were posted in the Photo Albums Thread, and I stumbled upon Ejames's album. In his album I found these amazing pipe tampers...

After seeing these I was inspired to try my hand at making one. Lucky for me I have a couple pipes that have large cracks in the bowls and are useless for smoking. So I grabbed a pipe, cut the stem from the bowl, and glued in a pipe nail. Here is the result...

Of course mine doesn't look anywhere near as nice as the ones ejames owns, but for 20 minutes of work, I think it turned out great!

 

[bytor]

That is a fantastic idea! I've got a bunch of pipes that could very well "suffer" the same fate!
Very creative!
@Ejames: What did you use for the tamper head?

 

[pstlpkr]

Wow Bubba!

That ain't a bad idea.

I have a couple of pipes that have (pardon the pun) "Bit the big one."

I might give it a try.
Way ahead of the curve there Ejames.

Those look very nice.

 

[unclearthur]

EWWWWWWWWWWWWW! Lawrence ! Bad pun! I LOVE IT!!! Super idea!

 

[bluzman54]

Great idea.

 

[collin]

AWESOME!!! I love it!!!

 

[searock]

Making tampers can be fun. I've done a few myself from lucite stems I had screwed up. Also one out of a screw type building spike, a piece of tree branch, and for my pipe shop I made one about 10 times normal size that I used as a fob on the key to the bathroom... I've also got one on the end of a mechanical pencil (Dunhill) and one on the end of a pen shaped lighter.
I must have 2 or 3 dozen different tampers around here, but I tend to just use a plain old Czech tool the most. It's one of those simple things that does what it's designed to do very well. And besides, it doesn't roll off the desk like round ones tend to do.
Here's a tidbit: Some people feel that a tamper with a wooden tip is better than one made of metal because the tobacco ash doesn't stick to it as much. I have quite a few of both types and have never tested the theory.

 

[bubbadreier]

I made one more, not sure if I like this one...

 

[expatpipe]

Great idea! might find a brass screw or nail to use

 

[admin]

That's a great idea Jeremiah!

 

[juozapas]

My fingers and thumbs usually do the walking, but not when it's lit.

 

[ejames]

I machine a piece of 1/2" brass for the tip on most of the tampers I make. IT is about 3/4" long. One end is turned down to 1/4" and a 1/8" hole is drilled in that end,into which I inset a 1/8" brass rod for a pick.This is epoxied into the shank. The pick is accessed by removing the stem from the shank.There are pics in my album which should give you the idea how I do it.

http://pipesmagazine.com/members/ejames/album/picture

 

[pstlpkr]

Ejames, that is a great innovation.

I may have the hand tools to make the pick, but I'd have to try Bubba's method for the tamper. (no real metal working "machinary")
You have a really great invention there.
I'm definitely going to try it.
The tip/spoon of the pick looks like the business end of an old Brebbia pipe tamper.

 

[hilojohnny]

This is obviously one fine idea....I applaud the innovators!.... :worship:

 

[bubbadreier]

Just so everyone knows, all credit goes to ejames! It was his idea and I just stole it to make a simple version for myself.
I love the idea of having a pick hidden in the stem, truly genius ejames!

 

[python]

That is a great idea!
Way to go for thinking outside of the box ejames!

 

[puffintuff]

I like it. Good job.

 

[ejames]

Thanks Gents! I came up with the idea of these about three years or so back while researching pipe making online. Came across a couple of sites where guys were selling their handmade tamper. At the time I didn't have the tools to do anything like they were doing.Got to thinking about how I could make a tamper with a pick and one day it hit me while shining up and old pipe.Lop off the bowl and attach a tip!At first all my "machine work" was done in a drill press with files and a hacksaw blade.All of my buffing etc was done by hand. Finally bought a small lathe and rigged up two buffers.Much easier now.

 

[wolfscout]

Neat Idea. I'll be on my way to figuring out How to make myself a custom knock off.

 

[ejames]

As Searock mentioned above tampers can be made from a variety of things. Made several from different woods that came from our farm. Walnut,Cherry,Rose canes,Honeysuckle etc.This one was made from grape vine root.Tip was made from a ring shanked stainless steel thumb tack ( used those tacks at work,made for holding preformed ABS plastic fitting covers used on insulated piping-I was an Insulator-now retired).

Edit: picture now shows in thread, bubba