High draught holes

[bprivateaerdric]

I got to hold another churchwarden pipe (there's another pipe smoker in my apartment complex!) much like mine and it also has a very high hole. Both are bent egg shaped so I now wonder if it's just that they can't really get a hole to go into the right place in a curved up neck.

 

[mawnansmiff]

I've seen some 'swan neck' style pipes that really baffle the mind as to how they were drilled but drilled they were.
A churchwarden pipe is usually nothing other than a regular bowl with extra long stem so if it is indeed mis-drilled then that's sloppy workmanship.
Regards,
Jay.

 

[jpmcwjr]

How high off the heel? Make?
Can you photograph the pipe and post pix?

 

[bprivateaerdric]

It's a Rigoletto Bent Egg Churchwarden. I think the word "bent" would make the drilling the most difficult thing for me. But they started the hole off wrong. Let's see if my photobucket account is still viable.
OK, here's a little bit of pipe cleaner showing the hole in the tenon.

It's hard to show dimensionality here, but the hole is a clear 1/4 inch above the general bottom of the pipe, and there's a overdrilling divot 1/8 in. deeper than that.

I think the general shape of the neck prevents much in the way of getting right on the bottom, but the other pipe I looked at was at least centered in the tenon.

I hope the photos links work, if not I will learn more and then edit.

 

[bprivateaerdric]

Here's what it looks like -

 

[newbroom]

Pretty typical. Bent shanks I have are often drilled with a 'high' entry from the mortise to the chamber.

The 'better' ones will still pass a cleaner, although it might take a swivel of the thing once it's been put through the curve.

I thought you were talking about inside the chamber, which is not really a problem, imho.

 

[bprivateaerdric]

Well, both.
The hole at the mortice and tenon is right up in the corner. And the hole enters the chamber well above the bowl (if I have my terminology right). Which makes the bottom 1/5 or so of the pipe fail to burn at all without serious readjustments. I basically repack the pipe against the shank side after I smoke it a little.
The mesh balls I ordered are supposed to come today, so maybe that will fix it. I'll have to look more closely at the other pipes tomorrow when I go into town.

 

[mawnansmiff]

A draught hole a full quarter of an inch high in the bowl is most certainly mis-drilled. I have Oom Paul pipes that are perfectly drilled...ie right at the bottom.
You bought a duffer my friend. Can you not return it?
Regards,
Jay.

 

[bprivateaerdric]

Thanks Jay,
I just smoked it with the mesh ball and it was a whole different thing. Burned evenly and all the way down, only went out once (I've been training myself to take four deep breaths between each draw, 15-20 seconds, and it used to go out nearly every time). No need to puff it back alight. Burned down to ash, cleaned out easily. I don't know what it's like to try to take one of those out yet, but I suppose there are a few bowls for each one.
I probably could return it, but it was relatively inexpensive, and I smoked it a whole week already. I think it's still a decent pipe (but what do I know?). I'll probably keep it for a reserve and choose more carefully next time.