How Flush are your Pipe Stem and Shank ?

[georged]

That’s interesting. I now believe that is what happened here: that the mortise hole was drilled at a slightly off-angle. I DO believe that the tenon is perpendicular to the stem face. But the mortise hole is not perfectly perpendicular to the shank face.

100% yes.

It's basically impossible to make a "crooked tenon" even if you want to because of how Spinny Tools work. (heat and bend afterward, yes, but cut and have it be crooked? No)

Hand drilling a dead-square mortise, on the other hand, isn't possible. Close with practice, yes, but not spot-on.

 

[LudwigB88]

Ahhh the Ole Gap In Between, an OCD Pipe smokers dread!


View attachment 272858

Yes! You understand. OCD: the condition implicit in all consumer culture in the late stages of capitalism.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Ahhh the Ole Gap In Between, an OCD Pipe smokers dread!


View attachment 272858

Proper fit at a certain price point is just expected. You don't happily buy a car with doors that latch but don't fully close. OCD would be splitting hairs over chamber or bore dimensions by individual millimeters.

 

[LudwigB88]

Proper fit at a certain price point is just expected. You don't happily buy a car with doors that latch but don't fully close. OCD would be splitting hairs over chamber or bore dimensions by individual millimeters.

I heard Teslas are notorious for gaps and horrible trim and seals that don’t fit; handles falling off. That’s because it’s NOT a well-established car company with decades of trial and error. Maybe that’s why Savinelli pipes are SO consistent. Musk has fascinating engineering ideas and knows how to innovate BATTERIES. But watch : I bet that new cyber truck has many recalls and MANY firmware updates. NO WAY I’d spend $100K on one EVEN if I did have the money.

 

[metalheadycigarguy]

If I bought a new pipe that cost a significant amount of money, I would expect it to be a well-constructed pipe with no flaws. However, it's made of natural material by hand, so there is always the possibility of imperfections. A common example is small fills in the briar, and in this case the tenon and mortise being slightly off. If the imperfections bug you then sending it back is the correct choice; however, if the minor imperfections don't bug you, then fire it up and enjoy.

I have a few pipes that have some minor flaws, but for me it's just character for the pipe. Personally, I think that's a great looking pipe, and for how small that gap is, I'd just smoke the heck out of it and enjoy. Though it really depends on you and your preferences as to whether you send it back or enjoy it.

 

[didimauw]

5 meers, no gap
2 Kaywoodies both gap
2 Rossi's both gap
2 Sav Punto Oro 1 gaps 1 flush
2 Grabows 1 gap. But the other one I beat the hell out of for a whole year, chewed up, caked, scratched and dented.

So about half and half here! I never noticed till you asked. So I guess it doesn't bother me that much!

 

[LudwigB88]

This picture kind of confirms what I thought. That is a nylon brush (relatively straight) inserted in the shank. Look at the angle of the hole. It certainly is NOT perpendicular to the shank face.

 

[LudwigB88]

But all’s good. The stem fits tight and there’s no air seepage. I even think when the pipe heats up, the gap might close a bit. I’ll forget about the gap once the pipe is broken in. It smokes like a dream and has a great big chamber without being a bulky Boswell type.

 

[LudwigB88]

Now I’m scrutinizing eBay pictures to see how many Castellos etc have gaps ! Lol !!

 

[jpmcwjr]

What you show above is most likely the angle of the airway, not necessarily the mortise.

 

[LudwigB88]

I wonder whether straight pipes are easier.

Also whether having a metal ring/washer helps in allowing pipe maker to adjust that if things aren’t flush.

 

[LudwigB88]

What you show above is most likely the angle of the airway, not necessarily the mortise.

Good point ! I guess that’s why I’m NOT a pipe maker. It’s a true art/craft. I think that’s part of what makes this hobby great in an age of robotic manufacturing.

 

[sablebrush52]

How Flush are your Pipe Stem and Shank ?

Seems a bit too personal a question...

 

[georged]

Good point ! I guess that’s why I’m NOT a pipe maker. It’s a true art/craft. I think that’s part of what makes this hobby great in an age of robotic manufacturing.

Oh, no worries.

Our robot friends are hard at it.

(After they put the human makers out of business the prices will go up, of course.)

Jeff Gracik on Radio Show of December 12, 2023 with New Line of Pipes :: Pipes Magazine Radio Show

Our featured interview on tonight's Pipes Magazine Radio Show is with Pipe Artisan Jeff Gracik. Our regular listeners will know Jeff from our ongoing series, “Ask the Pipemaker”. Jeff makes J. Alan Pipes and is an expert, artisan pipe maker for 20-years. He is involved in a new line of pipes...

pipesmagazine.com

 

[LudwigB88]

How Flush are your Pipe Stem and Shank ?

Seems a bit too personal a question...

I was waiting for that reply from somebody. You win.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Good point ! I guess that’s why I’m NOT a pipe maker. It’s a true art/craft. I think that’s part of what makes this hobby great in an age of robotic manufacturing.

Some carvers, Neerup pipes come to mind, carve a master stummel that is copied by machinery. He then hand finishes them but the shaping is done mechanically.

 

[AroEnglish]

Oh, no worries.

Our robot friends are hard at it.

(After they put the human makers out of business the prices will go up, of course.)

Jeff Gracik on Radio Show of December 12, 2023 with New Line of Pipes :: Pipes Magazine Radio Show

Our featured interview on tonight's Pipes Magazine Radio Show is with Pipe Artisan Jeff Gracik. Our regular listeners will know Jeff from our ongoing series, “Ask the Pipemaker”. Jeff makes J. Alan Pipes and is an expert, artisan pipe maker for 20-years. He is involved in a new line of pipes...

pipesmagazine.com

View attachment 272906

Are Roadtown pipes made by robots?

 

[proteus]

Was thinking more on this. Maybe you could sand the face of the mortise stummel end on the high side to match the new angle of the stem face? Then it would sit flush perhaps?

 

[Chasing Embers]

Are Roadtown pipes made by robots?

They're a pipe workshop like IMP is but based in China. Also makers of Huge Stone pipes and HS Studio.

 

[georged]

Are Roadtown pipes made by robots?

CNC machines