Making Your Own Pipe?

[ashdigger]

If I ever decided to carve a pipe, the first thing I'd do is dial 911. If I get lucky the first responders would get to me before I bled out.

 

[gerryp]

Just for grins I made a cob-style pipe out of maple dowel rods using a drill, a Dremel, files, and sandpaper. It took forever and smokes too hot, but it can be done and with practice would take a lot less time. I had to buy a couple special drill bits, the finest sandpaper I could get from Advance Auto, stain, and a bar of wax, but it was less than $100. Harbor Freight helped.

 

[warren]

I do a bit of woodworking but, making a pipe has never crossed my mind. I can pay people to make the pipes. I tend to make things much less delicate than pipes. I like joinery and I've yet to see a dovetail incorporated in a pipe.
For what it is worth Michael is a metal worker of great skill. Those silver fittings are all his I bet. He made a tamper for me with a police shield on it. And, no I still haven't posted of picture of it. It's only been a couple of years Cosmic, I'll gitroundtoit.

 

[cranseiron]

Edit: failed attempt to load a photo from my phone.
Mods-- please delete.

 

[pipesmoker30]

<p>I have been thinking and maybe it's above my ability. Was a good thought while it lasted I guess

 

[mikethompson]

I have learned enough to know that I prefer people who know how to make pipes, make my pipes.

Me too. I know enough to know that I don't know enough. Sometimes.

 

[pipesmoker30]

<p>That's true, I like that statement

 

[haparnold]

Those of us who spent time in the Cub Scouts will remember with varying degrees of fondness the annual Pinewood Derby competition. For those without a scouting background, here's a link: Pinewood Derby
Whenever I think of pipe making kits, I always think of the pinewood derby setup: you spend hours and hours sanding away at something that turns out far worse than you envisioned, and in the end some kid comes along with an unshaped block and beats you anyway.
While making a pipe is definitely doable (all my first pipes were homemade from cobs I liberated from our corn crib), I get all the pipe making joy I want out of cleaning/restoring estates.

 

[celticbrewer]

I'd love to get good enough on a lathe to make one... maybe someday

 

[pipesmoker30]

I have been pondering with the idea of estate pipes but how safe are they once there cleaned? If it's a family member that's different as we are all connected in some way shape or form but to share something as personal as a pipe with a stranger, wouldn't it be passing germs, infections and other baddies on? I honestly don't know, I'm asking more than debating tbh.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Pipesmoker30, someone used the comparison once to dishes and eating utensils. They are put in other people’s mouths all the time. Estate pipes should be fine. We use the term “estate” to mean “used.” Only in a few rare instances is the term used to mean that the owner has died. In most cases people stop pipesmoking before actually dying, because we cant smoke in nursing homes or hospitals, and that is usually where we all spend the last few years. But, the estate market is mostly people trading pipes for new one or better ones.

 

[davet]

They are put in other people’s mouths all the time.

Amongst other things....... :rofl: I think once it's cleaned there's nothing left but phobias.

 

[Chasing Embers]

I've made a few. All done with a drill press, disc sander, files and sandpaper.

 

[Chasing Embers]

I have been pondering with the idea of estate pipes but how safe are they once there cleaned?

Alcohol tends to be used to sanitize estate pipes, so they are safe to use.

 

[pipesmoker30]

@embers, some smart looking pipes you have there

 

[pipesmoker30]

Now estate pipes, sorry I didn't explain myself properly. Someone mentioned utensils, I will use them as an example, there mental, you can steralise metal, you cannot steralise wood. Also I have been looking for a pipe, I find one online. Pay for it, get it through the post some years late and give it a good old clean. Pack and and start smoking away happy with my new toy. Now where you can't steralise wood. Say the person I got it from has a stinking cold/flu, would them germs then be passed on to me so I get a stinking cold/flu? Also if for example they had a cold sore, would I get that from the stem? I wasn't just on about dying.

 

[Chasing Embers]

@embers, some smart looking pipes you have there

Thanks, had a lot of fun carving them!

 

[haparnold]

Nah. Unless you're sticking the bowl in your mouth (to be fair, I have to remind myself on occasion that the little hole goes in my mouth), the wood shouldn't come into contact with your mouth.
In the event someone had germs on their pipe bowl, I expect the germs would die long before it got to you. But don't forget that you also have heat going on to sterilize the pipe.

 

[cranseiron]

Edit:another photo upload fail from my phone. I'm trying to plug your work, Micheal, but.... my dog won't hunt.

 

[cranseiron]

Edit: Attempt #3. Eff it!