My first rustication via Dremel.

[mawnansmiff]

Ejames, that is precisely the finish I have wanted to replicate! I did attempt to get that pattern using a small steel wheel/brush but I was not at all happy with the result. As it happens I do have that very same bur so later in the day I shall experiment with it on an old bowl.
Lohengrin, yes I too have used the larger burs to get the pattern you have there, nice to know that there are other Dremel rusticators out there.
Another tip I would like to offer. I am right handed and soon realised that to have more control over the workpiece I needed some kind of rest for my left wrist so as to make my 'stabbing' movements more precise. For this I simply attached to my work surface (I do my rustication in my kitchen as I have no workshop) a small vice with a bench clamp slightly to the left and of course below the bur. With a rag on top of the vice for comfort I have much more control over the workpiece. I shall attempt to take a picture of my set up for clarity.
Methinks there are many ways to rusticate with a Dremel, it's just down to the imagination of the rusticator and the tools he/she puts in the chuck. And yes Ejames, the variable speed model is the most useful of the many variants. Mine is a 4000 with a speed range of 5000 - 35000 RPM and I usually rusticate twixt 1500 - 20000 RPM.
Regards,
Jay.

 

[mawnansmiff]

Below is a picture that should explain my above comment about the rest for my left wrist. I lay an old rag on top of the vice just for comfort. The overhead spotlamp is pretty much a muct have too to enable precision.
To the right is a rock splitter I use in my other hobby of mineral collecting.
My poor old cleaning lady has a fit everytime she enters my kitchen.....I wonder why? :roll:
Regards,
Jay.

 

[ejames]

I used one of smallest reverse taper burs to produce this "wire carved" finish on a Grabow Starfire for a friend over at the DGCF. He wanted a bent wire carved Starfire--which Grabow did make- but hadn't had any luck finding one. After seeing a pipe I made with this finish he asked me to do the Starfire. At the Grabow factory they used a stiff cup type wire brush to produce this finish-- and did it better than I do.

I use this homemade rest when doing rustication to support the bowl. It's just a piece of 2X4 that I wrapped with three layers of leather and inserted a 1" dowel in the bottom. I drilled a hole in my work table for the dowel. Also handy for stem work etc.

 

[didimauw]

That's an awesome idea using a Dremel. I have an old bowl I wanted to rusticate, I think I'll try that!

 

[mawnansmiff]

Ejames, very nice work indeed. I have to say I prefer the horizontal rustication of your first image though the colour of your second. Nice wrist rest too. Perhaps if I ever get around to converting my spare bedroom into a workshop cum study then I might too get around to equipping myself properly with more permament gear. At the moment it's full of my collection of antique dictionaries & boxes of minerals awaiting sorting!
Regards,
Jay.

 

[papipeguy]

Wonderful job on that. I am curious to know how the shoe polish holds up to smoking versus using leather dye.

 

[mawnansmiff]

Papiguy, a very pertinent question. Colourwise there is no problem but as for any sheen you had, that disappears during the smoke. That said however, the sheen can be brought back once the pipe has cooled by vigourous use of a shoe shine brush.
My reason for using shoe polish on my rustication jobs is simply because I do not posess a buffer. I do however use Fiebing's leather dyes on my smooth pipe restorations. That then is polished up using Kiwi neutral polish which does include carnauba wax though I do not know how much. I also occasionally use renaissance wax as the fancy takes me.
Regards,
Jay.

 

[jvnshr]

Nice job, I am impressed.

 

[patiobum]

Very nice !! good job.

 

[doctorbob]

I'm saving this thread, what an excellent job!
Doc

 

[jkrug]

Some really nice work there guys. Well done!! :clap:

 

[mawnansmiff]

Here are a couple more. The first is an antique 'Bruyere du Cap' bulldog from France. When it arrived here it was in a pretty poor state with bits missing and more than its fair share of fills. Rustication was the only way to go. Shame really as it is pretty ancient and has a horn/antler stem to boot!
The second pipe, a French Endale arrived here needing much work. It was though it had been used as a hammer at some stage in its life so bad were the dents. Again, rustication came to my rescue.
In both these instances, Kiwi oxblood shoe polish was used and hand buffed with a brush.
http://pipesmagazine.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/album/14153/img_0005-22-600x399.jpg
http://pipesmagazine.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/album/14153/img_0004-2-600x399.jpg
http://pipesmagazine.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/album/14153/img_0006-21-600x399.jpg
http://pipesmagazine.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/album/14153/img_0007-21-600x399.jpg
http://pipesmagazine.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/album/14153/11-600x450.jpg
http://pipesmagazine.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/album/14153/img_0002-21-600x399.jpg
http://pipesmagazine.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/album/14153/img_0001-21-600x399.jpg
http://pipesmagazine.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/album/14153/img_0003-21-600x399.jpg
Regards,
Jay.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Jay- Here's the part on how to embed the photos:
4.) Go back to Album, click on thumbnail to open full size image. Right click (Windows); Control Click (Mac) and select "copy image location" (its URL).

5.) Return to your reply window in the thread and click on the IMG buttont at the top of the compose window.

7.) Paste the image location into the window and click OK.
The method of Control (Mac) or Right (Windows) click on an image will work for images in most photo hosting sites such as Imgur.

 

[mawnansmiff]

Thanks for that JPM, I forgot the IMG button.

http://pipesmagazine.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/album/14153/img_0006-21-600x399.jpg

 

[ejames]

Nice work on both !!

 

[lohengrin]

A really good work and nice pipes too.

Congrats!

 

[jpmcwjr]

Now, that's making a silk purse out of a sow's ear.... Very nice work!

 

[mayfair70]

Inspirational work...very nice indeed.

 

[ericthered]

Thank-you for this thread! Great pics of dremel rustications! As a novice restorer this is the kind of content I appreciate the most from this forum. Does anyone have any pics of a rustication attempt that didn't go as planned? Maybe a bit/burr that produced a design you weren't expecting?

 

[mawnansmiff]

Ejames, today I attempted to replicate your 'string' pattern with a reverse cone bur and the result was hopeless. I used the bottom only as you suggested and found that the bur wanted to 'track' into the previously cut line. Any further guidance would be much appreciated.
Regards,
Jay.