Pipe Makers Vice

[mcitinner1]

After using my typical average vice to work on making my first couple of pipes I would like to find a vice more suitable for hand crafting my next pipe. What does one even look like? What is the style called? What sources are there? I did see the picture of one in last weeks radio show story.
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[wcannoy]

Did you check the "Pipemaking Supplies" aisle at Lowes? :D
Seriously though, there is no singular pipemaking vise, and fifty different pipemakers would likely recommend fifty different vises. If you need a vise, find one and make it work for you.
FWIW, I don't use one at all. I hold my work in my hand.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I am not a pipe-maker in comparison to Walt here (or anyone else who has made more than one, ha ha), but I have dabbled in making a pipe and a bunch of stems, as well as bunches of other stuff. And, I used a 2x4 clamped to the bench with a v groove in it to help me hold the thing in my hands while working it with a file, or saw, or whatever, just a gnarly groove to help keep it steady in my hand. I don't use a vice for anything other than very specialized techniques in metalworking.

 

[admin]

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Thread title fixed.
Please see rule 9 here along with the rest of the forum rules

 

[gmwolford]

Although I don't own this yet, a friend uses and recommends it highly:

Dremel Vise.

It is on my wish list, if anyone is interested! 8)

 

[daimyo]

I make knives, when I have a shop space to do so. Pana vises are great for small stuff you don't want to dammage and need to get into different angles. Shop Fox Parrot vise with rubber coated tilt jaws is also nice. Walt is amazing so what he does is a bit beyond my skill level.

 

[mcitinner1]

Thanks for your reply guys. I had a feeling it might be a do it your own way thing. I tried holding the work in my hand for a while and had to keep pausing because of cramps. (whine)

 

[ejames]

I mostly hold it in my hand also but sometimes will stick a dowel rod in the bowl and clamp the dowel in the vise.Can also do that with a "Senior" type reamer. Oh,I get cramps also. I figure it's because I'm an old fart.

 

[bluesmk]

"Did you check the "Pipemaking Supplies" aisle at Lowes?" :rofl:

Aisle #34 I think.
Yep what Walt said, 50 makers/50 vices.

Dan

Gabrieli Pipes ::

 

[wayneteipen]

I hold my pipes in my hands but I've seen guys wrap electrical tape around a senior reamer and expand it in the tobacco chamber then clamp the senior reamer in a vise. Any decent bench top vice should do. FWIW, hand cramps go away as you build up the muscles in your hands. I like the intimacy with the briar shaping it in my hands.

 

[mcitinner1]

I got similar feelings holding a pipe while sanding it or using my Dremel. I like the idea of using the reamer for a clamp too. Source for one?

 

[mso489]

Good thread, something I'd wondered about, though I don't make or restore pipes. I badly wanted to get off

a pun on the vise and vice confusion, but oh well.

 

[mcitinner1]

Oops, spell check wouldn't catch that one. If my mom was here though she sure would have.

 

[ejames]

FWIW, hand cramps go away as you build up the muscles in your hands

In about 20 years or so you may find that they come back!! 8O

 

[ejames]

Not a vice but this is something I've found useful when I need to hold a stummel or stem and do filing and sanding. It's just a short piece piece of 2X4 with three layers of fairly thick leather glued and nailed to it. I drilled a 3/4" hole in the bottom and glued in a short dowel rod. The dowel fits into a hole in the bench.