Plaster OF Paris

[nardzorb]

Contemplated the 'what if I could' make a pipe out of PoP, my research on the possibility is a quick net search, found out PoP was used to 'burn out proof' corn cob pipes, and just from looking it appears a few bowls are made with it, but I am not sure, need further reading on the subject.
My thought are that I could make a stem hole and inner bowl shape from wax inside a mould, then when dry and cured the wax could be melted out, then the PoP could be coated in some sort of hardener, what ever that could be. Or I could grease up some objects in the shape of the inner pipe cavities?
Thoughts on this?

I am new to this, I have used a pipe, but not necessarily for pipe tobacco, I used to regularly smoke cigars but I need something different, I have pipe tobacco on the way, but I have not built me a pipe yet, going to make a maple wood pipe.
Thanks suckers, er... pipe suckers.

 

[anglesey]

Can't see why not. I'd let it well dry first though, and probably coat the inside of the bowl well with something to protect against any deterioration in the plaster of paris. perhaps that pre-carbonised coverings that some bowls come with that are supposed to mean you don't have to break it in.

 

[nardzorb]

Perhaps the inner bowl could be coated in something like honey to help carbonize it?

 

[anglesey]

I'm not sure about honey, i dont know how the sugars in the honey would react with the gypsum. Though I'm really no expert in plaster of paris, I've seen them go dry and powdery, and I'd be reluctant to use anything that wasnt totally inert, so to speak, like carbon.

 

[mso489]

I think of Plaster of Paris as being a somewhat fragile material. I think this pipe might make an interesting

experiment, but I don't think it's a long-term pipe. It would still be fun to try this. With briar, you are often

looking at a material that will be around for sixty or one hundred years. This, if you smoke it at all regularly,

sounds like more of a three-year experience.

 

[nardzorb]

Ha,Ha, perhaps I will be looking at making a concrete pipe then

Anyhow, I have already poured the mould!

I took pics and I will share them soon.
And of course I am experimenting here, and if I cannot create a functioning pipe, I will just buy one.

 

[petes03]

I'm interested to see how this turns out!

 

[foggymountain]

Lets see some pictures please. Why is plaster called "of Paris"? (And while we are on the subject, who invented the rear view mirror?) There are other plaster like substances such as hydrocal and cast stone, both harder than plaster.

 

[nardzorb]

I am assuming I need a pic host as I am assuming this forum does not upload pics.

Recommended host, photobucket or similar?
My PoP pipe is looking like a pipe and I got the pics on the camera.

The water content is still high, the object is cool to the touch and heavy.

 

[phred]

Photobucket seems to be the most often-mentioned photo hosting site - I use it myself.
Definitely interested to see the results of your experimentation!
As for the "of Paris" designation, it appears to derive from the production of gypsum plaster in Montmartre (thus saith Wikipedia, via a Merriam-Webster citation).

 

[virginiacob]

Plaster of Paris has been used for years in the cob pipe industry going back to Henry Tibbe (the original founder of MM) who actually patented the process in 1878. Plaster of Paris helped seal up the cob bowls and allowed the bowls to be sanded for a smooth finish. A lacquer coating was then added as a final seal over the plaster of Paris. I would expect that plaster of Paris on its own could become brittle over time. Think in the terms of concrete. Concrete gets its tensile strength from the rebar used to reinforce it. Without any rebar, concrete can become brittle and crack. With cob pipes, the rough texture of the cob allows the plaster of Paris to fill the kernel crevices and bond to the cob itself and the cob in this instance acts as the "rebar". Then the final lacquer coating helps seal in the plaster and protect it from exposure to air and moisture.

 

[foggymountain]

phred:Thanks for the explanation.

 

[nardzorb]

Since I bought me a very affordable Medico pipe, the plaster pipe experiment is on hold.

It is interesting to know more about that and the corn cob pipe though.

 

[masterpython]

I think you could make a more durable plaster pipe if you made it like a cast with fabric embedded.

 

[nardzorb]

If I ever break my arms, I'll keep that in mind.
(Geez, that's just awful)
Good idea though masterpython, or even fibres.

 

[hellminateur]

hi i know im 2 year late for this topic but i just made a pipe out of PoP i did not cast it i instead carved it like a meerschaum would have been casting might have work better but the carving was fun i have not yet used it and it feel nice and solid oh and i was thinking of sealing it in beeswax like a meerschaum normally is

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Pictures! Let's see it.

 

[hellminateur]

http://imgur.com/a/bJLck i have not yet used it ill post update after i used it

 

[hellminateur]

http://imgur.com/a/bJLck i have not yet used it ill post update after i used it

 

[jpmcwjr]

This is a way to add photos to your post:
To get photos to load quickly and show in the post, you first have to upload the photo to this site.

1.) Login

2.) Go to My Account (may have hit Home button first) and mouse down to Album.

3.) Choose Upload Picture (navigate to photo you've given a sensible name to), be sure to then hit Upload.

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.