Re-drilling a draft hole

[wannashmooze]

So here is a draft hole picture of an estate that I recently fixed up. The pipe is a Mayfair, which is a Sasieni second. Nice briar, well shaped, etc. The draft hole, however seems to end about 2mm above the bottom of the bowl. I know that's probably why this pipe is a second, but does anyone have experience in filling a draft hole and re-drilling?

I was thinking of tapping in a hardwood dowel and redrilling the hole.

 

[sergemoat]

I would suggest filling the bottom of the bowl with pipe mud and leave the drilling as is. Mix up some pipe or cigar ash with water into a thick paste.

 

[ssjones]

With the bend on that pipe, I doubt you'll be able to get the right angle without damaging the shank end.

I'm with serge, build it up with pipe mud. Or, just smoke it. I have a few like that and they seem to smoke just fine, to me.

 

[blindmansleeps]

I'd like some info on this as well. I have a beautiful Ropp pipe whose draft hole isn't perfectly aligned with the tenon. It's smokeable, but a little tough on a draw.

 

[zack24]

I'm betting the slightly high draft will have little if any effect on smoking. Agree with Sam Coffeeman on problem #2- safest way to proceed is get a drill bit 1/64 larger than the current hole and twist it in by hand with a tap handle- drilling with power is faster, but prone to disaster if you haven't done it before...Check the draw after the first time, if not improved, take it up another 64th...

 

[wannashmooze]

Thanks for the advice guys. Im gona try smoking it and then il do pipe mud if its no good.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

All of my high-end Danish full-bent pipes are drilled in this way, and as I've fully explored this genre of pipes at my B&M, I've found almost all of them to be this way. And, no one has ever accused the Danish of not knowing their pipe engineering.

I think that the idea is that the condensation pools below the draft, keeping it from gurgling. Sure, it is a trade off, being able to smoke all of the dottle to ash verses gurgling. Personally, I'd hate to have the gurgles more than forfeiting a few grains of dottle.

 

[wannashmooze]

Excellent point Cosmicfolklore, and thanks for the info! Makes me feel better about the engineering of this pipe

 

[nsfisher]

Personally, I have never had much of a problem with the draught holes being off a bit. Me thinks it's a physiological issue.

 

[blindmansleeps]

Thanks for the advice! I'll try expanding the hole a bit.

 

[lostandfound]

+1 Cosmic

 

[taerin]

Your best off just smoking it, I have a pipe like that and it smokes just fine. The pipe mud is something I'd never do to a briar pipe, I really prefer the properties of briar over mud any day. Best to just smoke it and expand the hole if the draw is too restricted, but if the draw is good, do not mess with it, not worth the risk, the rewards are negligible and the risk is very real due to the bend.

 

[gmwolford]

I think that the idea is that the condensation pools below the draft, keeping it from gurgling. Sure, it is a trade off, being able to smoke all of the dottle to ash verses gurgling. Personally, I'd hate to have the gurgles more than forfeiting a few grains of dottle.

Interesting observation, one I'd not thought of before, rather like an interior system pipe in that regard.