Rough shapeing of a lucite blank.

[orionpyoung]

I have been considering making a new stem for my first briar pipe. The current stem is made of very cheap and very oxidized vulcanite plus the bend near the button is so sharp i cannot get a pipe cleaner down the whole stem. After looking around a bit I found some very reasonably priced lucite "rods" at Pipe Makers Emporium but I am surprised to find that they are square in shape. Not round as the word rod would imply! So the question is, what tools and method should I use in roughing the blank into a cylindrical shape? I have a bit of experience running lathes and have done a share of work on small watchmakers lathes and larger wood lathes, but have never started with a square blank. So any suggestions?

 

[smokindawg]

These can be rounded in a lathe, either wood or metal. I use a metal lathe. I mark one end as close to center as possible and then drill a small pilot hole, just enough for the point of a live center to set in. I chuck one end in a 4 jaw chuck on the head stock loosely. I use a wood chuck like the nova and don't use any jaws. If it's too big, you can slightly round that end using a bench grinder. (This makes it easier to put in the chuck anyway) I then bring the tail stock up to the squared end that I've marked as close to center as possible. Tighten the chuck down but only enough so that you can still move the other end a bit. I then tighten the tail stock so it won't slide and adjust the live center into the pilot hole. I then got back to the chuck end and tighten the chuck down some more and then adjust the live center in till it's tight and spins when I turn the chuck. I then tighten the chuck down the rest of the way, but not so tight as to break or crack the lucite blank.
I then use wood lathe tools to rough round the blank. You can use the metal cutters and cross slide if you want to get it perfectly round, but I've found that for stem making or tampers, it's quicker, and round enough, too just use the hand tools. Once I get it fairly round as close to the chuck as I can get it, I turn it around in the chuck and then round the other end the same way.
There are other ways to do it, such as using a spur drive in the headstock rather than the chuck, but it works for me the way I explained it so that's how it's done in my shop.

 

[orionpyoung]

Thank you for the quick response. I don't entirely follow, but I'm sure once I have the blank secured in the lathe it will either all come tumbling into my head and if not I can ask more accurate questions! Perhaps I am allowing the shape of the blank to make me believe it will be harder then it actually is.
I have decided to attempt a military mount as the bowl itself tends to smoke very moist. Hopefully the ease of access will allow me to dry out the pipe without worrying about warping the stummel when pulling out the stem mid smoke. The only problem with this idea is the minor fact that I have never actually seen a military mount other then on the internet. Could some one perhaps post a picture of a removed military mount stem so I can get a better idea of the tapper that is needed?

 

[orionpyoung]

Thank you so much for the pictures. Both of these are beautiful pipes, that Ascorti sure does jump out at me and that stem is very close to what I am going to attempt... at least the first attempt. I just received the package the other day from Pipe makers Emporium. The tortoise shell is going to look great as a churchwarden and the pumpkin spice will pair well with my brothers reddish Vauen. Now all I have to do is get out to my friends shop in the middle of nowhere and get to work on the lathe! Couldn't think of a better project, location and time of year! I will of course post results as the begin to take shape!