Screw in Stem Off Center

[professorwheezy]

Picked up an EBay special. Decent Bent Bulldog but the stem is the kind that screws in (has threads). It is a square where it meets the shank. It is Loose if it is centered. If I tighten it then it is off center about 45 degrees. Is there anyway to tighten a screw in stem so I don't have to go past where it should align.

 

[4dotsasieni]

Hmm - sounds like a Jobey Stromboli. There are two ways to go about this: you could carefully cut a bit off the screw tenon, if you have the right tools and skill. What you don't want to do is crush the plastic so it blocks the tenon intake hole. Or you could build up a little bit on the pipe side (the inside) of the square part of the stem, using anything from a dab of superglue to a thin washer as suggested above.
Whatever you do, don't try what I did - which was to try to smoke the pipe with the stem screwed in loosely, but with the mouthpiece lined up. This resulted in the pipe smoothly doing a 180 and dumping all the hot ash in my lap. OUCH!

 

[cortezattic]

Sell it on eBay! :rofl:

 

[tbradsim1]

Cork on a wine bottle makes a good washer,cut very thin.

 

[ejames]

What kind of pipe is it? KW,Grabow,Brewster or ??

 

[professorwheezy]

More of a ?? It says "hand tooled" on the shank, that's it. I think I will start out with leather or cork.

 

[pstlpkr]

If it's a Dr. Grabow "Adjustomatic" the metal insert will move (clockwise).

A Dr. Grabow will/should have a "spade" on the stem in white.

I suggest you put it in the freezer long enough for the metal to shrink a bit, then screw the stem on it and see if it will just turn until it's straight.

DON'T FORCE IT!!!

If it is an "Adjustomatic" then it will slide inside the shank... not easily, but you shouldn't have to force it either.

 

[captainsousie]

Get cork washers from a music store that does brass instrument repair. They have various sizes and thickness.

 

[pruss]

Thanks Bradley and Captainsousie for the tips on using cork. I never would have gone there, and am struggling with the same issue on a Kaywoodie bulldog.
Cheers!
-- Pat

 

[professorwheezy]

OK, so I bought cork and leather at the hobby store and then passed the balsa wood and picked up some of that too. Made a balsa wood washer (took quite a few tries) as the leather and cork were too thick. Removed it carefully and then I retorted the pipe. Well the retort did it. I guess it got the pipe stem/stinger hot enough that I was able to move it back to 0 degrees. Stops clean at 0 now, no balsa washer needed. I'll post pics when done. Started out as a nasty dark looking bent bulldog with an off center stem. I have stripped it and am now sanding it. Should be purdy when it gets restained. At 2200 grit right now.