Trying to Make My First Pipe

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auburnfan

Might Stick Around
Sep 19, 2017
89
0
My wife got me a "man crate" that is a pipe making kit. It has a block of briar and hand tools (saw, files, etc..) pretty cool set. However, I'm not about to try to use their saw to shape a pipe.....I do have a dremel 4000 and think that would be my best tool over the hand tools.
My question is, what and how do I start with the dremel. Has anyone used this process before, and how did you do it?

 

mikethompson

Comissar of Christmas
Jun 26, 2016
11,872
25,819
Near Toronto, Ontario, Canada
There are more than a few skilled pipe makers on this forum, I'm sure you will get some 'real' advice. I'm with Javan, I'd love to see some pictures of the process. Do you have a stem for this pipe?

 

sumusfumus

Part of the Furniture Now
Jul 20, 2017
597
549
New York City
Pre-drilled for tobacco chamber and stem, or, a blank block of briar? Plenty of You-Tube videos showing the making of pipes from "briar-block kits" and, by using hand tools.
A Dremel with some burrs.... will quickly grind that briar, but, roughing out shape by sawing away all the waste, is much faster. So will a good belt sander. Explore the possibilities. Start with drawing a top and side view of the pipe of choice and remove all the briar outside the basic design. Then refine the shape. You-Tube videos will show the whole process.
Have fun. You'll be smoking that block in no time at all.
Frank

NYC

 

coyja

Can't Leave
Feb 10, 2018
409
400
Spinning ball of dirt
This are very cool... I'm going to have to pass this link along to the wife.

Although, I'd likely go the opposite route and try to carve it all with carving knives. (Mora knives, of course)

 

jpmcwjr

Lifer
May 12, 2015
26,263
30,344
Carmel Valley, CA
Auburn. It's really not that tough.
Once your photos are on a photo hosting site (such as Imgur.com; Photobucket; Postimage; Dropbox, etc.), or on virtually any site, select the full image, then Control-click (Mac) or Right-click (Windows) on the image itself, then choose copy image location. Now paste that URL (the full web address, which should end in .jpg) into the IMG box in the reply window of the thread you're posting to.
The site's album is also a good choice.

 

auburnfan

Might Stick Around
Sep 19, 2017
89
0
Thanks Jpm...tried all that many times in the past. I guess it's because I'm on my phone. But, my post is not about pictures....I was hoping to get some insight from forum members on making a pipe from a block of wood of which I've never done, or of which I'm not sure on tools. Yes I can go to YouTube or the pipe makers forum, but I was hoping to get some insight here, because I like this place. Thanks

 

literaryworkshop

Starting to Get Obsessed
Feb 10, 2014
127
0
Mobile, AL
Well, I'm all out of short answers, but here's a long answer: I wrote up a blog post on this a few years ago. One of these days I'll write an updated version, but you might find it useful.
I've not really used a Dremmel so can't comment on its usefulness in pipe making. In general, professional pipe makers use stationary tools (lathes, belt sanders, disk sanders, bandsaws, etc.), so the tool sits still while the pipe moves around. But if you don't have that kind of tooling (most of us don't), then you can indeed use hand tools to shape a pipe.
I do find it quicker to saw away most of the waste, and then follow up with rasps, files, and sandpaper. A good coping saw is really all you need. Using the tools isn't necessarily the hard part, though. The hardest part for me was figuring out how to hold the block steady so I could work on it with both hands. (Holding the block in one hand and cutting at it with the other hand is NOT a good idea.) If I didn't have the system I came up with, I'd probably use a small machinist's vise fitted with wooden jaws and further padded with a rag or two.
Best of luck to you, and enjoy the process!

 

Chasing Embers

Captain of the Black Frigate
Nov 12, 2014
45,277
119,392
Don't even have to have a hosting site, you can just rip them right off the original web image.
fb_pipe_making_gift_set__31263.jpg


 
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