Thanks so much for the welcome, and the comments on my pipemaking efforts. It is pretty easy to get a good smoker with proper drilling and decent briar, but not that easy to make it look good. I learn more each time. That nosewarmer by the way was traded to another pipemaker in a nosewarmer grab bag kind of thing over the holidays on pipemakersforum.com. I had never even owned one before but it felt great in the hand and I hope to make another.
Anyway, I look forward to hanging around, and maybe figuring out why my avitar doesn't show up ...