When Design Brilliance Meets Killer Technical Execution

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georged

Lifer
Mar 7, 2013
5,491
13,920
It's rare in any field, not just the PipeWorld, to find artisans who can come up with original ideas and execute those ideas to a high standard.

I suppose it's a left brain / right brain thing... Designers want to sketch and invent, while technicians are obsessed with detail and precision. Getting them to leave their "passion area"---their comfort zone---is usually difficult. And when they do try to do it all, their output is disappointing.

Once in a while, though, both abilities can be found in the same individual.

Doug Finlay is one of them.

A life-long shop and tool user at a high level (luxury automotive repair), he dove down the pipe making rabbit hole about four years ago and found the outlet he'd been looking for his entire life: Being in control of every step---inspiration, design, materials selection, and fabrication---while creating something he loved.

The pipe shown here is something I've never seen before in 48 years of PipeWorld involvement.

The technical design is insane. The aesthetic design is both singular and brilliant. The execution is perfect.

What name did Doug give the shape?

Atlatl

(search the word and all will become clear)


PS --- since someone is bound to ask, the shank is boxwood



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Markem

Might Stick Around
Aug 4, 2022
63
175
Beaverton, OR
A fascinating design. Basically, take a completed bowl, turn it around, and then do what is necessary to turn it into a pipe.

Simple, yet elegant. Color me very impressed.
 
Aug 1, 2012
4,587
5,131
It's a beautiful piece of artistry and execution. Its resemblance to the throwing half (not the business half) of the atlatl is pretty great. I only have one problem with the design, and that will be apparent to many of us who have played with a dog recently...

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georged

Lifer
Mar 7, 2013
5,491
13,920
It's a beautiful piece of artistry and execution. Its resemblance to the throwing half (not the business half) of the atlatl is pretty great. I only have one problem with the design, and that will be apparent to many of us who have played with a dog recently...

I can see the tabloid headline now:

Man Nearly Starves To Death When His Border Collie Keeps Him Prisoner

"Well, I can't explain what happened..." said Mr. Sousie's neighbor Mrs. Hodge. "He was just this gentle pipe smoking man. And one day out of the blue---I noticed he was smoking a new pipe, that's all that was different---his dog Rufus started barking excitedly and running in circles around him for no reason. I mean, he just wouldn't stop. When Mr. Sousie tried to wave Rufus away with his pipe---he was always waving at people with his pipe---it just made the dog act more excited. Crazier and crazier. So, he finally locked himself in his garden shed for peace and quiet. I had no idea that he stayed in there since last month."
 

Piping Rooster

Can't Leave
Jun 29, 2022
398
2,065
Champa Bay
It's rare in any field, not just the PipeWorld, to find artisans who can come up with original ideas and execute those ideas to a high standard.

I suppose it's a left brain / right brain thing... Designers want to sketch and invent, while technicians are obsessed with detail and precision. Getting them to leave their "passion area"---their comfort zone---is usually difficult. And when they do try to do it all, their output is disappointing.

Once in a while, though, both abilities can be found in the same individual.

Doug Finlay is one of them.

A life-long shop and tool user at a high level (luxury automotive repair), he dove down the pipe making rabbit hole about four years ago and found the outlet he'd been looking for his entire life: Being in control of every step---inspiration, design, materials selection, and fabrication---while creating something he loved.

The pipe shown here is something I've never seen before in 48 years of PipeWorld involvement.

The technical design is insane. The aesthetic design is both singular and brilliant. The execution is perfect.

What name did Doug give the shape?

Atlatl

(search the word and all will become clear)


PS --- since someone is bound to ask, the shank is boxwood



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I thought this may have been the work of Sabina Santos when I first seen it. She does some remarkable work as well! I love the bowl to shank design on this. Incredible workmanship!