A pipe I just made.

[handyman dave]

I thought some folks might be interested in trying one of these so I thought I'd share my expereince.
I picked up a kit from Boswell's. Here is the kit I received for $40.00. It was a beautiful block of briar with the holes already drilled.

I marked the lines of the holes on the sides, sketched in a shape and made preliminary cuts.

I then roughed out the stem section.

A rasp and finer files got the shaping started.

Sandpaper was used to complete the shaping. I gradually progressed through 100,150,220,320,400,600,1000 grits to complete and smooth the surface.

The next post shows the finished piece.

 

[handyman dave]

A little alcohol base walnut stain, some paste wax and a little buffing completed the piece.

For my first attempt I am reasonably happy with how it looks. It feels really good in my hand. Tomorrow I'll fire it up and see how it smokes!

It was a fun 3 hour project. I recommend it to anyone with a little woodworking experience and a bit of patience.
I look forward to doing it again someday when I have $40 and a few hours to spare for a pipe.

 

[ckeller52]

For my first attempt I am reasonably happy with how it looks. It feels really good in my hand. Tomorrow I'll fire it up and see how it smokes!

It was a fun 3 hour project. I recommend it to anyone with a little woodworking experience and a bit of patience.
I look forward to doing it again someday when I have $40 and a few hours to spare for a pipe.

This forum is evil. I've been contemplating doing this for two weeks now and I think I'm going to punch in and buy a starter like yours.

You say you got it form Boswell's. I don't see anything about this on their site. Did you get it at the B&M?

Very nice job on the pipe BTW. I'll be thrilled if mine turns out half as nice.

 

[Jonesy]

Very nice work Dave! So, when do you start taking orders?

 

[handyman dave]

Very nice work Dave! So, when do you start taking orders?

Glad you like it!
As for taking orders; I could never get my hourly rate plus materials for the pipes so I think I'll continue doing my other work and keep the wolves away from the door!

 

[handyman dave]

For my first attempt I am reasonably happy with how it looks. It feels really good in my hand. Tomorrow I'll fire it up and see how it smokes!

It was a fun 3 hour project. I recommend it to anyone with a little woodworking experience and a bit of patience.
I look forward to doing it again someday when I have $40 and a few hours to spare for a pipe.

This forum is evil. I've been contemplating doing this for two weeks now and I think I'm going to punch in and buy a starter like yours.

You say you got it form Boswell's. I don't see anything about this on their site. Did you get it at the B&M?

Very nice job on the pipe BTW. I'll be thrilled if mine turns out half as nice.

Living only 50 miles from his shop has its advantages. I picked it up at the store. If you contact him I am sure he'll be glad to sell you one too!

 

[BigJake6904]

badass job man.

 

[psyktek]

For my first attempt I am reasonably happy with how it looks. It feels really good in my hand. Tomorrow I'll fire it up and see how it smokes!

It was a fun 3 hour project. I recommend it to anyone with a little woodworking experience and a bit of patience.
I look forward to doing it again someday when I have $40 and a few hours to spare for a pipe.

This forum is evil. I've been contemplating doing this for two weeks now and I think I'm going to punch in and buy a starter like yours.

You say you got it form Boswell's. I don't see anything about this on their site. Did you get it at the B&M?

Very nice job on the pipe BTW. I'll be thrilled if mine turns out half as nice.

I'll echo the other sentiments here, that is a fine looking pipe for a first attempt and all hand work.

Not wanting to take away any business from the Boswell family, but Mark Tinsky at American Smoking Pipes also sells very nice pre-drilled kits. If you wanted to take it a step further, you can get really fine blocks, undrilled I believe, from Michael Parks. Google either name to get their web
addresses.

 

[BigJake6904]

if you ever thought about doing it as a hobby, for 50-75 I'd be first in line to try one of those bad boys out.

 

[Twistabister]

Awesome pipe.. Id love to try to make one. What tools did you use?

 

[BrewMeister]

Very nicely done Dave!

:thumbs:

 

[Mr_Wolf]

Nice job Dave! Bring it to the herf, I's like to see it. :thumbs:

 

[handyman dave]

Awesome pipe.. Id love to try to make one. What tools did you use?

I used a bandsaw to make the roughing cuts but they could easily be done using a coping saw with a fresh blade.
A Nicholson #49 wood rasp does a marvelous job of hogging-off and shaping. On the down side it is rather expensive. A similar job can be done with any number of wood rasps including some inexpensive Chinese versions, it will just take a little longer.
A half round metal file bridged the shaping gap from the rasp to sandpaper.
Then strips of sandpaper that I cut various slender widths in the grits I mentioned, along with a sanding block, were used to smooth and shape and refine the curves.
Nothing high-tech, just simple stuff.

 

[handyman dave]

For my first attempt I am reasonably happy with how it looks. It feels really good in my hand. Tomorrow I'll fire it up and see how it smokes!

It was a fun 3 hour project. I recommend it to anyone with a little woodworking experience and a bit of patience.
I look forward to doing it again someday when I have $40 and a few hours to spare for a pipe.

This forum is evil. I've been contemplating doing this for two weeks now and I think I'm going to punch in and buy a starter like yours.

You say you got it form Boswell's. I don't see anything about this on their site. Did you get it at the B&M?

Very nice job on the pipe BTW. I'll be thrilled if mine turns out half as nice.

I'll echo the other sentiments here, that is a fine looking pipe for a first attempt and all hand work.

Not wanting to take away any business from the Boswell family, but Mark Tinsky at American Smoking Pipes also sells very nice pre-drilled kits. If you wanted to take it a step further, you can get really fine blocks, undrilled I believe, from Michael Parks. Google either name to get their web
addresses.

Thanks for the kind words and the other sources!
Since getting this one from JM I have thought about starting from scratch and drilling the holes as well. I have a couple of drill presses so aligning them would not be difficult. However, the hole for the fire is shaped differently than a regular drill bit and I would need to find the correct cutter to finish the inside of the hole to the correct profile. Perhaps your sources will be able to provide me with one. I will check!

 

[handyman dave]

if you ever thought about doing it as a hobby, for 50-75 I'd be first in line to try one of those bad boys out.

I appreciate the offer but I recently started building a cello as my hobby project and that will consume any free time for the foreseeable future.

 

[Dsav101]

Dave, looks awesome bro!!! I am not really into pipes at all, but that one looks real tight! Enjoy it bro.

Don

 

[Big Stick]

Wow amazing!!!!!

 

[NullSmurf]

Just now saw this, Dave. Very well done!

 

[souldog]

That is a really nice looking pipe, great piece of work!!

 

[LilBastage]

That is VERY nice!

I have to try this some day. Once I get my workshop finished and all of my tools sorted, a pipe is going to be one of my first projects.

Once again, very nice work!