DIY tobacco pipe?

[Shiloh]

Hey all!

Wow, it's been a while.  I fell off the PA boards for a while, life got kind of crazy with school and the like, and unfortunately I haven't been able to even shoot my bows in a while.

Anyway, I've got another project that's been bouncing around in my head for a bit. I started enjoying cigars now and again when I moved out to Wyoming, and one of the guys who introduced me to it also smokes pipes. I'd really like to try it out, since I really enjoyed his when he let me try it. But there's two problems: Can't really afford to spend a lot on a new pipe, and I'm positive that I've got some un-diagnosed condition that makes me look at something and say, "Yeah, I could probably just make that instead of buying it."

There's a few different ways I can think of doing this:

1) Make the bowl and stem two different pieces, as most pipes are constructed. The bowl shouldn't be an issue, but making both a good stem and putting the two together securely presents a slight challenge. I'm pretty limited in the tools I've got, so it's pretty much limited to hand tools, a dremel, and a drill.

2) I stumbled onto this on the youtubez: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGUtBBe2BX0
That actually interested me quite a bit, but then there's the issue of using glue (epoxy or otherwise) to hold the two halves together. I know there's some adhesives that are meant to endure high temperatures, but I'm not sure I'd like to be breathing in the fumes.

Could you guys toss any advice/ideas my way? I'm not great at projects like this, but the only way to get better is practice, I guess.

Thanks!

[Ed Brooks]

if you can get your hands on some deer antler, just drill out a pipe, all in one piece. Ed

[Dharma]

Catlinite is easily carved with a knife. And you can make a stem with a spare piece of sourwood shaft. Use a 1/2" HSS drill bit to drill out the bowl and a knife to carve it larger if you like. Then use a 1/8" HSS drill bit to drill from where the stem goes into the bowl at the bottom. Use the right size HSS drill bit to enlarge that hole to accommodate the stem, but leaving at least 1" of the 1/8" hole into the bowl. Use a "Longboy" 1/8" HSS drill bit (they're usually 6" long) to drill out the pith center of the sourwood shaft to make the stem. Sand the stem and polish it. Finish off the Catlinite bowl as per directions you can find on the net. Now you have a pipe.

[Dharma]

You can also use Steatite or Soapstone to make the bowl.

[Shiloh]

Thanks guys, I'll look into the catlinite or other options. I'm going to make a run to Home Depot today and just see if I can't scrounge up some miscellaneous parts. 

[autologus]

I think you should use a corn cob, they are easy to carve out and they look really cool especially when your wearing your Big Smith overalls. 

Grady

[Shiloh]

I think you should use a corn cob, they are easy to carve out and they look really cool especially when your wearing your Big Smith overalls. 

Grady

Haha, I'll admit it crossed my mind!  Next time we have corn I'll have to save one of the leftovers.

Also, I did find a few cheap pipes on Amazon, about $30. They're probably not the greatest, but I did find one that should work for a starter.

[stickbender]

      You can make your own.  Do like Dharma said, or just carve one out of a root burl, non toxic root of course.   Or a tree burl.  or just find a nice birch or other non oily wood, and cut a limb or chunk of wood.
Just carve the bowl, and leave a stub an inch or so for the pipe stem to fit in.  You have all the tools you need.  You can get a round, or semi pointed stone for the dremel, of the size you want for the bowl mouth.  Cut the basic shape of the pipe bowl and stem stub, and then drill a hole the length of the stub to the center of the bowl. Or you can do that after drilling 1/4 inch hole down to the depth you want in your bowl, and then use a larger bit, and another,etc.  then use the stone.
down to the depth you have room for, and then drill the 1/16 inch hole in for the smoke flow from the end of the stem stub, 
then drill a3/8's or so hole half way in from the stub end.  Then all you have to do is shape, and polish the bowl, and fit a stem of your design to it.  You can use most any wood.  I would not think antler, or bone would be a good choice, as the odor of burnt hair, or bone, is not a good one, nor do I think it would taste, or be so "too pretty good" for your lungs.
I don't know from experience.  Could be wrong.  Just seems like it would not be a pleasant experience.  You can also make a clay pipe like in past century's.  I started to make a peace pipe from Catlinite  and used a brace and bit with a large Dremel stone with round sides and a slightly tapered tip.  first I used a1/4 inch mason drill in a variable speed drill , and then used the brace and bit from there on, as I could tell when it got tight, and I also used an old side gear hand drill.  I also used a fluted cone metal bit too.  It is as yet unfinished, and in Montana at the moment.  I have a Cedar stem for it.  I need to finish carving on the pipe bowl.  As soft as it is , it takes a nice polish.  You can go simple, or intricate on your pipe.  It is after all your pipe.   Just be careful of seeds popping..... Oh, uh, I mean, watch out for sparks, on your shirts, and so forth, .....wear cotton shirts.  Nylon melts to you. 

                                                                                Wayne

[ionicmuffin]

Here is one i just threw together, be careful of the wood you use, I have laburnum and that is poisonous so be careful. this is not laburnum but rather honeysuckle. I have a plum stem and it fits together tightly but is just carved to be barely bigger than the bowl itself. I just shoved it into the entrance for the bowl and it fits nicely. Comes apart but wont come apart on you if you are using it.

[Olanigw (Pekane)]

3/4" drill bit for the chamber, a 1/4" or so bit that matches your stem, and a 3/16"" bit for the draught hole.

You want seasoned fruit wood or hard maple.  Branches are easiest to work with.






Second option is putting something together like a Missouri Meerschaum cob pipe, 3/4" hole for the chamber and a 3/8"ish hole through the side for a shank.  The end of the shank is cut at an angle to establish the bottom of the bowland is fixed with plain white glue like this


I'll be making some more in the next couple of weeks out of cherry and will do a build-along if I can remember.

Also look in your local Rite-aid for a missouri meerschaum cob pipe.  They're dirt cheap and smoke extremely well.

[JW_Halverson]

Olanigw's design is pretty easy to pull off.  But I would seriously rethink the white glue approach.  White glue is a Polyvinylacetate....nothing I wanna add to my body.  Instead, mix up some VERY thick hide glue and use that.  At least it's something a bit more natural. 

Drill the stem hole with a regular drill bit and taper the stemvery slightly so that it jams in nice and tight.  That way a you only need  small bit of hide glue to hold tight.

[Shiloh]

Sooooo, I had an "oooooh shiny" moment at the local smoke shop earlier today. They had a generic knock-off pipe (that was probably machined en masse somewhere in China :/) for $30, and I figured that if nothing else, I'd be able to steal the stem off it if I decided to make one in the future.

[KrisDelger]

Honestly I feel the best way to start building a collection of pipes is to hunt through Ebay for estate pipes then clean them up, ream em, do bowl soaks, stem soaks and then just get to puffing. Also if you want the absolute best wood for making a pipe I'd suggest ordering a pre-aged pre-dried brier block and some vulcanite to make stems. I've made a few pipes this way and love em all to bits!

As stated though corn cobs are an easy way to go, and hickory makes a great stem for a cob pipe. Just make sure you pack the base to avoid burn out. Also I'm surprised your local smoke shop didn't have something like a Missouri Meerschaum cob pipe most shops have em en mass.
One thing to keep in mind is that whatever wood you try and use you must be sure it is properly dried and aged. If the wood has too much tanic (I think thats the term I'm looking for) acid it will make a terrible pipe! It'll be bitter, and give you tongue bite. I learned that lesson with cherry wood, and juniper when I first got into pipe smoking. Now I'm a briar... I can't help it D: (This from the guy with a 98+ pipe collection....yep I'm addicted to collecting pipes...)

[Ed Brooks]

Do you guys know if Ocean Spray is ok to make a pipe out of, as far at toxic?

[KrisDelger]

Do you guys know if Ocean Spray is ok to make a pipe out of, as far at toxic?

Ocean Spray shouldn't be toxic, I'd say give it a shot honestly it could turn out interesting.