On the Bench

[raftergtex]

I have a thread here where I post completed pipes, but I thought it would also be fun to occassionally track the progress of the one I am working on. These will be crappy iPhone pictures for the most part, and I welcome any suggestions.

Anyway, this week I am doing a poker. On Monday, I cut the block on the band saw and then drilled it on the lathe. Last night I did the first rough shaping using 35 grit spinning very fast. (Have to watch the fingers. This setup will reduce anything to dust ...) You can see the shape emerging. I thought this would be a traditional barrel shape, but it seems to want to "melt" just a little bit:

[Pstlpkr]

Hey Tim,
Don't sweat the "crappy iPhone pictures", I think that is very good idea.
I like the shape of this poker... will it be a "self sitter".

And don't sweat the fingers.... you're a lawyer, not an accountant... you can always take off your shoes if you have to count something...

[raftergtex]

The idea is to end up with a self sitter, which is why the bottom is angled (to shift the weight forward). My plan (subject to whim or suggestions from the brain trust) is to add a shank extension, rusticate, and maybe do a lightly bent saddle bit (ebonite, cumberland or maybe some weird orange lucite that Phil sent me). Not sure about the shank extension, maybe a thin piece of wood of some kind.

I may need a new thread entitled "identify this wood." I bought different types of exotic woods over the last year, put it all in a box with no labels, and now have no idea what kind some of them are.

[raftergtex]

Last night, drilled, fitted and epoxied a shank extension assembly. Does not look like much yet ... That's cumberland and cocobolo (I think), using a piece of delrin to hold it together.

[RJ]

Daddy likes.

I like the "melting" shape a lot.

How's the grain looking? Appears birds-eye on the shown side.

If the grain is nice I could see that pipe with just a rusticated rim and maybe shank.

But it will be cool fully rusticated too if the grain is a bit pedestrian.

How about a lightly bent half saddle?

RJ

[raftergtex]

Last night was stem night. Drilled and fitted a cumberland stem. No shaping yet.



RJ that's an ebauchon block, with grain top and bottom and birdseye on the sides. My plan is to rusticate and use lightly bent saddle (or half saddle?). Maybe leave top and bottom smooth? Or the whole thing smooth if the birdseye is nice?

[Pstlpkr]

It looks like its coming along nicely.

Just a thought.
Don't change your plans about rusticating this one.

But, have you thought about rusticating one of your pipes just on the cross grain sides and polishing the birds eyes sides, making it look kind of like a real saddle?
Either rusticating just the left and right sides, or just the front and back.
Of course I wouldn't rusticate really nice grain.

[JC]

Has anyone noticed how Phil hasn’t commented on this tread and Tim’s new pipe… that’s because he’s too busy counting up the money he is going to need to buy this one.

It’s a poker shape so you know that he already has his eye on it.

[RJ]

Last night was stem night. Drilled and fitted a cumberland stem. No shaping yet.



RJ that's an ebauchon block, with grain top and bottom and birdseye on the sides. My plan is to rusticate and use lightly bent saddle (or half saddle?). Maybe leave top and bottom smooth? Or the whole thing smooth if the birdseye is nice?

How about rusticating the bowl and leaving the rim smooth? Then on the shnk if it ends up have some nice swooping grain or good birdseye leave it smooth or rusticate if it's so so wood.

[raftergtex]

Thanks for the suggestions. I will see what grain there is to work with soon. Hard to say yet. It tends to show up around 180 grit. I am not usually a fan of partial rustication, but who knows. At least the bottom will probably stay smooth since its a sitter. Makes a nice place to stamp also.

[raftergtex]

Well, I spent most of yesterday setting up a new computer. Thought it would take an hour. Not a lot of progress, but it is starting to look like a pipe at least:

[JC]

Tim...
It's coming along nicely... I bet Phil is already dream up ideas for how he is going to explain another new pipe to his wife.

[Pstlpkr]

They Tim,

I'm glad you decided to work on your new computer, rather than watch football yesterday......

Me, on the other had spent the day watching Football, and enjoying it.
Here's what I posted on the other site:

Watched College Football most of the day. Auburn and Alabama, both hard fought victories.

Then I watched the "Supreme Final" of the Australian Rules Football League.

It was the ultimate in "kiss your sister" games.
The St. Kilgore "Saints" played the Collingwood "Mag Pies" to "level". 61 to 61; there has never been a tie in the "Supreme Final" before.
The stadium was filled to capacity... attendance 100,016.
This was a war! These teams absolutely HATE each other.
There is no overtime or tie breakers, so a rematch is scheduled for 2:30 next Saturday afternoon Sydney time. (I think that is 12:30 AM Central Time.) You can watch it on ESPN's web site.
If you have never seen Australian Rules Football; I recommend that you see this game of "Footy". You'll be hooked.
GO MAG PIES!

I love that pipe. It seems to be turning out beautifully.
Poor, Phil.......

[NoseWarmer]

Yep... It is going to be a nice pipe....

HOWEVER... as soon as I figure out how to pay the kid's medical bills... I will then be back to buying pipes...

I must say, my new poker seems to have filled that nitch that was open... I might be set for a day or two...

I'm still waiting to smoke it, I will find the time in the next four weeks...

[raftergtex]

Well, I got busy yesterday and this one is close to finished. So close in fact that I guess I should save the next update for the "new ones" thread. I really like the way it turned out. May be the most comfortable one yet, and it sits easy. Now to pick from the great suggestions on the "design" thread ...