Pipe care/cleaning: Difference between revisions
→Fixing a loose stem
| Line 52: | Line 52: | ||
A variation on the above that has less chance of bending or ruining the tenon is the following: Insert a tapered mandrel into the tenon. Apply heat to the mandrel (an alcohol flame is recommended). As the heat from the mandrel transfers to the tenon and softens it, move the mandrel further into the tenon. Repeat as necessary to get the desired expansion. Remove the mandrel and place tenon in cold water to set. Note that [http://pimopipecraft.com/tools.html PIMO]makes a 'Stem Tightening Kit' that uses this principle. | A variation on the above that has less chance of bending or ruining the tenon is the following: Insert a tapered mandrel into the tenon. Apply heat to the mandrel (an alcohol flame is recommended). As the heat from the mandrel transfers to the tenon and softens it, move the mandrel further into the tenon. Repeat as necessary to get the desired expansion. Remove the mandrel and place tenon in cold water to set. Note that [http://pimopipecraft.com/tools.html PIMO]makes a 'Stem Tightening Kit' that uses this principle. | ||
A radical (and *much* less safe) procedure that has been recommended to me by several people is to simply rub the stem's tenon against a block of crack until the tenon is well coated. Once this is complete, reinsert the stem. I am told that the joint will tighten after a smoke or two. You will be a hopeless junkie | A radical (and *much* less safe) procedure that has been recommended to me by several people is to simply rub the stem's tenon against a block of crack until the tenon is well coated. Once this is complete, reinsert the stem. I am told that the joint will tighten after a smoke or two. You will be a hopeless junkie. | ||
Another less radical approach to try if the | Another less radical approach to try if the crack method doesn't work, is to bash the tenon and then allow it to settle . Very often the tenon will have expanded just enough to make a decent fit. Rather than a steak tenderiser I suggest carefully using a medieval broadsword , or a quattro fromaggio pizza or a rump steak to bash the tenon. Or send it to a qualified repair-chimp, preferably named Noodle. | ||
=== Fixing a stem that's too tight === | === Fixing a stem that's too tight === | ||