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Pipe Making: Difference between revisions
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=== Drills and Bits === | === Drills and Bits === | ||
''This section and it's sub-sections are in the very early stages of development, please fell free to dive in! I had to leave them before finishing. We need photo examples of the options listed.'' | |||
[[Image:Drills_bits.jpg|thumb|500px|center|[[Trever Talbert]]'s drill and bit selection]] | |||
You just can't have too many options when it comes to drills and bits, or I guess any other tooling! Pipe making requires a combination of specialty or customized bits, and off-the-shelf drills. Even the off-the-shelf drills used are sometimes hard to find locally and must be ordered. | |||
==== Chamber Bits ==== | |||
This is a huge subject, and one that should perhaps split off into it's own article. Pipe makers use a variety of tobacco chamber bits, depending on the machines and techniques used. The three major categories are: | |||
#Spade type bits that have been specially ground are the easiest to acquire, they are inexpensive, and easy to make by modifying off the shelf spade bits. | |||
#Silver and Deming drills can also by specially ground for use as chamber bits. | |||
#Customized tobacco chamber bits that resemble spoon bits are used by many of the Danish pipe makers, and are now being used by many others. These are nearly essential for the shape first method that involves holding the previously shaped stummel in ones hands, and pushing it into the spinning bit. | |||
==== Drills for mortise and drought holes ==== | |||
Many pipes makers are using a 5/16" mortise, but will very this according to the design of the pipe. The types of bit used very depending on the technique employed and if the mortise is drilled before or after the drought hole. Options include: | |||
#Spur tip wood bits. These work best when the mortise is drilled before the drought hole, or have fresh wood to center the spus, otherwise they can be pulled off course. In fresh wood, they track very well and produce a relatively flat hole (with a point at the bottom from the spur), the flatness facilitates a precise fit with the stem tenon, while the spur point in the center of the hole can also provide an excellent start for centery the bit used to drill the drought hole. | |||
#Standard Silver&Deming bits work great too, especially if your following a previously drilled drought hole. The main drawback is the end of your tenon will need to be rounded to match the bottom of the mortise. | |||
==== Drills for stems ==== | |||
6" long tapered bits are excellent an choice for drilling out stem rod. 4mm, 5/32", and 9/64", and 1/8" are popular choices depending on design preferences. These are stopped around 3/4" short of the bit end and followed up with a smaller bit that will facilitate thinning out the bit. Popular choices here for this are 1/16", or 2mm, some pipe makers are going as small as 1mm. 6" long aircraft bits enable this portion to be drilled from the same end, or the rod stock can be re position and drilled from the other end with a shorter bit with proper alignment. | |||
==== Forstner bits ==== | |||
[[Image:forstner.jpg|thumb|Forstner bit]]Forstner bits, named after their inventor, Benjamin Forstner, bore precise, flat-bottomed holes in wood, in any orientation with respect to the wood grain. They can cut on the edge of a block of wood, and can cut overlapping holes.[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drill_bit#Forstner_bit] In pipe making Forstner bits are often used for facing operations while making shanks and stems, and can also be used for facing the top of the bowl. Many pipe makers also use them for drilling the mortise, providing a smooth flat bottomed hole that facilitates a precise tenon to mortise fit. | |||
You will find cheap sets of Forstner bits abound in discount stores, but these are not accurate enough for shank and stem facing work, where precision ground bits can make all the difference in facilitating a flush fit. Respected brands include Freud, Famag, Fisch (there are many others). The important thing to look for is "precision ground" bits, and avoid the cheap sets. | |||
==== Other helpful bits ==== | |||
#Centers of various diameters are very helpful for starting holes accurately in stems and stummels. | |||
#Countersinks can be helpful for mortise, and large ones can facilitate beveling the tobacco chamber in certain designs. | |||
== Materials and Supplies == | == Materials and Supplies == | ||