Golf clap
-
BOTL UPCOMING MAINTENANCE
Hi Everyone, as mentioned in my introduction post, BOTL needs quite a bit of updating, patching and whatever else I might come across. Over the next few weekends BOTL may be unreachable on occasion as I do migrations or updates, etc. Just be patient - we'll be back! I'll generally try to keep these maintenances until later in the evenings.
Pipe Restoration - Do's and Don'ts.........
- Thread starter Grrrrr609
- Start date
Dr Grabow stem work
Ok this pipe has it all. Picked it up at a flea market, it was a freebee for buying a pipe ashtray.
First offf the stem was stuck. This pipe has a screw tenon and was stuck in the shank.
The fix was easy, freeze it. Stuck the pipe in the freezer for a few hours amd I was able to move the stem. Put it back in the freezer for a few more hours and I was able to unscrew it.
Next the stem is off center when screwed into the shank. This fix is fairly easy but you must be careful.
The fix, I placed my heat gun into my vice. Unscrewed the stem and heated the vulcanite. Screwed the stem in till it was tight then kept turning until the stem was aligned. Placed the whole pipe back in the freezer to reset the tenon in the stem. Once the vulcanite was cool, I removed and replaced the stem a few times to make sure I was happy with the alignment.
The Stem
The stem after Oxyclean
The stem after a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser
The stem after 400 grit sandpaper and oxidation scraped from the hole
Now to address the bite thru (the holes in the stem). The holes are filled with black flexible CA glue. I cut to size a piece of cardboard and insert it into the bit. Then fill the holes with CA glue.
Filed the glue spot flush
Sanded glue spot with 320 and 500 grits
Sanded whole stem with progression of grits
1500
1800
2400
3200
3600
4000
6000
8000
12000
(To be continued)
Ok this pipe has it all. Picked it up at a flea market, it was a freebee for buying a pipe ashtray.
First offf the stem was stuck. This pipe has a screw tenon and was stuck in the shank.
The fix was easy, freeze it. Stuck the pipe in the freezer for a few hours amd I was able to move the stem. Put it back in the freezer for a few more hours and I was able to unscrew it.
Next the stem is off center when screwed into the shank. This fix is fairly easy but you must be careful.
The fix, I placed my heat gun into my vice. Unscrewed the stem and heated the vulcanite. Screwed the stem in till it was tight then kept turning until the stem was aligned. Placed the whole pipe back in the freezer to reset the tenon in the stem. Once the vulcanite was cool, I removed and replaced the stem a few times to make sure I was happy with the alignment.
The Stem
The stem after Oxyclean
The stem after a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser
The stem after 400 grit sandpaper and oxidation scraped from the hole
Now to address the bite thru (the holes in the stem). The holes are filled with black flexible CA glue. I cut to size a piece of cardboard and insert it into the bit. Then fill the holes with CA glue.
Filed the glue spot flush
Sanded glue spot with 320 and 500 grits
Sanded whole stem with progression of grits
1500
1800
2400
3200
3600
4000
6000
8000
12000
(To be continued)
Last edited:
So what happens when I crack a stem?
Just broke both of the square-ended bent stems from my box of basket case pipes. Not sure I'm going to get any smokers out of the lot, most if not all are water damaged and cracked. But, I'll still practice on em.
So, I just broke/chipped two at the mouthpiece simply pulling a pipe cleaner through. Suspect they were already broken and just barely held together
Just broke both of the square-ended bent stems from my box of basket case pipes. Not sure I'm going to get any smokers out of the lot, most if not all are water damaged and cracked. But, I'll still practice on em.
So, I just broke/chipped two at the mouthpiece simply pulling a pipe cleaner through. Suspect they were already broken and just barely held together
Water damage:
There's actually some really deep cracks and pits I suspect breach the bowl.
And what I did to my stems. May have been my fault. As I pushed the pipe cleaner antegrade through the stem it fed a thick black snake of tar out of the bit. I used a needle driver to grab the tip of the pipe cleaner when it finally breached the bit and pulled it through, which is when the bit broke. Either was already cracked or the pipe cleaner plus tar was too big to fit through.
Cut it down and smoke without a bit?
Ur pretty close. Cut it off and file a new one on.Water damage:
There's actually some really deep cracks and pits I suspect breach the bowl.
And what I did to my stems. May have been my fault. As I pushed the pipe cleaner antegrade through the stem it fed a thick black snake of tar out of the bit. I used a needle driver to grab the tip of the pipe cleaner when it finally breached the bit and pulled it through, which is when the bit broke. Either was already cracked or the pipe cleaner plus tar was too big to fit through.
Cut it down and smoke without a bit?
Hard to tell from the pic of the bowl the extent of the damage. I would ream the bowl carefully bowl to bare wood and check for cracks on the inside.
Thanks. We'll see what happens.
I reamed all the bowls, just a cake ream, didn't get bright bare briar on any of em save for a few that I hit too big just inside the rim. I've got a fixed size 4 bit reamer and an adjustable metal reamer, I dont' think either will effectively reach bare briar. Maybe the fixed bit setup, but I'll be overboring by up to 1/8" dia, would probably be better served with a bowl bit, no?
I reamed all the bowls, just a cake ream, didn't get bright bare briar on any of em save for a few that I hit too big just inside the rim. I've got a fixed size 4 bit reamer and an adjustable metal reamer, I dont' think either will effectively reach bare briar. Maybe the fixed bit setup, but I'll be overboring by up to 1/8" dia, would probably be better served with a bowl bit, no?
10-4 will do
Starting with an intact pipe, not ready to attempt repairs yet, just looking to make a working, good looking pipe.
I'm an idiot and I started working with the pipes that were the most visually appealing to me from the box of basket cases that I bought.
So the stem of the pipe I posted above, and two or three others that I really liked, are down for the count.
This one was one of the favorites though, but in fairly rough shape.
I don't know how the stem could have gotten this bad. Part of me thinks a different stem was fitted to this bowl and rebent to the profile. Not sure.
What I do know is 240 grit wasn't rough enough to take out the markings. I went all the way down to 120 grit and still some remain, may need to epoxy the voids that remain before I sand into the tube.
I'm an idiot and I started working with the pipes that were the most visually appealing to me from the box of basket cases that I bought.
So the stem of the pipe I posted above, and two or three others that I really liked, are down for the count.
This one was one of the favorites though, but in fairly rough shape.
I don't know how the stem could have gotten this bad. Part of me thinks a different stem was fitted to this bowl and rebent to the profile. Not sure.
What I do know is 240 grit wasn't rough enough to take out the markings. I went all the way down to 120 grit and still some remain, may need to epoxy the voids that remain before I sand into the tube.
After a little sanding.
Finest paper/cloth I had on hand was 2000grit. Thought that'd be sufficient, but it's clearly not fine enough. Ordered a pack of micromesh pads up to 12k grit.
Finest paper/cloth I had on hand was 2000grit. Thought that'd be sufficient, but it's clearly not fine enough. Ordered a pack of micromesh pads up to 12k grit.
Last edited:
javajunkie
BoM July '12
that is a damn solid finish on the stem for not having micro mesh, sir! o)
Wow. That stem looked like a chew toy. Nice work sir!
Damn nice work Dan!! Impressed by the progress. Y'all have inspired me to pull out a Lanza freehand I picked up on the 'bay for $15 a while back. Stem is in good shape with just a little chatter I can clean up easy enough. My questions are related to the bowl though. There are some Knicks where it looks like someone whittled away at the outside and inside of the bowl where there is an awkward lip towards the front of the bowl. I don't have a saw that I can use and would like to make the top of the bowl flat. Any suggestions? Also, there is a small crack that doesn't go clear through to the bowl that a repair attempt looks like was made and I am curious if there is anything else I can do there. I did run a few bowls through as is after cleaning and sanitizing, but there is ghosting so I will be purchasing a reamer and doing a salt treatment as well. Any help is greatly appreciated.
Last edited:
