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The Official Carve Your Own Pipe exhibition thread

Well, here's another one of my freshman attempts. I wouldn't ordinarily try to make (or smoke) something like this with so little practice under my belt, but this was a special gift. My little brother (also a pipe smoker) recently finished his Bachelor's in Music Education, so this was conceived as his graduation present. He had once told me how much he liked the Tsuge bamboo-shanked pipes, and wished he could find (or afford) a Volcano. Last spring he was sent as a part of a "Jazz Embassador" group to Japan, and got a nice picture of himself with Mt. Fuji in the background, cherry trees in full flower. Given such, here's my attempt to translate that memory into a pipe.
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Things I learned:
Bamboo is an absolute booger to drill correctly. I went through nearly a foot of it before I got it right. The leftover nubbin got turned into a tamper/pick.
Airway extensions are tough, but doable. I used the same basic principle as my first pipes ("The Mighty Thud"), albeit with a little more precision and restraint.
I won't attempt a Volcano again until I can jury-rig a system to drill bent air channels and tenons. The swooped bottom looks kinda goofy.
Despite my misgivings on the finished product, he loved it and decided to have it's maiden smoke then and there. I'm just glad the draw was open enough and didn't leak. Now his girlfriend wants a bamboo-shanked blowfish. Oy vey.:bored:
Pretty cool, I have yet to do anything with Bamboo.
 
Finished this one today, A brushed black Cherrywood/Don, smooth tan contrast rim with a touch of plateau, Bocote shank embellishments on a stainless steel shank and handcut black acrylic stem..
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Last May I chose the kit I was going to start with..

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By August, I'd worked up the nerve to get a basic shape carved..

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Then it sat, until yesterday..

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Wow! I didn't know you had finished it. Nice standing Barrel Poker you have there. Love the wire cut rustication as I did on Aaron's pipe. The contrast with sanding the stain really makes it pop. Excellent work!
 
Wow that looks great! I've been toying with trying a kit. Any advice for the first timer after your experience?
 
Thanks! This was my first one, too, and the only thing I'd say is be prepared to abandon your initial plan and react to the unexpected twists and turns. That's the way it went for me, anyway.. I made one bad cut with a coping saw, which was my first move outta the gate. From there, it was all files and sandpaper, just to keep things slower and more in my control. I can still barely see the bottom of that first cut.. it's under the shank, and it's the reason the shank ended up as it did (pencil like). One more stroke with that saw would likely have cut into the airway.. glad it didn't!
 
Thanks! This was my first one, too, and the only thing I'd say is be prepared to abandon your initial plan and react to the unexpected twists and turns. That's the way it went for me, anyway.. I made one bad cut with a coping saw, which was my first move outta the gate. From there, it was all files and sandpaper, just to keep things slower and more in my control. I can still barely see the bottom of that first cut.. it's under the shank, and it's the reason the shank ended up as it did (pencil like). One more stroke with that saw would likely have cut into the airway.. glad it didn't!
You took the words right out of my mouth, good advice.

I've been working on this brushed Cavalier Sitter, it has fought me ever step of the way but I will win :a11:
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