Ep28 - Butz Choquin Project: Part 3 - how to tighten a loose stem, and when you take it too far.

[@nathanbookout3626]

I really love that you showed and explained what exactly your thought process is on everything. Also showing the bad "mishaps" and showing that if you do have a "mishap" that there is a solution.

[@johnferguson3026]

The bee's wax is a great idea. I have an estate Lorenzo Rusticated orange translucent saddle back stem. Nothing fancy but a great smoker. When I first got it off eBay the stem squeaked when twisted. Not any more. I will give it a good clean and try the bee's wax! I will let you know how it turns out. Thanks! We learn so much from our mistakes!

[@BarePipe]

John Ferguson it is a deal. Please let me know how it goes

[@dane6k6]

Thanks for showing what happen. Even accidents can be a learning experience.

[@BarePipe]

LaTX Piper agreed, sometimes it is good to see what going too far looks like.

[@dane6k6]

I agree, You should have seen how I destroyed two Kaywoodie pipes just cleaning them. Hint stingers dissolve in bleach.

[@BarePipe]

Now that is something I would have liked to see on a video!

[@dane6k6]

All you would have heard was sobbing..LOL!

[@shakuhachipete]

Some repair guys think it's not the tenon that shrinks, but the wooden mortise. Doesn't that make more sense? Does plastic shrink? They say to add water to the mortise and let it soak in and swell it. What do you think?

[@joelpenazzo7248]

I tried it many times it works well!!

[@600miles]

Next stem expansion I'd like to see you measure it before and after with a digital caliper. 1:36 how about a lighter? 21:15 How about a machinists reamer? I love machining Delrin - I made parts for my dad's bagpipes now am dealing with his pipe collection.

[@yorkshireposse4087]

Great video as always!

[@chrisschultz1580]

I just discovered your channel and have been binge watching. I really appreciate that you show your experimentation and the mistakes that sometimes occur. I would enjoy a demonstration of how you correct an out of round mortice.

[@oldcorpspiper3060]

Tough break, no pun intended, but sometimes the hard ones are the most fun. I know you have used vulcanite dust mixed with glue to fill bite marks, I have too, but I always find the working time a challenge. Have you tried one of the super glues that have rubber mixed in? I like Starbond. I think you could repair that crack with it. I have filed through-holes with that and some dust added and when finished and buffed it was invisible... just a thought. Too bad that happened when you were so close to the end. Awesome job! Look forward to seeing the fix. Take care my friend!

[@BarePipe]

Old Corps Piper I certainly could try and fix it with a superglue mix of some sort, and it likely will be fine. But this is a high stress and high use area on a pipe and I would be nervous about sending it back out into the world without a really solid repair. Besides, it is a chance to try a different repair. Thanks for watching.

[@bluedog5095]

Brave video to show a fail. Great lesson that if one solution does not work go to Plan B. Enjoy your channel and appreciate your hard work. Much appreciated. You epitomize the best of the YTPC.

[@BarePipe]

Blue Dog thank you! That is a big compliment to pay anyone. I appreciate it.

[@bbcustomoutdoors]

Failure is often a powerful teacher! Sorry it didn’t work out the way you tried, but I am happy you showed that things don’t always go perfectly. It takes courage to publish these instances!

[@BarePipe]

Brian Avery yes, it is useful to see when things fail as well

[@paulthescandinavian4992]

Valuable info,I shall return to this with more time ,and obviously more comments, Greets, P

[@BarePipe]

Paul The Scandinavian Thanks Paul

[@paulthescandinavian4992]

Bare Pipe: I have learned Heating the tenon and pushing it against on the flat surface is not the best solution because of the tenon doesn't usually enlarge evenly ,better option is that of applying beexwax or wet the mortise using Q tips,also applying a thin layer of fingernail varnish around the stem tenon would help but this has to be repeated since this coating will wear out

[@BarePipe]

Yes the pressing technique can be quite tricky to get right.

[@ThePastorPiper]

I’m a newer subscriber and love your channel. I recently bought an old pipe rack. The lady had three pipes with the rack that she gave. Said they belonged to her father. This lady was already retired. Anyways one was a pre 1981 GBD in great shape, a Comoy in great shape and then the third I can’t find any info on. It’s a “Dock Square” the other side says London England 789. It’s very nice in my opinion but looks like it’s a seconds pipe from some English pipe company. You seem to know a lot about pipes. Any ideas? Hope you don’t mind too much me bothering you

[@BarePipe]

The Whatsit that sounds like a great find! I have unfortunately never heard of Dock Square. I suspect it is was a seconds line from one of the many pipe brands out there. It could even be a manufacturer from France because the England and London nomenclature was often interpreted very broadly by manufacturers in order to create some sense of exclusivity. The bottom line is that even if it is a second, it is aged briar and if it smokes well then you have a keeper that is worth it. One of my favorite pipes is a second, that I bought for a basket price and it is amazing.

[@angelsmell3712]

Excellent video as always, both in form and substance. Could you please recommend where I can find a tapered tool (or at least the metal part) similar to the one you used? Thank you!

[@BarePipe]

AngelSmell that is an excellent question that I did not address properly in the video. You can buy a set of expanding tools online at Vermont Freehand, or you can do what I did and make it out of a nail. In fact, now that you have raised it, I will do a video to show how I made the tool.

[@angelsmell3712]

That would be great!

[@fretman6]

I would think heating the tapered rod would eliminate the possibility of burning the OD of the tenon. Heat with hair dryer or heat gun and no flame.

[@shakuhachipete]

"A bit lose" beeswax method. Will this work on Meerschaum pipes?

[@rickpowell2075]

Personally I’d have just painted the tenon with clear nail varnish. Each to their own, I guess.

[@paulthrelfall8258]

I dip the mortice in boiling water to heat it up, then expand it, it will not crack.

[@shocktones9704]

filler and sand to size? would that be easier or am I missing something, Love your channel BTW

[@chrisw7347]

I was thinking this too, I just saw the "how to repair vulcanite" video with the black superglue. I think in a pinch you could just fill in this tenon and then sand it clean.

[@dannyhanke4338]

Would boiling hot water heat the tendon up more evenly? It would apply heat from the inside and outside. I am a watchmaker and have a tool called a smoothing broach. The come in sets of various sizes. They might work for this too.

[@BarePipe]

Danny Hanke the boiling water is an interesting idea! Boiling water does soften vulcanite, I am going to give that a try.

[@BarePipe]

Danny Hanke I just did a google search on smoothing broaches, I had never heard of them. Looks like something that would work perfectly if you can find one that is big enough.

[@maxsilver3295]

ONe piece of bad advice after another. Just watch the Walt Cannoy video, and get away from bad practices.