Drilling

[alfredo_buscatti]

Most pipes seem to be drilled improperly small. I believe that the "Pipe Dreams" writer advocates a diameter that is too big.

Is 4 mm the correct size?

 

[MisterE]

Hey man. I don't think there's a "correct size" because of all the variations!

I know several who extoll the virtues of the 4mm drill. I think it just depends because I have huge bore pipes that smoke great, and pea shooters that smoke great as well.

Perhaps one of our pipe makers can chime in?

 

[Sasquatch]

Yikes.



Personally? I think Newcombe is dead on, but I also think that the overlooked factor in what he says it that 4.7mm (11/64") is the biggest part, and it must taper all the way to the end of the stem, and widen out again at the slot.

I cut my pipes this way and no one has complained.

Is it "right"? It's right enough. Would 5/32" work as well? Yes.

At some point, a really small airway can't support the burn-load of a big bowl. I had a Peterson pot drilled at 1bout 1/8" and it was awful, and a Savinelli Oom Paul with the tightest drilling I ever saw. Again - just awful. Gurgled and fought.

It's probably far more important that a pipe is built well and engineered correctly than that it has any particular setup (in terms of actual numbers), but there certainly is a practical minimum that must be met, and I'd suggest that's probably around 1/8".

 

[Rad Davis]

Yikes.



Personally? I think Newcombe is dead on, but I also think that the overlooked factor in what he says it that 4.7mm (11/64") is the biggest part, and it must taper all the way to the end of the stem, and widen out again at the slot.

I cut my pipes this way and no one has complained.

Is it "right"? It's right enough. Would 5/32" work as well? Yes.

At some point, a really small airway can't support the burn-load of a big bowl. I had a Peterson pot drilled at 1bout 1/8" and it was awful, and a Savinelli Oom Paul with the tightest drilling I ever saw. Again - just awful. Gurgled and fought.

It's probably far more important that a pipe is built well and engineered correctly than that it has any particular setup (in terms of actual numbers), but there certainly is a practical minimum that must be met, and I'd suggest that's probably around 1/8".

Actually, Mr. Squatch, 11/64 is 4.3mm. 3/16 is 4.7mm, which I think is too big. I know Rick likes some that big, but he is a very small market.

I drill at 5/32, which right at 4mm, which seems to please the vast majority of pipe smokers. On a very large pipe, I'll drill it at 11/64.

I think 1/8 is too small, but as long as the button is opened up properly, so there isn't a restriction there, it should smoke ok. I just like a little more openness.

Rad

 

[Kyle Weiss]

Actually, Mr. Squatch, 11/64 is 4.3mm. 3/16 is 4.7mm, which I think is too big. I know Rick likes some that big, but he is a very small market.

I drill at 5/32, which right at 4mm, which seems to please the vast majority of pipe smokers. On a very large pipe, I'll drill it at 11/64.

I think 1/8 is too small, but as long as the button is opened up properly, so there isn't a restriction there, it should smoke ok. I just like a little more openness.

Rad

*carefully collects information for future use from one of the greats* 8) Gonna need that someday soon.

 

[Ol'Dawg]

For other decimal/metric/fraction disadvantaged folks like me, here's a link to a conversion chart.

Champion Screw Chart

Jim

 

[alfredo_buscatti]

Ol' Dawg, thanks for the link. Heretofore, when faced with a complex number, I've always had to do a two-step conversion, one from it to decimal, and then that decimal to mm.

 

[PipeLeisure]

5/32 is a good size to start with.

 

[Sasquatch]

Actually, Mr. Squatch, 11/64 is 4.3mm. 3/16 is 4.7mm, which I think is too big. I know Rick likes some that big, but he is a very small market.

I drill at 5/32, which right at 4mm, which seems to please the vast majority of pipe smokers. On a very large pipe, I'll drill it at 11/64.

I think 1/8 is too small, but as long as the button is opened up properly, so there isn't a restriction there, it should smoke ok. I just like a little more openness.

Rad

Wrong like always, Rod. .47cm/2.54cm/in=.185 in 3/16" = .1875 in (which is too big, as I've said all along)

11/64 = .171" which does correspond roughly to the .169" that 4.3mm actually measures, so I'll give you a bonus point there.



And here we can see what makes the best pipes. 3 thousandths of an inch. Surprising, isn't it?





Actually, what you see here gang, from the pipe maker's point of view, is that 5/32" works, as Rad says, for the vast majority of pipes, and real big pipes probably benefit from a little more air. It really and truly is basically as simple as that. 5/32" is a great all-round draft hole.

 

[Rad Davis]

Actually, Mr. Squatch, 11/64 is 4.3mm. 3/16 is 4.7mm, which I think is too big. I know Rick likes some that big, but he is a very small market.

I drill at 5/32, which right at 4mm, which seems to please the vast majority of pipe smokers. On a very large pipe, I'll drill it at 11/64.

I think 1/8 is too small, but as long as the button is opened up properly, so there isn't a restriction there, it should smoke ok. I just like a little more openness.

Rad

Wrong like always, Rod. .47cm/2.54cm/in=.185 in 3/16" = .1875 in (which is too big, as I've said all along)

11/64 = .171" which does correspond roughly to the .169" that 4.3mm actually measures, so I'll give you a bonus point there.



And here we can see what makes the best pipes. 3 thousandths of an inch. Surprising, isn't it?





Actually, what you see here gang, from the pipe maker's point of view, is that 5/32" works, as Rad says, for the vast majority of pipes, and real big pipes probably benefit from a little more air. It really and truly is basically as simple as that. 5/32" is a great all-round draft hole.

Your math is making my head hurt.

And I agree, all round is the preferred shape of the draft hole. I tried drilling square ones once, and that just didn't work out.

Also oval. Oval is no good. :lol:

Rad

 

[Sasquatch]

Canadians get oval draft holes - Liverpools get round.

 

[riff raff]

I bought a small needle file and have carefully opened a few of my pipes to just slightly larger than 5/32" (which does seem like a good starting point). All opened that way (Ashton, Ferndown, Boswell's) all smoke better and after that treatment. Save the Ashton, all of those have had fairly large bowls. None of these would previously pass a cleaner, but now do, so just getting to that point seems to be just right for me.