Stanwell Featherweight issue.

[Aaron]

I've got an issue with my Stanwelll Featherweight and I was wondering if any of you all have had the same issue. The tenon seems awfully loose inside the shank, I mean, it just comes out way too easy I feel. Is this normal or did I get a janky one? I've had this pipe for about half a year and only smoked it a few times because I noticed it was getting loose. I've just neglected to ask. Thoughts? Thanks in advance.

 

[Sasquatch]

Smoke it more and it'll tighten up. In the meantime, put a little bees wax on the tenon, and that'll give it a bit more stick.

 

[Harlock999]

According to all the advice I've heard, putting beeswax on the tenon should cure that looseness.

 

[Aaron]

Smoke it more and it'll tighten up. In the meantime, put a little bees wax on the tenon, and that'll give it a bit more stick.

Beeswax and smoke more. Sounds like a good idea.

Harlock999, Sasquatch mentioning the beeswax is the first I've ever heard of it, of course I've never really looked into it.

 

[Harlock999]

I have an older Larsen that had the same problem, so I took it to the Olde Tinder Box in Santa Monica, and asked if I needed to have a new stem made for it. The gentleman that worked there looked at me like I was a kingsize idiot, and asked me why I would want to do such a thing. After awhile, he went in the back and emerged a minute later with the pipe, only now with no looseness in the stem. It seemed pointless to ask him what he did to it, because all my questions were usually answered with another question, but I assume he used beeswax. Long story short.

 

[Sasquatch]

The other trick that works but which is VERY dependent on the stem material, is heating the tenon up and kind of fattening it up a little by basically pushing something up the airway.

 

[Natch]

"Beeswax and smoke more. Sounds like a good idea."

I don't know about the universal truism of using beeswax, but "smoke more" is always sound advice to solve just about any problem! :lol:

Natch

 

[LL]

The other trick that works but which is VERY dependent on the stem material, is heating the tenon up and kind of fattening it up a little by basically pushing something up the airway.

Don't try this at home unless you're prepared for the possibility of creating one of several bigger problems, though.

Beeswax or clear nail polish, together with simply smoking the pipe will clear up 90% of borderline looseness. (If the stem won't stay in at all it's a much bigger problem. Then expanding the tenon is your only permanent-fix option.)

 

[Aaron]

The other trick that works but which is VERY dependent on the stem material, is heating the tenon up and kind of fattening it up a little by basically pushing something up the airway.

Don't try this at home unless you're prepared for the possibility of creating one of several bigger problems, though.

Beeswax or clear nail polish, together with simply smoking the pipe will clear up 90% of borderline looseness. (If the stem won't stay in at all it's a much bigger problem. Then expanding the tenon is your only permanent-fix option.)

No the stem stays in, it just feels real loose. I'll give the beeswax a shot but I'm staying away from heating it up... sounds scary to me. :shock:

 

[Carlos]

I watched Brian Ruthenberg heat a stem and push it against something solid. He got it just right. I am positive that I would have screwed that process up. He made so many things look easy.

 

[Anonymous]

The heat-&-press bit is a half-assed way of "fixing" one problem by creating another one.

What you're doing is mushrooming out the end of the tenon. So now it is wider, granted (even though it's now probably out of round). But now the end of it's forcing its way into the shank chamber, with the rest of the tenon still a loose fit behind it.

:face:

 

[LL]

The heat-&-press bit is a half-assed way of "fixing" one problem by creating another one.

What you're doing is mushrooming out the end of the tenon. So now it is wider, granted (even though it's now probably out of round). But now the end of it's forcing its way into the shank chamber, with the rest of the tenon still a loose fit behind it.

This. ^^^^

A dial caliper will prove it, every time.

A prober expansion requires a set of polished rods a few thousandths apart, inserted into a tenon that's been heated so it expands, which is not to be confused with the point of overt pliability.

Overall, a surprisingly tricky business to do right. (meaning end up with a factory-like smooth fit, not just a stem and stummel that stay together.)

btw, board, Yak used to repair violins. As in those noisy wooden gadgets that can easily cost more than a house. His koan-ish nuggets of philosophy often leave me confused, but his knowledge of wood & related materials always leaves me smiling. 8)

 

[Midnight Blues]

Aaron,

I also recommend bees wax as a remedy for you loose stem, I've used it myself and it works like a charm.

 

[Trout Bum]

Aaron,

I have an Ashton billiard that did that. The guy I bought it from (a pipe shop owner and very knowledgeable cat) told me it would fix itself simply by smoking it enough. Shore 'nuff, it did just that. It fits perfectly now, but it took a while. It's one of my best smokers, by the way!

 

[Aaron]

Aaron,

I have an Ashton billiard that did that. The guy I bought it from (a pipe shop owner and very knowledgeable cat) told me it would fix itself simply by smoking it enough. Shore 'nuff, it did just that. It fits perfectly now, but it took a while. It's one of my best smokers, by the way!

Then smoke I shall!

 

[Harlock999]

Funny, I too have an Ashton billiard with a loose stem...

 

[Anonymous]

Probably your best home-remedy solution (pipe restoration craftsmen do it better, but the wait factor while yours is in the queue can be daunting) is to get a stick (it will be small) of what's called "peg dope" from a violin shop (or e-store).

This is pulverised chalk and used motor oil, compressed into a little crayon with a foil wrapping. Violins, violas and cellos (which have tapered, wood-against-wood tuning pegs) use it to avoid the same kind of "click" problem (too far, back to not far enough, back to too far . . .) pipe guys have with stems that are too tight.

With a slightly undersized tenon in a pipe, it will add just enough diameter, while lubricating (very, very slightly) the connection for a butter-smooth, continuous adjustability that will stay put where it's set.

FWIW

:face:

 

[Prof]

Aaron - it isn't just you, by the way, I have a little Stanwell 243 featherweight and the stem is very loose on this one too..

Just FYI.

B

 

[Aaron]

Aaron - it isn't just you, by the way, I have a little Stanwell 243 featherweight and the stem is very loose on this one too..

Just FYI.

B

Think this is a Featheweight issue? I have another Stanwell, and it's stem is just fine. hmmmm....

 

[Prof]

...but as my featherweight has the same problem, I thought it might be a general problem with the style?

B