Beware the new Fordom tool!

[Scott Hackler]

In Waco I purchased a Foredom tool. I have been wanting one for quite a while and the special at SWAT was good enough to "talk me into it". Soooooo, fast forward to last night. I haven't gotten much turning time the last few months and my recent obession with Rick's super cool smoking pipe prompted me to see "what if" with a piece of scrap wood. I mainly wanted to see how easy (or difficult) it would be to turn the main parts of the business end of a pipe on two axis...on the lathe. It works fairly well and what was left was a decent amount of square stock that needed trimmed and rounded off the bottom. Cool!


So out comes the Foredom and the wicked carbide spiked bit. Everything is going great until it caught the edge, spun the piece a bit and removed a 1/4 of my finger nail! The moral of the story is pay attension and gloves might be a good idea! lol


BTW the proto-type pipe ended up looking terrible and I have much more respect for Rick and other pipe makers!

[John M. Smith]

Ouch!!!!!!! That made me wince.

[Allan Ferguson]

Definitely could spoil a person's fun.

[Mike Cruz]

Scott, no pics, didn't happen! Woudn't that be nice?

[Steve Doerr]

Ouch and double ouch. And I thought my little nick from the grinding wheel was sore. Glad you're alright and have all of your fingers.
Keep safe.
Steve

[Mike Cruz]

Well, Steve, he has 9 3/4 at worst... since it was just 1/4 of the nail, we can be fair to say that he has 9 15/16 of his fingers left...

[Steve Schlumpf]

Scott - hope you heal quickly!!

[Rodney Walker]

Hope you're better soon. I hate anything to do with nails getting ripped off...
Rodney

[mickey cassiba]

Hope you heal quickly...sure could have been worse. Got to throw something out though, in reply to 'The moral of the story is pay attension and gloves might be a good idea!'
Gloves and rapidly spinning things are a sure recipe for disaster.

[Marvin Hasenak]

Hope you have a fast healing session, been there and done that, luckily it was only skin and little blood.

I always try to wear a leather glove on my hand that holds the object I am power carving on. I also like the glove well broke in so I can hold the item comfortably. It is not much, but it has saved my fingers and other parts of my hand more than once. When the cutter hits the glove you will know it, and maybe have time to react. If you don't have on the glove, when you touch your hand or finger it is too late to react.

DO NOT USE COTTON OR ANY CLOTH GLOVES. When the burr catches it will wrap up the glove and anything inside of it until the shaft on the unit breaks or stalls. With the leather it just cuts the leather it doesn't ball it up like cotton gloves.

[Larry Matchett]

Ya know they make carvers vices. They really do work. I was introduced to them when I was in graduate school and took a jewelry class. After seeing this thread I am going to have to try and find mine. It's only been close to to 40 years.

[Carl Hackman]

I usually take 2 jaws off my 4 jaw chuck when turning stummels (briar pipe bowls). Only try and turn the top half of the bowl and half of the shank. Drill out the chamber and shank using the tailstock and a drill chuck. A modified spade bit (or custom made spoon bit) is used to drill out the chamber ... don't try and hollow out the chamber with a gouge!!!!. The shank is drilled using 2 different sized bits to create the airway and fit the stem. The final shaping is done on a sanding wheel mounted on a motor.

Semi bent rusticated Billiard with inset Larimar inlay in stem


Semi rusticated Poker with inset Larimar inlay in stem

[Rick Markham]

Too cool Scott! I'm not familiar with the foredom tool. In lieu of not having a ground chamber bit, and a tormek to grind with (I don't feel like spending hours grinding a spade bit into shape.) I drill the chamber with a 1/2" twist bit, then widen it to final diameter with a forstner bit of appropriate diameter, making sure not to leave a little ledge at the bottom, then make the transition with my hollowing rig. (I know I know, it's a lot of work for something a bit can do, so I will be investing in a set of bits.)

The order of operations really makes all the difference in the world. I too remove 2 of the 4 jaws to hold the stummel. I will drill the draught hole first, then make the mortise, clean up the face of the stem, then turn it round (leaving it about the diameter of my stem stock) At that point I go back to the stem stock, turn an appropriate tenon, clean the face up, and fit it to the stummel. I will then pull up the tailstock to support both pieces and turn the stummel and stem together to approximately final size. I then remove the stem, flip the piece to the bowl side and drill my holes (I check progress as I reach my measurements from laying out the pipe until it just reaches the bottom of the draught hole, I then finish the chamber as described above. The bowl face is then cut true or relieved and the top half of the bowl is shaped (roughly) Then it's hand shaping. (which by the way is actually the fun part)

I've learned a few things in the first couple, fitting the stem early is important, as it needs to be a tight fit, and if you are fitting with the shank too thin the briar will split on you, then you have to start over. drilling the draught hole with a tapered bit first is easier than drilling the tobacco chamber first! I make all of my measurements on the block and mark my bits before I start, I drill before a true the face being drilled (I measured with an untrue surface, truing the surface before drilling will ruin your measurements.) It pays to have two chucks one for the stummel and one for the stem. Don't be afraid to switch between the two to get the fit perfect. Keeping the stummel in the chuck until you are positively sure it's time to change axis or it's finished is a MUST, resetting the piece is possible, but a headache for sure! I hope you continue to try Scott, I think the hand shaping thing will come pretty quick for you!

Carl, those are some sweet looking pipes!

[Bernie Weishapl]

Dang that had to hurt. Hate that. Gloves are not a good idea especially when you catch them in the burr. Don't ask me how I know but bad words were said.

[David DeCristoforo]

They say that familiarity breads contempt and that can be dangerous. But unfamiliarity can be just as dangerous. And underestimating the power a "small" tool can generate is not uncommon. The Foredom tool either has a 1/6 or 1/3 HP motor. Plenty to overpower a strong grip. I'm often surprised at the force generated by my dinky Dremel tool.

I am truly sorry to hear of your mishap, Scott. I hate it when that happens and it's happened to me often enough that I know how it feels both physically and mentally. I also would like to thank you for not posting a gory picture! I hate looking at injures almost as much as getting them! Fortunately, fingernails grow back. Go have a beer. Or maybe you can sooth your soul with a few of those Twinkies...