Recently bought a nice bamboo stem cob here on the forum.
I've never really cared for the haphazard heel in a cob. At the rate I smoke it takes just forever for the nooks and crannies to fill in and develop a halfway decent spherical bottom like a briar... so since this was such a nice pipe and unsmoked to boot, I decided to remedy the situation by making my own heel out of a 3/4 Cherrywood dowel.
I didn't document all the steps but here's a few pics to give the general idea.
Here's the pipe sitting on my pipe Butchery fixture. The post matches the 7° included angle which seems to be standard in Missouri Meerschaum cobs. The pipe is actually finished at this point - the varnish on the bottom is just drying. Anyway this would get clamped in the mill and I would bore out the original bottom of the pipe with a 3/4 endmill. The reaction bar obviously keeps the pipe from spinning should it take the notion.
http://i975.photobucket.com/albums/a...pshz8ixm7h.jpg
Here's a shot down the finished chamber, replete with new heel. It's not exactly perfect because, as is usually the case, the shank / drillway doesn't hit dead center of the bowl. However, the depth is right on, it's plenty good enough for what it's for and after a half dozen bowls you'll never know the difference.
http://i975.photobucket.com/albums/a...pso5alitjw.jpg
Anyway, that's the idea. I never could leave well enough alone...
