The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1897-01-30
RRIER pLPE lNvEgTIeArloN.
Where the Material Comes From
and How the Bowl IL Cut.


and How the Bowl IL Cut.
The brier used in the making Of brier
pipes comes chiefly from France, ana
largely from the region of the Pyrenees;
It is said that the very best brier comes
from Sicily, says the New York sun.
Only the root or that part OF the. wood
that grows underground Is used, 1t Is
sawed into oblong blocks which have no..
semblance to the form of a pipe, bur
each of sufficient dimensions to permit
the fashioning Of a pipe from it. The /.
sawed blocks are soaked in salt water,
dried and seasoned. They are imported
into this country in large bags.
I'm the pipe factory here the brier
blocks are sorted out in sizes, for larger
and smaller pipes, and then, If neces-
sary, they are trimmed down before go-
ing to the machines that are actually to
shape the pipe; little slabs or bits may be
sawed OFF the block to bring It down close
to the size of the pipe that Is to be cut
from it; but not much needs to be cut
of, for the blocks are sawed originally
so that there will be as little waste as
possible. Then the brier block goes to
the bofeT, the first of the machines en-
ployed in the actual fashioning of the
pipe.
The boring machine has three knives,
set in the same plane; the middle knife
bores out the bowl of the pipe, the two
outer knives cut away the wood on the
outside and form the shape of the pipe
These knives, set in a lathe, make more
than 1000 revolutions minute. The mid
die knife, which bores out the bowl, Is
longer than the two outside knives, which
shape the bowl. The borer cuts the pipe
out to its full depth; the cutters, in the
case OF an egg-shaped pipe, dig down 10 i
the point Of the pipes greatest circum-
ference. In making a wood pipe Of the
bulldog shape an additional side tool IS
used to shape the bowl for a little space
below its greatest circumference. In
making an egg-shaped pipe the knives are
made to turn; in making pipe Of bull
dog shape the block is revolved.
AS the brier block comes from the bores
it is still brier block, with the pine
bowl bored down Into one end OF It and
the outside of the pipe bowl shaped down
for half its depth The block with the
pipe thus partly cut in 1t goes to q lathe
similar to the lathes used in cutting gun
stocks and other irregular forms. The
cutting tool used with this lathe is cirs
cular like circular saw. It has pecu-
4
a circular saw, at high velocity. The
brier block. with the bowl partly shaped
out, is secured upon the lathe, to which
has already been attached a metal pat
tern of the shape that it is desired to
cut the block. This metal pattern is
made to turn against smooth edged
wheel attached to the lathe. The brler
block turns with the pattern and IS
brought into con act with the smooth
wheel. AS the pattern Is turned the cen-
ter line of the block is brought near to
1t or recedes from the teeth cut into the
wood deeply or lightly accordingly
Whether the stem of the pipe is round.
oval or square makes no difference; the
cutting wheel cuts away the wood so
that the wood that Is left is shaped in
accordance with the pattern.
The work of the irregular lathe is done
very quickly and the pipe comes from 1t
with the bowl and stem completely shap-
ed out, but there is as yet no hole in the
stem. The stem here spoken of is the
brier stem continuous from the bowl, and
not a bit, or mouthpiece.
The pipe is then rough finished and fine
finished on wheels covered, one with
coarse and the other with fine sand paper.
and subsequently is further fine finished
by polishing 1t on wheel with ground
pumice stone.
After the first finishing the pipes are
assorted into frsts and seconds. Firsts
are pipes without a blemishi seconds are
pipes that have any outside defect.
The hole through the stem is bored
with a steel wire having a cutting tip,
and turned rapidly1n lathe. Fine pipes
are conferred, so that the hole through
the stem may be bored exactly in the
center; ordinary pipes are held against
the wire borer by hand, but pipes thus
bored are almost without exception bored
squarely In the center.
Then the pipe goes into another ma
chine which cuts the thread in the end
Of the stem to hold the bit, or mouth
piece Then the band If it is to have
one, around the wood stem where 1t is
joined by the bit, or mouthpiece, Is put
on, and the bit is attached to the pipe.