Broken tenon

[Nature]

There is a fix in the works…

Updates to come.
Stay tuned

[Nature]

My first step in repairing the tenon was removing the broken portion from the shank. This was easily accomplished by turning a screw into the draught hole and just pulling it out.


After some careful measurements were made, the Imperial Majesty @Emperor Zurg was commissioned to fabricate a replacement tenon insert. The result was beyond my expectations!


Next, I drilled out the pipe bit using a 9/64" drill rotated by my fingertips. The vulcanite material was soft and grabbed the bit easily. I was afraid of using a power drill as it would have a tendency to grab and rip the entire bit. I had to go back and forth and found rotating the pipe bit around a stationary bit worked best.
I did run into a bit of a snag as the vulcanite shavings got pushed into the draught hole causing it to become plugged. A pipe cleaner wasn't able to remove, but a stiff piece of thin wire from a marking flag was able to dislodge the debris. I was very careful to only drill as deep as the tenon insert.
After the bit was hollowed out, I cut appropriate threads with a tap into the opening.





The insert fit perfectly!



Next was to fit the tenon to the shank. It was turned slightly on the the large side to ensure a tight fit. I used progressive grits of sandpaper from 220-1000 to slim the tenon down to fit.


I will permanently secure the tenon in the bit with a drop of cyanoacrylate adhesive on the threads, but other than that,
Good as new!



THANK YOU for your guidance and superb skills Bill!

Once the super glue cures, I will be happy to be able to smoke this pipe again!
In the end, it probably would have been much easier and more efficient to just send it out for repair or just chuck it, but that would not have left me with the satisfaction I received by doing it myself.

[NeverBend]

The insert fit perfectly!


I will permanently secure the tenon in the bit with a drop of cyanoacrylate adhesive on the threads, but other than that,
Good as new!



THANK YOU for your guidance and superb skills Bill!

Once the super glue cures, I will be happy to be able to smoke this pipe again!
In the end, it probably would have been much easier and more efficient to just send it out for repair or just chuck it, but that would not have left me with the satisfaction I received by doing it myself.

Mark,

Thanks for a great post! This should be made into a STICKY thread (at least part of it) as a simple guide to replace a tenon.

Kudos to you and Bill (Imperial Majesty @Emperor Zurg) for the collaboration. Well done.

Pete

[Emperor Zurg]

Wow, excellent job on the install! Turning the insert is more a matter of having the proper machinery and materials but getting the stem and shank to line up, and not cracking the vulcanite to pieces takes a lot of patience. You now belong to the "I wasted far more time on this pipe than it was worth" club. I also became a member with the Glass Sipper project: $10 cob + $40 in materials and an entire evening's work Still, it's satisfying to conquer a project like that.

Glad it worked out. Happy puffing!

[BryGuySC]

Wow, excellent job on the install! Turning the insert is more a matter of having the proper machinery and materials but getting the stem and shank to line up, and not cracking the vulcanite to pieces takes a lot of patience. You now belong to the "I wasted far more time on this pipe than it was worth" club. I also became a member with the Glass Sipper project: $10 cob + $40 in materials and an entire evening's work Still, it's satisfying to conquer a project like that.

Glad it worked out. Happy puffing!

It is truly a prestigious club. My membership was awarded with the restoration of a cob left out in the weather for several months.
Welcome.
Now... where are the mods with the forum award for this achievement?

[Lostmason]

Impressive job for both of you, I would now list that as that pipe as an Emperor Nature Collectable. Pipes you fix yourself are always more enjoyable. Pride makes the smoke better.Great Job !

[Haebar]

Great job Mark, you have done some fine handiwork there! And the same to you, Bill!

[Alligator Gar]

That's a clean fix. I've got a blown up stem I need to get Zurg's advice on.

[Nature]

That's a clean fix. I've got a blown up stem I need to get Zurg's advice on.

i am certainly not an expert. That shank looks to me like it may need a collar or band.

[Emperor Zurg]

That's a clean fix. I've got a blown up stem I need to get Zurg's advice on.

Can you wiggle that insert out of the shank or is it stuck fast with corrosion?