Hello and good morning everyone, I hope all is well out there!
@Armerad I think you would be happy with a super short Blackwood Solo stem, they are very durable and should last a lifetime. I know @MileHighLife has gotten one from me and would know how they perform, maybe he will stop by and share his thoughts. Pls let me know if you are interested, I am out of them at the moment and would have to make you a custom piece.
@Caligula I have just gotten a piece of SS tubing in the other day, I had hoped to have something made for the Nano yesterday but was slammed with a wholesale dealer order. I got to do some admin type stuff this morning and packaging orders this afternoon but hope to get a little time to make a stem for it this weekend. Pls hang in there with me a little longer, I am anxious to do this! Is there anyway you can give me exact measurements of the heat port OD? I need it in inches if possible to the .000". The tubing I have fits a loose on my Nano, I have one of the first Nanos offered, I remember Andy saying the dimensions of the heat port would change on the newer units. I wanna know if the tubing I have will work with new and old units.
Wow, alot has been happening round here ya'll! I have been starting my days at midnight after a few hours rest in the evenings the last few days. I finally got a whole night sleep last night and feel mo better today. I got one order almost buttoned up, the wood work is done, just gotta get em packaged and out the door. I have a big European order I am working on now, its 750 pieces of various stems, I am about a 1/3 of the way through it. Gotta prep some more wood for it these next couplea days then I will be turning again for a while. Hell then I gotta another big MF order I gotta start on after I get the EU one done! When its raining its pouring! I just got an order out to MF and then they hit me with another one. Anybody down south need some work? I got plenty for a helper.
I have some good news on the Ascent stems, I got all the African Blackwood in and thats what I will be prepping for turning. I have been using the Ascent quite a bit with the wood stems, as I have said they perform really well. They have gotten a little gummy and have needed to be cleaned, I soak a cotton swab in ISO and squeeze out the excess, swab out the inside of the outer stem a few times, let it dry, then use one of my bristled pipe cleaners to push through the inner stem a time or two. I have also swapped out the screen once and had to take an ISO soaked swab and swab the rubber grommet where the screen goes. My material is not that sticky so I havent gotten alot of goo in stems. I do know that a little maintenance goes a long way. A simple cleaning from time to time will ensure the stems perform well and increase the longevity of them also.
I have been in contact with Davinci, I have introduced myself and told them all about what I do and whats been going on at Ed's TnT, I sent them pictures of my idea and told them of my intentions to offer them at my website. They were really receptive for my work and dig the idea of a wooden stem set! I was worried that they may tell me that they didnt dig it cause I was copying their glass stems and tell me to F'off, but that was not the case. They even wanted to buy a set, I told them there is no way I could charge them, I would be more than happy to send them a set. Its because of them and others that I am able to do what I do. I am so blessed I have the skills and ability to do what I love and offer products that people can use to have a good time and enjoy! They gave me the OK to sell them also! I dont know if I needed it or not but was good to hear they are cool with me doing this. I didnt want to do something that may cost me in the end, I wanted to know that what I am doing is cool with them. I have them a really sweet set of African Blackwood stems going out Monday, I am gonna send it priority cause I am anxious to hear their thoughts.
I have not had time to make them available on my site yet, but hope to in the next week or two. If anyone is interested in getting an Ascent stem set pls let me know. I would love to get some out there for you all to try. As said above I am making them from the highest quality African Blackwood available, they are super dense and strong, they have an amazing finish that some of you may be familiar with on the Blackwood Solo stems. I am really having to take my time turning these pieces, the outer stem has a rather large draw hole with thin walls, its still pretty tuff but when you put enough pressure on it between centers of the lathe in order to turn it may split under the force. This is one reason I am putting a lip on the end of the stem instead of the rings. The walls are just too thin and cant handle the pressure, the lip adds a little more strength to the piece. I threw away several pieces and money at the same time figuring this out. The inner stem has a smaller draw hole as does the glass so it turns better as far as stability goes, I still have to take my time turning a little taking a hair off at a time when it gets close to the right size, mic it for the measurement, then take off another hair or two. The inner stem has to be exact so it will slide into the outer stem without any resistance. Its fun making these pieces but does take a little more time and patients. Anything worth having takes a little time and care, its alot like most everything in life, if you want to keep and hold on to something you better have patients and take time with it!
I have been here long enough, gotta process orders, check the bank, and answer emails and such. I appreciate you alls interest in my work and thank you for stopping by. Pls let me know if there is anything I can do! I wish you all well and hope you all have a great weekend!
@Armerad I think you would be happy with a super short Blackwood Solo stem, they are very durable and should last a lifetime. I know @MileHighLife has gotten one from me and would know how they perform, maybe he will stop by and share his thoughts. Pls let me know if you are interested, I am out of them at the moment and would have to make you a custom piece.
@Caligula I have just gotten a piece of SS tubing in the other day, I had hoped to have something made for the Nano yesterday but was slammed with a wholesale dealer order. I got to do some admin type stuff this morning and packaging orders this afternoon but hope to get a little time to make a stem for it this weekend. Pls hang in there with me a little longer, I am anxious to do this! Is there anyway you can give me exact measurements of the heat port OD? I need it in inches if possible to the .000". The tubing I have fits a loose on my Nano, I have one of the first Nanos offered, I remember Andy saying the dimensions of the heat port would change on the newer units. I wanna know if the tubing I have will work with new and old units.
Wow, alot has been happening round here ya'll! I have been starting my days at midnight after a few hours rest in the evenings the last few days. I finally got a whole night sleep last night and feel mo better today. I got one order almost buttoned up, the wood work is done, just gotta get em packaged and out the door. I have a big European order I am working on now, its 750 pieces of various stems, I am about a 1/3 of the way through it. Gotta prep some more wood for it these next couplea days then I will be turning again for a while. Hell then I gotta another big MF order I gotta start on after I get the EU one done! When its raining its pouring! I just got an order out to MF and then they hit me with another one. Anybody down south need some work? I got plenty for a helper.
I have some good news on the Ascent stems, I got all the African Blackwood in and thats what I will be prepping for turning. I have been using the Ascent quite a bit with the wood stems, as I have said they perform really well. They have gotten a little gummy and have needed to be cleaned, I soak a cotton swab in ISO and squeeze out the excess, swab out the inside of the outer stem a few times, let it dry, then use one of my bristled pipe cleaners to push through the inner stem a time or two. I have also swapped out the screen once and had to take an ISO soaked swab and swab the rubber grommet where the screen goes. My material is not that sticky so I havent gotten alot of goo in stems. I do know that a little maintenance goes a long way. A simple cleaning from time to time will ensure the stems perform well and increase the longevity of them also.
I have been in contact with Davinci, I have introduced myself and told them all about what I do and whats been going on at Ed's TnT, I sent them pictures of my idea and told them of my intentions to offer them at my website. They were really receptive for my work and dig the idea of a wooden stem set! I was worried that they may tell me that they didnt dig it cause I was copying their glass stems and tell me to F'off, but that was not the case. They even wanted to buy a set, I told them there is no way I could charge them, I would be more than happy to send them a set. Its because of them and others that I am able to do what I do. I am so blessed I have the skills and ability to do what I love and offer products that people can use to have a good time and enjoy! They gave me the OK to sell them also! I dont know if I needed it or not but was good to hear they are cool with me doing this. I didnt want to do something that may cost me in the end, I wanted to know that what I am doing is cool with them. I have them a really sweet set of African Blackwood stems going out Monday, I am gonna send it priority cause I am anxious to hear their thoughts.
I have not had time to make them available on my site yet, but hope to in the next week or two. If anyone is interested in getting an Ascent stem set pls let me know. I would love to get some out there for you all to try. As said above I am making them from the highest quality African Blackwood available, they are super dense and strong, they have an amazing finish that some of you may be familiar with on the Blackwood Solo stems. I am really having to take my time turning these pieces, the outer stem has a rather large draw hole with thin walls, its still pretty tuff but when you put enough pressure on it between centers of the lathe in order to turn it may split under the force. This is one reason I am putting a lip on the end of the stem instead of the rings. The walls are just too thin and cant handle the pressure, the lip adds a little more strength to the piece. I threw away several pieces and money at the same time figuring this out. The inner stem has a smaller draw hole as does the glass so it turns better as far as stability goes, I still have to take my time turning a little taking a hair off at a time when it gets close to the right size, mic it for the measurement, then take off another hair or two. The inner stem has to be exact so it will slide into the outer stem without any resistance. Its fun making these pieces but does take a little more time and patients. Anything worth having takes a little time and care, its alot like most everything in life, if you want to keep and hold on to something you better have patients and take time with it!
I have been here long enough, gotta process orders, check the bank, and answer emails and such. I appreciate you alls interest in my work and thank you for stopping by. Pls let me know if there is anything I can do! I wish you all well and hope you all have a great weekend!
