Ideas that were discussed were Corinthian and Doric columns.

What I was hoping to create was an organic form that would speak about the columns of antiquity. I wanted to have echo’s of the egg and dart shapes that often run along the pediments of classic buildings. The curves were the most important detail. I did not want them to be identical, nor did I want them to look mass produced. Since this piece was symmetrical, I had quite the job ahead.

The wood I chose was Myrtle Burl. Myrtle Burl has a nice heft to it. It also has a nice dark to light pattern. My customer was defiantly part of the inception, carving and finish process, as you can see in the pictures.

Regards,

Jennifer Rinaldi

I took a good look at the grain pattern

Here it is with the Iverson casting

Side view

It's getting smoother ... I'll keep sanding

More sanding

Curves are emerging ... looking good

Finished

Shown with my husband Jon's Freehand

Hi Jen! It’s about a quarter to five and I just received and unwrapped the pipe stand.  It’s awesome!  Love the whimsical carving, which makes it look almost as if it grew into that shape.  No machine-turned radiuses (radii?) that would make it look mass-produced.  The curves roll forth in a natural way, and the finish is positively the smoothest I have ever felt.   You can see the smoothness of the finish, but you have to run your fingers over it to comprehend just how silky it really is.  And without varnish, shellac, artificial sealer, etc.  It’s the kind of hand-rubbed finish you just don’t see anymore.The stand fits the pipe as if it were MADE for it!   (That’s a joke; don’t take offense.)   Seriously, the pipe just snugs down in the recess perfectly.  Total, custom-made job.The Myrtle worked out beautifully too.  Love the veins of light and dark that appear everywhere through it.  Many thanks!I know it’ll be a long time before you get to it, but I’m sending the lion castings and one of the pipe.  It, too, is a bent Dublin shape; not so different from this one.  The “pipe” I cast in plaster is just the bottom of the bowl and most of the shank – I simply made a mold of the part that will contact the pipe rest, basically.Again Jen, many many thanks for the countless hours of painstaking work.  Big, big payoff in beauty and quality!

Best,  Mike

We had a wonderful Italian dinner in St. Charles with Todd Johnson and his lovely wife Rachel along with Bruce Weaver and his soon to be bride Cindy.  I have a picture of us in unbelievable 20 ft. limo they sent.  It was very cool, we called for a taxi, we certainly didn’t expect this limo, it felt as though we were at a disco.

Here are a few picture, hope you enjoy them.

Cindy, Bruce Weaver, Jennifer and Rachel, Todd's wife

My handsome self with Brad Pohlman

Lasse Skovgaard holding one of his spectacular pipes

Lasse's beauty only $2,600.00

In the limo, Todd and Rachel,Bruce and Cindy and my terrific wife Jennifer

Jennifer and Cindy

Handley Scott with his new "Clan Pipe"

]]> http://jrinaldipipes.com/wp/back-from-chicago-2010/feed/ 0 http://jrinaldipipes.com/wp/chicago-preview/ http://jrinaldipipes.com/wp/chicago-preview/#comments Fri, 09 Apr 2010 16:48:35 +0000 jon http://jrinaldipipes.com/wp/?p=826 “A few weeks left to go and counting”

Busy, Busy, Busy, is our mantra this time of year; Jennifer and I have been working extra hours in our shop preparing for the Chicago Show May 1^st and 2^nd.  We are very grateful that we are so busy with custom work and adding to our inventory of pipes and stand for the show.  Here are six completed pipes for the show; I have another six at various stages of completion.

If any one is interested in purchasing any of these pipes prior to the show, please contact me via email or call for more images, specs, and price.  Pipes will be mailed out on my return from the show.

Hadley Scott’s pipe and stand were designed to incorporate his Scottish heritage, yet still be functional.  The pipe was made large enough for him to hold on his lap while smoking.  It is adorned with the Scott family crest and sword, as well as the thistle, another Scottish symbol.  I designed the stem of the pipe to look like the stem of a bagpipe. We even ordered an authentic bagpipe tassel to hang from the top of the stem.  The shank is in two parts and it is drilled with a larger airway so it will have an easy draw for an 18” shank.

Jennifer has been working on Hadley’s pipe stand. The stags’ head is carved out of a solid piece of cedar.  Jen’s stand had to be large enough to hold such a large pipe.  The very center of the cedar block is the very center of the stand.  The block was chosen because of its rich red hue and nice ring pattern.  I also inserted deer horn, both on the back of the neck, and on the bottom, which the pipe sits.  The whole set is really a sight to see.

Smooth Poker with Zebrawood band

Sandblasted Full Bent with band of Ivory and Green/Black Cumberland stem

In this segment I am working on a few pipes.  One is a poker that has a really nice straight grain; I am making this Poker for a client that wants our Navajo rustication with a black finish, I must admit I am somewhat torn, this pipe would be such a beautiful smooth.  However, I love the Navajo look and it will look great on a Poker shape.  I think I might have to flip a coin, heads I keep it smooth and make another, or tails rusticate it and move on to the next.  What a nice place to be.

The next is a roughed out Bulldog with an Ivory inlay and a handsome piece of black Buffalo horn, the shank needs a little more shaping but again a very nice clean piece of briar with a super grain.

The next is a freeform full bent; this is being made for Carlos.  It has a beautiful Birds Eye rim and I think it will sport a very nice grain.  It has a band of Ivory and a requested green/black Cumberland stem.  The body will be a very dark brown finish.  I enjoy working a freeform shape, it gives me the freedom to use my imagination to create what I see and feel as I go along.

This next segment is combined work of Jennifer and myself.

THE SCOTT CLAN PIPE & HOLDER

At times we are asked to do things that we have never envisioned doing.  This is the case of our friend Hadley Scott’s Clan Pipe and stand.  Jon and I knew we would need to research this project to make it work.  Being a little intimidated by the scope of the project, I invoked the words of some Scottish Ghosts of the past.

“Keep your fears to yourself, but share your courage with others”.  ~ “Robert Louis Stevenson”

On that note we now embark on the journey of Hadley’s Clan Pipe.

Jon purchased the XX large Italian briar block for this pipe at the Chicago Pipe Show.  The piece was chosen for its clarity and size.  Hadley wanted a pipe large enough to have to bowl resting in his lap.  That meant that the stem would need to be at least 17 inches long.  After researching bagpipes, Jon & I decided that we would fashion the stem after one of the stems on a bagpipe.  The oval buttons on a bagpipe are called projecting mounts.  Jon wanted to re-create that feeling in his stem.

Traditional projecting mounts were made of bone or ivory, with the bands located on the lower regions being called ferrules.  These elements would be a nice touch to the clan pipe.  It was decided that due to the length of this pipe that the stem would be in two parts.  We also wanted to include the silk cord & tassel.

The willing horse is always worked to death.  ~ “Scottish Proverb”

Hadley supplied us with his clan pins, which he wanted to have etched on his pipe.  I took his pins and hand rendered them to preserve the detail this took time.

While I was working on the renderings, Jon was working on the stem & beginning to carve the pipe.

The devil’s boots don’t creak.

Scottish Proverb

This is so true!  That piece of wood looked so perfect too.  As Jon was carving the pipe, a some much feared sand pits made it’s way to the surface.  Not to be daunted, we discussed where to place the clan emblems.  Luckily the emblems mostly covered the flaws.  In the areas where the pipe would be handled, Jon decided to lightly sandblast.  The look was quite pleasing.

“Luck never gives; it only lends”.

“Scottish Proverb”

As the pipe came near to completion, my thoughts turned to the pipe stand.  I will need all of the luck I can get!  With a pipe this long and heavy, my stand would need to be large enough to accommodate the length & weight.

Hadley wanted a stag’s head for the theme.  The Scott clan motto is

“I Love” represented by a stag in the circle of a Scottish belt.  (As seen in crest pins)  Somehow I would like to incorporate the Scottish belt into my design.  We shall see how.

I decided to carve the stag’s head out of a piece of cedar given to me by Olie Sylvester. Olie has a wonderful interesting pod-cast site www.oompaulpodcast.squarespace.com/ the cedar round had a nice purple cast to it as well as being pretty heavy.  The well for the pipe to rest in was the first thing I needed to carve.  I had to make sure that the pipe would rest easily and be nice & stable. In a few weeks Jon will work on the finishing, the sandblasted area will be darker then the body, I can’t wait to see it completed.

THE STAG HEAD PIPE

This is a pipe my wife carved for our friend and pipe artesian Don Kesling of www.Keslingbrairpipes.com Don was asked to carve a pipe resembling a stag’s head.  I was honored that I was asked to take on the challenge.  Being a hunter myself, I have a deep appreciation for a many pointed stag.  I have been fortunate in my lifetime to have seen a few real showstoppers.  Carving this image on a pipe was going to be fun!

Don did all of the drilling, stem work, and technical parts of the pipe that I was to carve.  He sent me pictures of prospective blocks and asked my opinion.  I ended up choosing one with a nice straight grain, but with some cross grain to it as well.  We had decided that parts of the pipe would be sandblasted.  I told him to leave me with as much wood as he could.  This way I could carve the needed details deeply, without risking the thickness of the bowl.

I sent him photo-shopped pictures of how I envisioned the pipe would look.

Don told me the client wanted a nice buck’s head with a many-pointed rack.

Don and I saw the same image.  The antlers needed to wrap themselves around the bowl.  It is always nice to have to adhere to a clients wishes, it is even better when you both can have the same vision.

Carving wood is like a time warp to me.  You get started and before you know it the day is gone!  I feel fortunate that I love what I do.  Right down to the smell of the wood!  This pipe took time, but due to the subject matter, it seemed to go fast.

In the end, Don, his client, and I were pleased with the result.  Here are some images from start to finish.

What a wonderful place to have a show!  We congratulate both of them.

All tables were sold out and many of the top pipe makers were there, and from what I hear all were pleased with there sales.

Jennifer and I had a great time; we spent quality time with Todd Johnson, Bruce Weaver, Steve Morrisette, Michael Lindner and many more.  I strongly feel that next year will be an even bigger success.  So, when the dates are posted for 2010, make your reservations.  For those of you have never been to Vegas, you are in for a treat.  There are more shows than one can see in the few days allotted for the show.  If your love is fine food, then you are in luck!  Whatever your fancy, you can find it here!  I enjoyed the absolutely magnificent architecture.  Where else in North America can you see a pyramid?

Jennifer and I were pleased with our sales; here are a few of the pipes that sold along with a pipe stand that Jennifer made.

We thank you all for your support.

Jon and Jen

I thought I would post a few of the pipes that are on or just off my bench.

This ½ bent freehand looks like it will be my star at the West Coast show.  Simply a super grain; and a very clean block.  I am in the final stages of sanding and so far not a spot of imperfection.  The stem still has to be cut, and it has an insert of Mammoth Ivory.

This Lumberman was a commission and is on its way to Germany.  My client liked the Lumberman # 0190-09 (is now at home in Paris France) on my web site and wanted one just like it.  I think it looks pretty close.

This Billiard was being made for a client, but as I was nearing completion, decided he wanted a larger longer pipe.  This billiard would have been a terrific smooth, however, the grain was just perfect to show off a beautiful blast.  This block was very clean, no pits at all, so I kept a natural finish.  This one will accompany me to Las Vegas next week along with the next one.

The last one is a Rhodesian shape with a beautiful birds eye rim, gently sandblast with a band of Mammoth Ivory and horn, the stem is hand cut Cumberland

I also completed this really nice, quite large egg shape.  It has a beautiful straight grain completely around the tobacco bowl; the ring band is made of black ebony.  The finish is a very rich sable brown with many highlights showing through.  This one is on it’s way to Columbus also.

Jennifer just completed a very nice Ironwood single pipe stand with tamper.  She inlayed turquoise in the stand and tamper.  It is a good size of small to medium pipes.  The pipe that is shown with it is available on out web site, they sure look good together.

Jennifer being a wonderful creative carver said … I think a special stand would be perfect to have the two pipes rest on.  Some of you might remember me mentioning that before moving to the Tucson area we lived in north Scottsdale.  We bordered on the Tonto National Forest were a number of years ago there was a fire that destroyed many acres of the forest.  Left behind were many dead Ironwood trees.  Nature is just magical, during the monsoon season the desert just comes alive with beautiful desert flowers and many varieties of cactus.  Jennifer and I would ride our horses through this area, we would marvel at the wonderful shapes and color of the ill-fated trees.  We had permission to pick up pieces of ironwood as long as we don’t use a chain saw.  We gathered many pieces that we used in carvings over the last five years.  You can see some of the pipe stands on our Exotic Pipe Stand page of our web site.

Having only a few pieces left we decided to make a stand with the ironwood for my two squat tomato’s.  Here is the finished double set.  There are also images in their unfinished stages.

To be honest with you, I am not sure how I would offer the two pipes and stand.  It truly is a beautiful set, and would love to keep it together. I will be adding this set to my web site for sale in a couple of weeks.  However, I want to take this set to the Columbus show August 29^th.  If any one is interested in purchasing the set, please email or call for more information.  I would love to keep it as a set, however, if it doesn’t find a loving home when I get home from Columbus, I will break the set up.

Best Regards,

Jon and Jennifer

At the end of the Chicago Pipe Show, this was my challenge. Create a pipe stand in the shape of an old shoe. Our best client had a plastic shoe pipe holder, and loved the way it looked.  The problem was that it was small to hold many of his pipes, and was made of plastic.  I was given this model to work from to create its wooden twin.

The model was an injection-molded piece originally made out of clay.

It portrayed an old sagging work shoe complete with laces, but I must say, it looked kind of cheap-e.

Settling on a beautiful block of cherry wood, my project began.  I started with the inside, drilling the center out to the point where a pipe would rest securely inside.  After that I worked my way to the outside.  It was a real challenge for me to carve this shoe; but still be my own creation. The details are what really made it come to life. I wanted the sole and heel of the shoe to look like leather.  I did this by cutting grooves into the heel, and then polishing it with a hard piece of leather.  The laces had to fall upon the surface naturally.  I let them be a lighter color, so they would add more interest to the surface.  The body of the shoe ended up showing off the cherry wood grain nicely.  It was a pleasure to carve something that lent itself to wood so well.

As a carver I am always excited to work on commissions, they help me as an artist take myself out of the planning. The client has the vision.

It’s my job to make it come true. It helps me become technically better at carving, by forcing me to pay attention to every detail.

Jennifer Rinaldi