Pipe Making Seminar Registration

    Chicago Pipe Show Pipe Making Seminar

    The 2024 pipe making seminar follows in the show’s history of providing the space, pipe, tools, and instruction to help students of all experience levels to shape and finish their own pipe, from start to finish. In this year’s session attendees will be working with fraised and drilled briar bowls and pre-formed mouthpieces to make a classic bent pipe shape.  Each step of the shaping and finishing process will be detailed, and hands-on instruction will be provided.  Students at this year’s seminar will be instructed by pipe maker Jeff Gracik, with additional guest instructors assisting.

    Besides offering a "Basic 101" course, we're offering a second "Intermediate 201" course only available to last year's attendees. Due to costs, price of the 2 day seminars is $175.

    Pipe Making 101 Class - Beginners pipe making seminar (~14 students). Cost: $175 USD

    Intended for beginner pipemakers and provides a solid foundation in the tools, techniques, and practices that will help students make their first pipe. Each student will work with a fraised briar stummel (roughly shaped and drilled by machine) that has been fitted with an acrylic mouthpiece. Students work step-by-step with detailed, hands-on instructions and demonstrations by our team of professional pipemakers to refine and finish their pipes over the two days of the class.

    101 Pipe Making Kit (Credit:Jeff Garcik)
    Above: 101 pipe making kit from 2023. 2024 kit shaped yet to be determined.(Credit: Jeff Gracik)

    Pipe Making 201 Class - Intermediate pipe making seminar (6 students maximum). Cost: $175 USD

    This class is designed for our 101 class graduates who would like to level-up their skills. These intermediate level students will begin with pre-drilled pipe kits and learn to work from a pattern to shape and finish pipes. Instruction will cover basic pipe design and function to enable the students to continue to practice their skills at home. The added complexity of shaping a pipe from a pattern requires additional hands-on attention and the class size will therefore be limited to six students for the 2024 seminar.

    201 Pipe Making Kit (Credit:Jeff Garcik)
    Above: 201 pipe making kit from 2023. 2024 kit shaped yet to be determined. (Credit: Jeff Gracik)

    Seminar Outline
    1. Introduction 
     1. Rules and Expectations
     2. Tools
     3. Safety
    2. Breakout with group instructors
    3. Pipemaking
     1. Day one: Rough Shaping & refining of the bowl
     2. Day two: Filing mouthpieces & finishing techniques
    4. Guest Pipemaker Skill Demonstration

    Seminar Duration
    Thursday, 9am - 4pm
    Friday, 9am - 3:30pm

    Location: TBD

    Please note that you are not registered until payment is made.

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    Course Selection

    * Intermediate 201 attendees are required to have completed the beginner course in 2022 no exceptions.