Awesome Tree Branch Pipe

This pipe looks awesome and can be thrown together in one day, and it would be much quicker if you didn't have to wait for the glue to dry. You can use it as a prop or actually smoke it, as the reed is hollow unlike many prop pipes. You don't have to follow this Instructable exactly, and you can customize your pipe as much as you want, changing the shape, size, and stem length.

1. A stick 5-9 inches long and about half an inch wide.

2. A branch 1 1/4 inches wide with a 1/2 inch branch-off (See step 5 for picture) (I used apple).

3. A bench vise.

4. A wood carving knife or Exacto knife.

5. 2 Clamps

6. Sandpaper 60, 120, and 200 grit.

7. Carpenter's Glue.

Warning: Some types of wood are toxic to smoke. Make sure that you are using non toxic wood. Some common options are Cherry, Apple, and other non - citrus fruits, As well as oak and walnut. If you are unsure if a wood is safe, look it up before using it.

Put your stem stick in the bench vise and clamp it vertically. Cut it in half down the middle with your Exacto knife. You may have to use multiple sticks before you get it to cut straight.

Use your Exacto knife or a gouge chisel to hollow out the center of both halves of the stem. The tube should be consistently 1/3 centimeter and not have any shavings blocking it, as that will prevent airflow. Use the knife to shave any bark off of the stem sticks.

Use a skewer or toothpick to apply wood glue to the edges of one half of the stem. Make sure not to put to much glue on, or it can clog the stem. Put the two stem pieces together and clamp together for at least 5 hours.

While the glue is drying, you can start on the bowl. Find a branch like the one above, about 1 1/4 inches across with a 1/2 inch branch-off. Shave the bark off of it, and pre-drill a guide hole in the center of it. Use a 7/8 inch drill bit to hollow it out, making sure not to drill right through.

Use a 1/8 or 3/16 inch drill bit to drill a hole from the center of the branch-off to the bottom of the bowl hole. Enlarge the first centimeter of that hole with a drill bit slightly smaller than your stem width, About 1/4 inch.

Use sandpaper or an electric sander to smooth out the outside of the bowl piece, using progressively higher grit. sand until you are satisfied, or skip this step for a more rustic look.

Once the glue on the stem is dry, remove it from the clamp. Sand it down like the bowl. carve one end down until it fits snugly into its hole in the bowl. Apply wood glue onto the bottom end of the stem and insert it into its hole in the bowl piece. Allow to dry for another 5 hours.

Once the glue is dry, Blow through the pipe to see if it is completely hollow. You can oil or stain your pipe, although you should be careful not to use any poisonous stains on it if you plan on smoking it. Enjoy!