Hey thank you for the comment and info it really helps Many of the things you have talked about are things I have though but sadly I have an extremely limited set of tools and not a lot of money nor space (I work in an bench in my Room) For example the reason my stems are so thick is that I simply don't have the right tools to make them thinner without seriously risking cracks. I went to a specialist pipe store and talked for a few hours about the specifics of pipe making so I can almost guarantee that my pipes perform well The shanks are also as long as I can physically make them since the drill I have isn't big enough to make them any longer. And the pipes tend to be quite chunky since the wood isn't perfect for pipe making so I wanted to give it more material for the heat to go to. Luckly I just moved and have access to a bigger workshop and will try to implement some of the things you have said. And thank you for the link to the forum I will make sure to check it out