I’m a dad, I’m an airline pilot, I’m a pipe maker. I’ve always been what you might call a “hobby guy”, and I go off the deep end when I find something I love. Pipes and the pipe community were love at first sight. When the covid pandemic was in full swing, I found a silver lining. I didn’t touch an airplane for over 2 years during that time, so I found myself pulled back towards something I found in my college days, but set aside then. I bought a couple pipes, I read books, I watched YouTube videos; but that wasn’t enough. I found a maker of pre-drilled pipe kits, bought 6 of them, hacked away with crude household tools, and immediately knew this was something I loved.
Building on that passion, I started building up some raw materials. In August 2021, I called on a friend whom I knew had a wood lathe, packed up my small cache, and flew to Missouri to make my first pipe from scratch. That weekend ended far too quickly, so I researched and found a public, community “maker space” close to my home in Atlanta that was equipped with a few small wood lathes. That shop became my home base for a while until I was able to build up the equipment to create my own shop at home.
I then found out that the Chicago Pipe Show offered a pipe making seminar taught by some of the best makers in the United States, and in May 2022, I attended my first pipe show. I was quickly humbled by and learned a lot from the instructors of that class. I returned home and carved away until I got my first table to sell from at Muletown 2023. I was lucky to meet a number of great people there, including Nate King, who offered to take me in and give me some instruction. I eagerly accepted that offer and am very grateful I did.
Today, I continue learning and honing the craft in my home shop, creating pipes from the best materials available. Meet me at a pipe show, or reach out to work together on creating a commission!
I’m a dad, I’m an airline pilot, I’m a pipe maker. I’ve always been what you might call a “hobby guy”, and I go off the deep end when I find something I love. Pipes and the pipe community were love at first sight. When the covid pandemic was in full swing, I found a silver lining. I didn’t touch an airplane for over 2 years during that time, so I found myself pulled back towards something I found in my college days, but set aside then. I bought a couple pipes, I read books, I watched YouTube videos; but that wasn’t enough. I found a maker of pre-drilled pipe kits, bought 6 of them, hacked away with crude household tools, and immediately knew this was something I loved.
Building on that passion, I started building up some raw materials. In August 2021, I called on a friend whom I knew had a wood lathe, packed up my small cache, and flew to Missouri to make my first pipe from scratch. That weekend ended far too quickly, so I researched and found a public, community “maker space” close to my home in Atlanta that was equipped with a few small wood lathes. That shop became my home base for a while until I was able to build up the equipment to create my own shop at home.
I then found out that the Chicago Pipe Show offered a pipe making seminar taught by some of the best makers in the United States, and in May 2022, I attended my first pipe show. I was quickly humbled by and learned a lot from the instructors of that class. I returned home and carved away until I got my first table to sell from at Muletown 2023. I was lucky to meet a number of great people there, including Nate King, who offered to take me in and give me some instruction. I eagerly accepted that offer and am very grateful I did.
Today, I continue learning and honing the craft in my home shop, creating pipes from the best materials available. Meet me at a pipe show, or reach out to work together on creating a commission!
Kevin Foster is an airline pilot, a father, and a pipe maker.
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