After drilling, shine a bright flashlight down the chamber. Look through the mortise. You should see a perfect circle of light. If you see a half-moon, your draft hole is too high. If you see nothing, you missed the chamber entirely. If you see a pinprick, you are perfect.
The guide is structured to help beginners avoid common pitfalls, such as drilling through the side of a shank or misaligning the airway. PIMO's Guide to Pipe Crafting at Home - Vermont Freehand pimos guide to pipe crafting at home pdf
While the guide is great for mechanics, it has some gaps regarding It teaches you how to make a pipe look like a pipe, but it spends less time on the nuances of what makes a pipe smoke well (e.g., airflow dynamics, draft hole placement relative to the bowl floor). After drilling, shine a bright flashlight down the chamber