New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fart

Thanks for the advice Moo! I am still trying to get my filling down and have tried just about every method. It seems I am getting better at it as I usually only have to relight about every 10-15 minutes or so. Are there any suggestions as to when to tamp (I seem to find myself tamping after its too late and the pipe goes out) and tamping technique. When I tamp I kind of go around the edge of the bowl on a circular route all the way around. Should I just tamp the center and not the edges? Thanks again for setting me on the path to pipe bliss.