help me make a cue...... This is for anyone that has made a half decent cue themself

[deant1982]

I have been having a go at making a cue recently. It will be made 3/4 split etc.

I have got all of the woods for splicing, have cut, planed, and sanded the shaft down to alost perfectly round, however, this is where I am unsure of a couple of things.
1) At the bottom (thick end) of the shaft, where I am going to be splicing the ebony onto it, this is not round. They way and manner in which I have held it and sanded it has ended up with a sligthly oval bottom. Does this matter, as it is going to be planed/sanded into a flat for the splices of ebony. Do really need to make sure the ENTIRE of the shaft is perfectly round before starting to splice it? (it is roughly the inch at the very end. Cutting it off is not really an option).
2) What do you use for veneers? I have tried researching this, and have found a few places that sell veneers, although they are 0.6mm thick, and resemble paper from what I have seen. Are these the correct things?
3) I looked at a facebook page of Mike Wooldridge, which showed a beautiful bit of cocobolo he had spliced 3 times to reverse the pattern, then reverse it again. It looked absolutely fantastic, but there was the turquoise/blue veneer on the back of the cocobolo prior to putting it on the cue. Is this how these are added? And if so, what glue is used for veneers, as would imagine it is different to the glue used for the splicings of ebony and the other hard woods.
Finally, A guy at work has offered to do the butt for me on the works lathe (after work). Is it best to splice the secondary splices onto the ebony when it is a square, prior to turning it in the lathe, or turn the ebony to a round butt, plane off a the flats, splice, then plane and sand round again?
Any and all assistance is welcome and gratefully received.

[poolqjunkie]

Perhaps it might be easier for you to try making a one piece cue first, since you do not have a lathe and doing the joint might post some problem.
If you are making a 3/4, you only need to splice the shaft, the butt will be solid, turned. Or are you thinking of making a 1 piece then cut it up and have the joint installed?
About glue, I use epoxy but I am sure there are all kinds of glues used by different cue makers.
Regarding splicing and planning I would recommend that you keep trying different methods until you figure out one that works for you. Everyone is different and likes to do things differently--once you have figured out a method to do it right it is yours for good.
Keep it up.
Happy cue making. :-)

[deant1982]

I've got access to a lathe to do the joints etc so that is not an issue. The wood is cut into lengths to make them in 3 pcs sizes, not long enough for one piece. Got west system epoxy for the splicing, it is for any veneers i'm unsure of the glue and where to get the veneers from. The only other thing is best method for the butt. It will be solid, but is it best to splice it as a square ebony block or turn it then splice it and round it by hand?
I've enjoyed making it so far, but any advise welcome!
Thanks.

[JasonOwen]

Dean hi,
What veneers you after? If its standard 0.6 maple then I can send you an A4 sheet?

Your not going to get clear black and white help from any cue makers, we have all had to trial and error different approaches and methods. Plus all cue makers do things slightly differently, as Airin says above. Alot of this is adapting different processes to the machinery that you have available.
For example ive not thought of splicing the butt section while it is still a square spindle, might work well, might not work at all. I like to see what im splicing rather than working blind and 'hoping' you have got it in the right place. Just think it through and you will find you know the answer already.

[jim evans]

hi dean ive turned a butt from square with splicings glued prior does work,but your better turning butt down to about 31-32mm round then cutting the taper either by planeing,sawing and planeing,or planeing and sanding,just double check your measuring befor or taper then make splice to suit

[deant1982]

Hi Jason.

That is kind of you, but I don't mind buying the veneers. The issue was I didn't think a 0.6mm would be thick enough to give the effect it does on a cue. I'll order some I think, but thanks for the offer. I get no cue makers will give much help, and I can understand why, but a little help on a couple of things was all I'm after, and it seems there are a few people that are happy to offer a little advise. I have no problem doing a bit of trial and error either. The think I don't want to do is make the butt from Ebony, try to splice the bottom on with a veneer on the back, and have the butt fall apart when I hit a ball.
Is the same glue to attach a veneer to a splice as it is to then glue the whole lot together?
To be honest that wasn't my idea, it was a guy from works, so I can't take the credit for splicing it as a square. I have to say I was in the same trail of thought as Jim, that it would be better to turn it to a cylinder, splice it, then round and taper it.
Jim, thanks for the advise. As I said above, it wasn't my idea, but as you have done both methods, I appreciate the answer that it is better to round it. It saves me a bit of time and money to cut and splice the bottom splices.
PoolQJunkie, I would have liked to do a few one piece cues first, however it was transport costs to get the wood delivered in long enough lengths for one piece (about £35 for it to travel about 8 miles) where as I could collect it, and they would cut it into whatever sizes I wanted, so I had it done into lengths long enough to fit in my car, which forced my hand.
When it done, I'll get some pics up to show everyone my pride and joy (before I no doubt give it away).
One final question, (possibly the most important one at the mo) is does the bottom of the shaft HAVE to be round before I splice the ebony onto it. As said above, it is very slightly oval, but as it is going to be planed/sanded to a flat for the ebony, is it important to round it first? We are talking of a length roughly an inch long.
Again, many thanks.

[JasonOwen]

You will be cutting off most off the very bottom of the shaft so it wouldnt have to be perfectly round,
although it will be more difficult to measure up if not round.

[jim evans]

hi dean it also depends on which side the oval is i am very good at getting shafts oval,for example if the narrowist is in the line of arrows or on the side or your not worried about the arrows,what you need to do is centre the base easiest done in the lathe then plane down the 4 sides so that the centre is still centre if you get what i mean,i use a caskamite type glue and have got lots of veneers if you want some

[deant1982]

Hi jim. Thanks for the offer. I don't have any objection to buying the veneers. If anyone has a good online store they can share....
Not really sure about finding the centre. Prob need to do that on a lathe as you advise. I hadn't really thought about that before.... Ideas that dont involve a lathe on a post card (or just a reply).