Crispian Jones - my latest work :)

[DeanH]

i am working full time making cues mate, but the past 12 months ive been so busy with cases that i have not been able to take cue orders, in fact ive taken a total of 3 cue orders over the past 21 months

i have about 3 days work left on cases so hope to spend the next few months making only cues

I think that could be because you did clearly state in one of your early cue posts that you "are not taking custom orders"

[crispian jones]

I think that could be because you did clearly state in one of your early cue posts that you "are not taking custom orders"

I Think your missing my point dean ? i said the i have only taken 3 orders, and this is as they have been 3 guys who i know through making cases for them, and the only reason i toook these 3 orders is that the requests did not ask for a parris ultimate shaft !

It was always my plan to hold back on orders untill i was happy with my work, and had a big enough stockpile of wood to start taking orders that i could supply, i have seen (like yourself) the issues that a certain cue maker encoutered a few years back
I had some advice of a few cue makers a few years back and without naming them, each bit of advice has been taken

now im not claiming that other cuemakers have helped by telling me how to make a cue ! only "dave coutts" has helped in some aspects of this, and it has been priceless to me (and much apriciated too)

the first bit of advice was "dont take orders" - i didnt for over 12 months possibly longer ! (and glad i didnt too)

secondly i was told " it is easy to make cues" - "but not so easy to make great cues consitantly" (very true)

and finaly i was told "not to get overwhelmed by emails wanting a cue" (so easily done im afraid)

These bits of advice still stand strong in my mind now, and although i never intended on taking orders early on the amount of emails i received in the first few months was silly, and 90% of these emails requested either a parris ultimate shaft or 5 even chevrons 5.86" apart evenly this that and the other

With the power of the internet i belive it is easy to start up a business making cues (as mike has pointed out) but it is also making things more demanding on the cosmetic side of things, ie pictures of buitiful cues with great shafts, when the truth is there is also a tonne of crap ash to go through finding the good stuff

all these things brought me to leave myself with the wrong email contact on my website, so i have not received any emails since last september and no parris ultimate shaft requests
I will when i am happy put the new website up with the correct email adress, and when i do finaly start taking orders (about 16 weeks from now) i will charge extra for any specific shafts, as i am plaining them from squares

[DeanH]

great reply Crispian - by the way my comment was tongue-in cheek
and all great advice and you are following what is best for you - kudos
it has been great following your progress over the last year or so and look forward to more pictures of your stunning cues.
all the best

[crispian jones]

great reply Crispian - by the way my comment was tongue-in cheek
and all great advice and you are following what is best for you - kudos
it has been great following your progress over the last year or so and look forward to more pictures of your stunning cues.
all the best

no worries mate

[Saint_1512]

two thumbs up...

I Think your missing my point dean ? i said the i have only taken 3 orders, and this is as they have been 3 guys who i know through making cases for them, and the only reason i toook these 3 orders is that the requests did not ask for a parris ultimate shaft !

It was always my plan to hold back on orders untill i was happy with my work, and had a big enough stockpile of wood to start taking orders that i could supply, i have seen (like yourself) the issues that a certain cue maker encoutered a few years back
I had some advice of a few cue makers a few years back and without naming them, each bit of advice has been taken

now im not claiming that other cuemakers have helped by telling me how to make a cue ! only "dave coutts" has helped in some aspects of this, and it has been priceless to me (and much apriciated too)

the first bit of advice was "dont take orders" - i didnt for over 12 months possibly longer ! (and glad i didnt too)

secondly i was told " it is easy to make cues" - "but not so easy to make great cues consitantly" (very true)

and finaly i was told "not to get overwhelmed by emails wanting a cue" (so easily done im afraid)

These bits of advice still stand strong in my mind now, and although i never intended on taking orders early on the amount of emails i received in the first few months was silly, and 90% of these emails requested either a parris ultimate shaft or 5 even chevrons 5.86" apart evenly this that and the other

With the power of the internet i belive it is easy to start up a business making cues (as mike has pointed out) but it is also making things more demanding on the cosmetic side of things, ie pictures of buitiful cues with great shafts, when the truth is there is also a tonne of crap ash to go through finding the good stuff

all these things brought me to leave myself with the wrong email contact on my website, so i have not received any emails since last september and no parris ultimate shaft requests
I will when i am happy put the new website up with the correct email adress, and when i do finaly start taking orders (about 16 weeks from now) i will charge extra for any specific shafts, as i am plaining them from squares

[crispian jones]

Here are a few pictures of a handmade traditional cue that has been finished off today

[crispian jones]

paduak

This is a pool cue that i made for a mate

length - 57"
weight -18.5"
tip - 9mm
balance - 17.5"
butt - 29.4mm

dont like paduak myself, but it was quite a nice piece at least !

[crispian jones]

ash boards

some ash boards that were collected thursday on a 480 mile shopping trip

a big thanks to the guy who helped me :----))))

hope to get them all cut up tuesday or wednesday, just waiting on a new bandsaw blade first !

[crispian jones]

macassar classic

A classic macassar ebony cue with maple shaft

specs of this one are-

length - 58"
weight - 18 3/8 oz
tip/ferrule - 9.9mm
butt diamiter - 29.7mm
balanced at - just under 18"

will put this up on the forum or ebay towards the end of this week, just need a few more hours on it first

[Neil Taperell]

I like that . Ebony looks great .

[razvan]

Nice cues

[j6uk]

some ash boards that were collected thursday on a 480 mile shopping trip

a big thanks to the guy who helped me :----))))

hope to get them all cut up tuesday or wednesday, just waiting on a new bandsaw blade first !

Looking forwards to seeing what you can make from these Crispian.. What's the size of these and how many cues would you be able to get from each board? Black x you have on a few, are they rejects?

[crispian jones]

Looking forwards to seeing what you can make from these Crispian.. What's the size of these and how many cues would you be able to get from each board? Black x you have on a few, are they rejects?

im going to cut them straight and should get 40 pieces that way, not to sure how many of them will be usable yet though, but it is deffinatly better ash than ive had before hope to get a good few crackers from it !
the board with the x on it is a reminder to myself that i may need to cut it differently

[j6uk]

im going to cut them straight and should get 40 pieces that way, not to sure how many of them will be usable yet though, but it is deffinatly better ash than ive had before hope to get a good few crackers from it !
the board with the x on it is a reminder to myself that i may need to cut it differently

So you'll cut x4 cues from each board? Not easy to tell the quality from the pics but they look very impressive..

[j6uk]

Iv read on other threads how pricy wood is now, can you say what that set you back crispian?