R.i.p

[Dave Walton]

Don't think I'll be placing an order with ANY of the 'handmade cue' makers, after these couple of threads...

All this has left a nasty taste in the gob tbh.

i wouldnt just back away theres still lots of cuemakers who make cues generally in the traditional way,ive always stated mine now start from the dowel stage if people arnt happy with that dont ask me to make a cue its that easy,but most cuemakers start by doing the whole business my decision is that i dont think i could go to a woodyard and pick a piece of ash and say this will make a gd cue,the cuemakers who are capable still end up with a lot of wastage this is why the cues they make cost a lot,the dowels i buy are in my opinion up to a ultimate standard and i dont have to bin any so was the best option for me.

Id say that's fair enough Jim, should help keep your prices down and everyone knows what they're buying beforehand

[Neil Taperell]

Ah I should just disappear like the rest,

I have been honest.
I have got my housekeeping in order mainly so that when this subject pops up again I won't have to get involved, whichever way I'm working.
I have spoken privately to anyone concerned with their cue.
I have had some orders cancelled.
Any quotes I've done this week, I've added a foot note saying I may source materials from Thailand.
I have to say, no other makers are divulging if they work from blanks, where they buy their materials from??

I didn't realise the implications of Handmade being on my badges. It was something back when I started that just seemed natural to state. Now I realise that hand made implies everything including tapering the shaft from a square, I have removed it from everywhere associated with me, my badges will be reworked but will take a month to come through so there will be a delay on that.

I have been naive, not intentionally deceitful. I have only ever wanted to produce a top quality product.
My prices are similar range to the customised cues.

Top man Jason .

Honest and to the point .

[archalf1471]

ultimately any of these threads that continue in this vain where cuemaker/suppliers integrity is being called into question will be closed down by the site admin, the same as last night's thread was, so I think all the hard work and contributions correct or speculative by all concerned and will leave a lot of potential customers very confused to say the least

archalf1471 - I noticed you are selling your 2 months old Andy Travis cue on ebay UK . . .

Yes mythman I am. Have had it up on a couple of occasions. Firstly before the two threads were started.........hopeful rather than optimistic is a term I think I will use now lol

On the subject of misleading, that cue isn't spliced anything like a connoisseur, but you've advertised it as a copy of a connoisseur lol

Dave I am aware that the veneers should go right down to the base of the cue. I asked for a copy and that is what I received. Please exercise your right not to bid on said cue lol.

[laverda]

Top man Jason .

Honest and to the point .

Which is why I would deal with him again in the future despite all this... I don't see any other cue makers being this transparent
Mick

[humperdingle]

Besides, having sanded ebony for a couple of hours the last thing you wanna touch is a digital camera. Trust me.

This is easier than you're making it... just outsource the pictures to a Thai company to save time.

[Exile]

Well said Jason. You've done way more than most. I don't think anyone should be put off from buying a cue off you in the future.

To be transparent to all who may consider one of my cues...

My badges state HANDMADE because they are. I drive to the timber yards to pick up the 1-1/2" squares of ash/maple/pearwood whatever. They are taken from square to round in my garage by me alone by using a bandsaw and planes and a belt sander. If you order a 1 piece cue from me, the shaft wood is 1 continuous piece for those of you who are concerned about this. This is the way I prefer it but I have had to extend a cue before when at the 11th hour the customer wanted additional splices added and the cue was already at its finished length.

They are then spliced using the traditional hand plane method.

As stated in the other thread I buy on my joints because a CNC lathe can make them faster and better than I can given the tooling I have. I also get a local sign maker to make my badges as they are laser engraved and I don't have a laser engraver in my garage.

I hope all this doesn't put customers off from investing in local craftsmanship.

[hotpot]

Well said Jason. You've done way more than most. I don't think anyone should be put off from buying a cue off you in the future.

To be transparent to all who may consider one of my cues...

My badges state HANDMADE because they are. I drive to the timber yards to pick up the 1-1/2" squares of ash/maple/pearwood whatever. They are taken from square to round in my garage by me alone by using a bandsaw and planes and a belt sander. If you order a 1 piece cue from me, the shaft wood is 1 continuous piece for those of you who are concerned about this. This is the way I prefer it but I have had to extend a cue before when at the 11th hour the customer wanted additional splices added and the cue was already at its finished length.

They are then spliced using the traditional hand plane method.

As stated in the other thread I buy on my joints because a CNC lathe can make them faster and better than I can given the tooling I have. I also get a local sign maker to make my badges as they are laser engraved and I don't have a laser engraver in my garage.

I hope all this doesn't put customers off from investing in local craftsmanship.

Quite the opposite , knowing the inns and out from start to finish will reassure people what they are getting for their money .

[golferson123]

well lads, after my handmade dinner.several pints of handmade tetleys im going in my handmade bed for a couple of hours kip before getting up at daftoclock to peddle my handmade car to the quarry to crush some rocks, yours f flinstone.

[archalf1471]

well lads, after my handmade dinner.several pints of handmade tetleys im going in my handmade bed for a couple of hours kip before getting up at daftoclock to peddle my handmade car to the quarry to crush some rocks, yours f flinstone.

Sleep well

[JasonOwen]

A few points -

The Thai cues which I have handled, I still had to taper the top down slightly as I felt they were too thick around the bridge hand, ferrule and tip, drill and weight, add a joint, completely finish the bottom of the butt, sand the whole cue down to a finish that I considered worthy, then oil and rub over a week to get my finish.
It wasn't, for me, a rebadge and bang out. Actually involved alot of work.


So tell me, if I hand taper the ash squares that I have here, get a decent looking shaft and then make a cue from that, then that is a truely handmade cue, correct. Now how many of you will pay me £600 for the finished cue?
I bet I'd sell none.

Now if I buy 10 Thai cues and work as stated above, badge them as 'Jason Owen Ti cues' then put them up for £250 each.
I can tell you, once word got out I would sell 10 a month.

Regarding Andy Travis cue, I cut a 58inch shaft before splicing at around 12 inches, then drill 6 inches into the top part of the shaft, add weight and then dowell the 2 back together. The best cue maker in the country taught me that very early on after I kept splitting butts with an 18 inch long drill bit. So explains why possibly there is a difference under the splices.

[luke-h]

A few points -

The Thai cues which I have handled, I still had to taper the top down slightly as I felt they were too thick around the bridge hand, ferrule and tip, drill and weight, add a joint, completely finish the bottom of the butt, sand the whole cue down to a finish that I considered worthy, then oil and rub over a week to get my finish.
It wasn't, for me, a rebadge and bang out. Actually involved alot of work.


So tell me, if I hand taper the ash squares that I have here, get a decent looking shaft and then make a cue from that, then that is a truely handmade cue, correct. Now how many of you will pay me £600 for the finished cue?
I bet I'd sell none.

Now if I buy 10 Thai cues and work as stated above, badge them as 'Jason Owen Ti cues' then put them up for £250 each.
I can tell you, once word got out I would sell 10 a month.

Regarding Andy Travis cue, I cut a 58inch shaft before splicing at around 12 inches, then drill 6 inches into the top part of the shaft, add weight and then dowell the 2 back together. The best cue maker in the country taught me that very early on after I kept splitting butts with an 18 inch long drill bit. So explains why possibly there is a difference under the splices.

Now some of the truth has came out i would happily pay for something from you, under the proviso nothing was hidden from me, i have absolutely no problem with plain ash blanks being brought from thailand oversized for you to splice, weight and finish the cue as long as its priced accordingly

[EnterTheDragon]

I drive to the timber yards to pick up the 1-1/2" squares of ash/maple/pearwood whatever.

Do you get ready made squares at the local timber yards in the UK?

[RogiBear]

A few points -

The Thai cues which I have handled, I still had to taper the top down slightly as I felt they were too thick around the bridge hand, ferrule and tip, drill and weight, add a joint, completely finish the bottom of the butt, sand the whole cue down to a finish that I considered worthy, then oil and rub over a week to get my finish.
It wasn't, for me, a rebadge and bang out. Actually involved alot of work.


So tell me, if I hand taper the ash squares that I have here, get a decent looking shaft and then make a cue from that, then that is a truely handmade cue, correct. Now how many of you will pay me £600 for the finished cue?
I bet I'd sell none.

Now if I buy 10 Thai cues and work as stated above, badge them as 'Jason Owen Ti cues' then put them up for £250 each.
I can tell you, once word got out I would sell 10 a month.

Regarding Andy Travis cue, I cut a 58inch shaft before splicing at around 12 inches, then drill 6 inches into the top part of the shaft, add weight and then dowell the 2 back together. The best cue maker in the country taught me that very early on after I kept splitting butts with an 18 inch long drill bit. So explains why possibly there is a difference under the splices.

If £600 is for a plain butt it might be a little high but I think people would willing to pay a premium for a cue that was completely handmade from squares.

[SouthPaw]

Now some of the truth has came out i would happily pay for something from you, under the proviso nothing was hidden from me, i have absolutely no problem with plain ash blanks being brought from thailand oversized for you to splice, weight and finish the cue

Yes i agree fully, now if there's 100% honesty i can see this episode having a positive effect on Jason's business, we all know the quality that comes out of Thailand, now the price reflects the Asian labour and UK it can only be a good thing...

[SouthPaw]

If £600 is for a plain butt it might be a little high but I think people would willing to pay a premium for a cue that was completely handmade from squares.

Not from a relatively new cue maker i doubt it very much, maybe someone like Trevor W or Dave C who has many years of experience and reputation...