Cue badges

[Removal man stevie]

Had a look at the Robert Osborne badge looks nice could you try a computer image with your name same as his is displayed ? So it would say your full name and instead of handmade have Scotland ?

[bradwight]

I haven't bothered with numbered cues (not made enough yet to make it worthwhile) but have been putting the year on the opposite side to the flat splice using 6mm ebony or maple dowels to make four circles in-line with the shaft. I found the dowels wouldn't stamp well, not without risk of causing damage to the rest of the butt but easily hand engraved the digits in the circles, filled with white or black gloss hammerite and sanded to a flush finish. Looks good and the hammerite isn't likely to flake off even after oiling.

[DeanH]

interesting, can you share some piccies of your work?
where are you based?

[Removal man stevie]

I haven't bothered with numbered cues (not made enough yet to make it worthwhile) but have been putting the year on the opposite side to the flat splice using 6mm ebony or maple dowels to make four circles in-line with the shaft. I found the dowels wouldn't stamp well, not without risk of causing damage to the rest of the butt but easily hand engraved the digits in the circles, filled with white or black gloss hammerite and sanded to a flush finish. Looks good and the hammerite isn't likely to flake off even after oiling.

Yes mate as dean asked you got sum pics you could show us ?

[bradwight]

Hi, I'm in Elgin, Scotland, originally from Newcastle though.

I've been repairing and servicing cues for several years but decided to try my hand at making one last summer after getting frustrated with cues I'd bought not quite being what I was after. I paid good money for a great Mike Wooldridge cue but he wouldn't do a tip size smaller than 8mm (I'm a pool player and like a very small tip) so ended up selling it on again and making my own.

The first cue I made was out of scrap wood (oak shaft & olivewood butt splices) I got off a furniture maker, nothing to look at and far from perfect but it's round, straight, nicely balanced and plays perfectly fine. I've made five more since then but have since been chopping them up and using them to practice splicing, weighting, etc, so they're real Frankenstein jobs at the minute!

I've just about finished making 12 shafts, 9 out of Canadian Maple and 3 out of very light coloured Aberdeenshire Sycamore Maple (not quite sure how sycamore will play?).

Busy preparing ebony, bocote and olivewood for splicing and have just bought a load of Thai Black Fox in 22" lengths which looks interesting.

I'm not planning on embarassing myself with pics of the 'Frankenstein' Cues I've made so far or the one I use but all going well, I'll definitely be posting pics of the cues I'm making now. I'm planning on finishing a cue a week from the start of March (hopefully!)

Got to say, this forum was a valuable source of information when I first looked in to it and Jason Owen's facebook page has given me some reallly good inspiration!

Brad

[DeanH]

well, welcome to TSF and yes there is a huge amount of good information.

word to the wise, now you have "come out of the closet", be prepared to say "NO" to the requests for custom cues that you will get from the TSF community :biggrin:
stick to your efforts at your own pace

[bradwight]

Cheers mate, I feel like I know half of you from looking at this forum for the last few years, just never took the time to register until last week and had a question about sourcing name discs at a reasonable cost. Guessing the thread hasn't been approved? I found some anyway so not a problem now!

[DeanH]

who did you go with for the badges?

[Removal man stevie]

Yes mate welcome and wee love pics so don't be shy

[bradwight]

www.coinsandpins.com

They do commemorative coins and badges. Cost per unit for die-struck 16mm bronze discs (effectively one sided coins) with my name, location and logo raised was £3.76. Really good communication to get specs and artwork right and I haven't had to pay anything up front. Only down side was there is a minumum order of 50 discs but they keep the dies for future use and even then it works out cheaper than some of the extortionate quotes i was getting from UK suppliers. They offered me gold plating for a quid extra but thought that was a bit OTT!

[bradwight]

My last post needs approved as has a link in it. Will try again but stick your own wwws and dotcoms in: coinsandpins

They make commemorative coins and badges, 16mm die struck bronze discs (one sided coins) with my logo, name and location all raised are $3.76 each. Minimum order of 50 but still works out massively cheaper than some UK companies. Great communication with getting die artwork and specs right. Haven't had to pay anything up front and they keep dies afterwards for any future orders. They offered me gold plating for $1 per disc extra but I thought bronze would look better in a traditional cue.

4-6 weeks and I should have them.

[DeanH]

My last post needs approved as has a link in it. Will try again but stick your own wwws and dotcoms in: coinsandpins

They make commemorative coins and badges, 16mm die struck bronze discs (one sided coins) with my logo, name and location all raised are $3.76 each. Minimum order of 50 but still works out massively cheaper than some UK companies. Great communication with getting die artwork and specs right. Haven't had to pay anything up front and they keep dies afterwards for any future orders. They offered me gold plating for $1 per disc extra but I thought bronze would look better in a traditional cue.

4-6 weeks and I should have them.

maybe keep the gold plated badges for your "ultimate" cues in the future :smile:

[bradwight]

To be honest I thought gold might be a bit OTT even if it was for a great cue, wouldn't say I'm a traditionalist but I feel a bright, shiny gold badge might overshadow the cue itself. I do like the white on black discs a few of you guys use but decided solid bronze will suit the design I've went for.

Hopefully in a few weeks I'll be in a position to upload a few photos. Cheers for the advice and encouragement!

[Removal man stevie]

To be honest I thought gold might be a bit OTT even if it was for a great cue, wouldn't say I'm a traditionalist but I feel a bright, shiny gold badge might overshadow the cue itself. I do like the white on black discs a few of you guys use but decided solid bronze will suit the design I've went for.

Hopefully in a few weeks I'll be in a position to upload a few photos. Cheers for the advice and encouragement!

Have you saw the badge on my Jim black cue ?

[bradwight]

Aye, it's smart, brushed brass?