Learning to make a cue

[jamesg19851]

Hi,
I have dabbled with retipping and refinishing cues and have really enjoyed learning how to do this. I find it relaxing and fulfilling. I have decided that I would like to attempt to make a cue. The problem is that apart from some youtube resources there doesn't seem to be much material about how to make a cue. Is it possible to take a course or become an apprentice cue maker? Any advice is much appreciated.

[sanman]

Its nice that you show an interest. Cuemaking. Specifically snooker cuemaking is something of a closely guarded secret. No schools that you can go to learn from. Really its no rocket science but things like balancing, shaft and woods selecting and finishing is an art in itself. From the beginning if you starting out its a matter of trial and error until you develop your own signature style of cuemaking. The few vids on you tube by Andy is quite informative though

[Catch 22]

I've started to make a few cues . I've made 2 and mid way through my third . None of them are up to my own standards though and it's quite frustrating .

Each cue has been made in a different way and I know my next one will be different again as each time I discover a new or better technique to do a particular part of the cue

The fact that there are no real tutorials etc to learn from makes it even more entriguing to me .

When planning the cue making process in my head before I got started there were so many parts where I thought "how am I going to do that " And once you make your way through each obstacle it's a very rewarding feeling

I'm still figuring my way around a couple of parts to get the finished article but getting close now


My advice (for what it's worth ) is to ask your local club for the broken rack cues . I managed to get hold of a quite a few . And practice on those . I started by planing a few down to make a cue for my kid and nephew .

Once I was confident planing down shafts and adding ferrules . I then took the broken cues to practice adding a decorative front splice to get used to using the plane etc .

Then I wrecked a few shafts when attempting to add the main splices to start with lol

Good luck mate

[bigandyg]

I used to practise on brush shafts which was fine 30 years ago as they were made from ash.

[billabong]

I used to practise on brush shafts which was fine 30 years ago as they were made from ash.

I was going to post this info up, but didn't want to pre-empt your ( possible ) post.


A guy up in the club has started experimenting with making cues, and I told him to start

with even current ( wood )brush shafts regardless of today's wood used.

[bigandyg]

I was going to post this info up, but didn't want to pre-empt your ( possible ) post.


A guy up in the club has started experimenting with making cues, and I told him to start

with even current ( wood )brush shafts regardless of today's wood used.

Good advice Bill, they even got sold.

[jamesg19851]

Thanks everyone. I've got an old cue that I've cut down. I'm going to buy a hand plane and try to retaper it. Then I'll refinish the cue and have it referruled by a local cue maker as I don't have a lathe. I may try resplicing the cue.

Can anyone recommend a cheapish hand plane, what size should it be? Thanks

[jamesg19851]

Sorry to resurrect an old thread, I was wondering what size hand plane people usually use, also what make? Also, whereabouts can I get some ash, should I try a lumber yard? I have sourced some indian rosewood, here: http://www.exotichardwoodsukltd.com/.../rapidcart-42/

I' think I'm going to make the first steps now, after looking at Andy Hunter's cue making videos on you tube and Mike Wooldrige's cue making guide on his website I feel a bit more confident. I don't have a background of wood working so it might be a hard learning process, I might ask a cue maker who is local to me for some advice.

[j6uk]

i knew nothing about hand planes until i spent a day with kieth auld, and he advised me on getting a no5 for me first plane cus it can pretty much do everything. then the next step was i thought was simply learning how to use it, wrong. no it was how to prepare the plane for use, thats a whole new learning in itself. once you get your head around that and sharpening irons your off..
all my planes cost 20-30 quid. i now have a no 6,5,4, and a block plane. and if i could chose one to make a cue now it would be the no6.

i started splicing club cues, doweling and lengthening them by a couple of inches, making the splice 9" long. then i built the know how to go for a full 18"
then theres the wood, its all about the wood. again like the hand plane and the art of making a cue, its a whole knew topic..

be interesting to see what you come up with, good luck

[vmax4steve]

I have a number 5 and 10 plus a small block plane. The 10 is long (18 inches) and takes out the uneveness after the initial cut with the bandsaw and the rough tapering with the electric table top planer, then it's the turn of the 5 and the block plane for the small finer details. Like j6 says though it's important to get the blades very sharp and to set up the planes correctly, otherwise it's very easy to take a chunk out, and it will happen when the shaft is very close to finished and will be ruined.
Done that a couple of times so now I have a diamond stone and a marble stone to hone my blades, much better now.

Best tips I can give is to always make sure the plane is square and central when planing, as sideways movement or rocking will take a chunk out, and look at the end of the shaft when planing and not at the plane, hand follows the eye just like playing snooker, same goes when sanding, keep the sanding block square and central.

[Shockerz]

I have a number 5 and 10 plus a small block plane. The 10 is long (18 inches) and takes out the uneveness after the initial cut with the bandsaw and the rough tapering with the electric table top planer, then it's the turn of the 5 and the block plane for the small finer details. Like j6 says though it's important to get the blades very sharp and to set up the planes correctly, otherwise it's very easy to take a chunk out, and it will happen when the shaft is very close to finished and will be ruined.
Done that a couple of times so now I have a diamond stone and a marble stone to hone my blades, much better now.

Best tips I can give is to always make sure the plane is square and central when planing, as sideways movement or rocking will take a chunk out, and look at the end of the shaft when planing and not at the plane, hand follows the eye just like playing snooker, same goes when sanding, keep the sanding block square and central.

I thought a number 7 plane was big enough, not heard of a number 10.

[RogiBear]

Pretty much what j6 and vmax have said. If you're going to get one plane go for either a 5 or 6. Personally I prefer a 5 as its lighter and easier to manoeuvre. I have a 7 to do the donkey work on shaft prep, 5 for splicing and rounding. I have a low angle jack for tough woods and a small 103 for the fine detail. I recently acquired a toothed blade which I'm liking a lot. The 7 isnt anything special but I spent a bit more on the 5 as I use it a lot! The first 5 I had a clifton but I dropped it and it cracked due to being a cast base. I've switched to a LN and have to say its fantastic. The handle is just about big enough for me, which is something I have struggled with in other brands. Personally I would advise spending more on the blade than the plane if you have a limited budget. You also might have to tune the plane to get it working correctly. For sharpening I use waterstones with a honing solution and guide to get a my bevels. I use higher angle frog with some woods also.

[vmax4steve]

I thought a number 7 plane was big enough, not heard of a number 10.

Used for preparing boards so they are quite long, about 18 to 22 inches. The longer the base the less chance of following any bows or bends in the wood thus flattening them out with each cut. They are heavy though and a pain in the shoulder after an hour, but once the shaft is dead flat and about 2mm oversize then it's out with the 5.

Seriously looking at a scraper plane for fine finishing, any one here have any experience with one ?

[Shockerz]

Used for preparing boards so they are quite long, about 18 to 22 inches. The longer the base the less chance of following any bows or bends in the wood thus flattening them out with each cut. They are heavy though and a pain in the shoulder after an hour, but once the shaft is dead flat and about 2mm oversize then it's out with the 5.

Seriously looking at a scraper plane for fine finishing, any one here have any experience with one ?

I remember seeing a photograph of Jason Owen getting a really small plane that he described as taking the same wood as a scraper.......from memory it wasn't cheap, it was for Xmas!

[Shockerz]

I remember seeing a photograph of Jason Owen getting a really small plane that he described as taking the same wood as a scraper.......from memory it wasn't cheap, it was for Xmas!

This was it! https://www.amazon.co.uk/Stanley-Swe.../dp/B002B56CVI

As I said, not cheap but I also know a guy who makes boxes with fine detail and he swears by his!