My workshop

[ambrad]

Can you explain how and how accurate are they

[vmax4steve]

hi
i have been looking at some of your pics. ive decided to have a go at making a cue. I'm concerned about drilling for the joints. I have a small lathe but it currently wont drill the end of a butt. Ive noticed you have a device that sits between the chuck and the drill to support the cue. Did you make this item or can it be purchased.
look forward to your reply.

I have a mid size Cuesmith lathe that I bought from the USA. Here's a couple of pics showing a one piece cue set in the lathe for drilling from the butt to fit a weight or a mini butt joint.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/vmax4steve/shares/58CV3B

[vmax4steve]

An old two piece machine spliced racker that I did up for a bloke at work. He's about five foot three so I measured him from point of shoulder to floor it turned out to be 55 inches so that's how long the cue is. I cut it down from 57 inches, an inch from both ends, spliced some walnut and sapele to the butt with maple veneers, re-tapered it and finished it with boiled linseed mixed with activated charcoal to enhance the grain.
Two different pieces of ash so the shaft is a little darker, but it turned out OK, hope he likes it and the shorter length should suit him better than having six inches of butt behind his grip hand.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/vmax4steve/shares/2v4477

[Ninja.cues]

I would be very surprised if he is not very happy with that.

[haggishunter]

nice setup and good looking cues there. good effort.

[matthias]

An old two piece machine spliced racker that I did up for a bloke at work. He's about five foot three so I measured him from point of shoulder to floor it turned out to be 55 inches so that's how long the cue is. I cut it down from 57 inches, an inch from both ends, spliced some walnut and sapele to the butt with maple veneers, re-tapered it and finished it with boiled linseed mixed with activated charcoal to enhance the grain.
Two different pieces of ash so the shaft is a little darker, but it turned out OK, hope he likes it and the shorter length should suit him better than having six inches of butt behind his grip hand.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/vmax4steve/shares/2v4477

I like that
this machine/handspliced combo works really well.
especially because the maple really blends into the shaft.
very nice indeed.

[vmax4steve]

I like that
this machine/handspliced combo works really well.
especially because the maple really blends into the shaft.
very nice indeed.

Thanks Matt, yes, kind of separates the original machine splices into sharp point diamond shapes.

[itsnoteasy]

Thanks Matt, yes, kind of separates the original machine splices into sharp point diamond shapes.

Yep I really like that as well Vmax.

[Ninja.cues]

Was thinking of doing something with some of the two piece cues I have but you've done a great job with that one.
Used the old splices nicely.

[vmax4steve]

My first two piece, 3/4 split 60 1/2 inch ash with wenge butt, maple veneer and a figured elm splice. Hand planed down to a bare ash shaft at 1mm oversize, then I split it at the balance point of 22 inches and fitted the joint. Managed to get both pieces lined up perfectly and kept it dead straight too, hand planed from there as I would a one piece taking great care around the joint and sanded only from 0.5mm oversize. Well chuffed with the finished cue, but one of the splices managed to become longer than the others, weird how that happens when all seemed equal before the wenge wedges were glued on.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/vmax4steve/shares/628kW2

Also took delivery today of my 'new' 1948 Whitehead table top planer that I got off ebay. The seller and I agreed on a part exchange with my multi wood machine, bit of a joke with the couriers who employ non english speaking drivers who didn't understand that they were supposed to collect this one, deliver it to me and collect mine at the same time and deliver it to him and came all the way down from Wolverhampton to me with an empty van to collect mine after they had already collected his two days earlier

But it's a fine machine refurbished with a new motor and bearings that runs very quietly and weighs about 75 kg so no vibration unlike the lighter chinese one I part exchanged for it. Should get those splices far more accurately done in future.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/vmax4steve/shares/JbZB1X

[Davebarker1978]

Nice cue, you done a great job lining up the shaft.

[itsnoteasy]

Wenge looks really nice Vmax, I wouldn't mind that as a full butt. Is the balance point high just because of the length, would it feel too far back at 17-18 ?

[vmax4steve]

Wenge looks really nice Vmax, I wouldn't mind that as a full butt. Is the balance point high just because of the length, would it feel too far back at 17-18 ?

The balance point right now is about an inch below the joint which is at 22 inches (first post edited, you forget these details a month or so after measuring) as I haven't added any weight to the butt the weight of the wenge has moved it back that amount. Cue is now 17.5 ounces but feels heavier due to its forward balance point. I might add an ounce of weight to the butt to bring the balance point back to about 19 inches but to be honest a light cue that feels heavier than it is (and that's all a forward balance point does to a cue) might be right up some tall blokes street.
Will put a tip on it and have a bash with it this weekend, here's hoping it doesn't fall apart

So anyone six foot five or so pm me. 29mm butt with 9.6mm brass ferrule and will fit into a standard 3/4 case due to being split at 22 inches, going cheap due to that irregular splice

[Shockerz]

But it's a fine machine refurbished with a new motor and bearings that runs very quietly and weighs about 75 kg so no vibration unlike the lighter chinese one I part exchanged for it. Should get those splices far more accurately done in future.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/vmax4steve/shares/JbZB1X

Looks like an interesting bit of kit mate, don't get any loose clothing caught in that belt as that'll wake you up!.

Do you use the bench grinder cloth wheel attachment for shining those butts?

[vmax4steve]

Looks like an interesting bit of kit mate, don't get any loose clothing caught in that belt as that'll wake you up!.

Do you use the bench grinder cloth wheel attachment for shining those butts?

That's what it's there for, add some polish and shine away without getting ******s elbow