My workshop

[DeanH]

They all look great
Beech very easy to work?
I have heard that wenge can be a pig to work with?

[vmax]

They all look great
Beech very easy to work?
I have heard that wenge can be a pig to work with?

Beech very easy to work with, wenge is a real pig, very flaky, splinters easily and full of small shakes and cracks that need filling even when planed super smooth with 300 grade. That thuya burr is a pain as well, very soft and easily gouged when planing no matter how sharp your blade, no distinct grain direction to it as it's a burr so sanded it from 1mm oversize.
I've just used some amazique for a butt on one of my ash shafts but it planed so badly I'm going to take it off and start again with something else, awful timber that I'll not use again, you live and learn.

[the lone wolf]

What are the USPs to using beechwood or is it just availability?

Also.
Are you doing alterations at the moment?

[bridgett]

I have to say that's a great setup

[vmax]

What are the USPs to using beechwood or is it just availability?

Also.
Are you doing alterations at the moment?

Beech is like maple but a tad stiffer so you can have a more slender taper for the same feel. I first used beech when I orderd some maple online and they sent beech by mistake and rather than send it back for a total refund I settled for a part refund and kept it and made a couple of cues with it and they turned out pretty good. I've been asked when I was going to make some more so I have and as I tend to cater for the taller player I decided on some longer cues that will have the same feel as a standard length tapered cue in maple rather than keep end of the butt dowelled at 30mm for 4/5 inches and then taper down from the 57/58 inch mark
I've had a few frames with one of the 62 inch cues and it played very nicely once the tip was played in a bit.
Maybe taller players being bigger blokes with bigger hands might want a thicker butt diameter, something to experiment with in the future but for now staying with 29/30mm as that's what they will be used to.

I do alterations but not on cues I've made myself, that's a road I'm not going down because it will never end.

I do have a beech cue I'm only half way through with at the moment so if you want something shorter then pm me and I'll see what I can do for you.

[the lone wolf]

Thanks for the reply and info Steve!

Your cues look great

[trying]

Loving the splices!! Looked for ages for an Ash/Ebony 3/4 with a nice splice like the middle one in your pic! Gave up in the end.

[vmax]

Just finished these three,

60.75 inch ash/ebony 3/4, 19 oz's

http://


60.25 inche ash/bocote 3/4, 19.2 oz's, twin splices of bocote, not a full butterfly spliced cue as I didn't have enough bocote for that but it looks good to me

http://

58 inch ash/purple heart one piece, 15.4 oz's, ideal UK 8 ball cue or for those who like something light.

http://

[the lone wolf]

That's some serious craftsmanship!

[Cue crafty]

All nice work V, the ash on that first cue with the ebony butt is amazing, bet that's got some feel in it.

[vmax]

All nice work V, the ash on that first cue with the ebony butt is amazing, bet that's got some feel in it.

That cue could very well be a keeper for myself. Strangely enough to some of you all the ash was taken from the same board but the grain changed from one side of the board to the other, started off dead straight and then turned to create multiple chevrons. I used sawdust from the ebony, bocote and purple heart mixed into the oil to highlight the grain so the purple heart cue actually has purple grain although you can't really see it, keeps the ash whiter as well which some people prefer.
Always experimenting, learning new things, have a few more in the pipeline to finish this year before cutting down some ash to 5 mm oversize (35mm butt/15mm tip) to rest over the winter for next year.

[Cue crafty]

That cue could very well be a keeper for myself. Strangely enough to some of you all the ash was taken from the same board but the grain changed from one side of the board to the other, started off dead straight and then turned to create multiple chevrons. I used sawdust from the ebony, bocote and purple heart mixed into the oil to highlight the grain so the purple heart cue actually has purple grain although you can't really see it, keeps the ash whiter as well which some people prefer.
Always experimenting, learning new things, have a few more in the pipeline to finish this year before cutting down some ash to 5 mm oversize (35mm butt/15mm tip) to rest over the winter for next year.

Love that idea for the grain filler! Using more of the natural product and tying the two woods together, brilliant that. 🙏

[itsnoteasy]

That cue could very well be a keeper for myself. Strangely enough to some of you all the ash was taken from the same board but the grain changed from one side of the board to the other, started off dead straight and then turned to create multiple chevrons. I used sawdust from the ebony, bocote and purple heart mixed into the oil to highlight the grain so the purple heart cue actually has purple grain although you can't really see it, keeps the ash whiter as well which some people prefer.
Always experimenting, learning new things, have a few more in the pipeline to finish this year before cutting down some ash to 5 mm oversize (35mm butt/15mm tip) to rest over the winter for next year.

Is it possible to use ash sawdust the way you used the ebony as grain filler to get a natural looking shaft. I have never been keen on darkened arrows and always wanted a natural looking ash shaft.

[vmax]

Is it possible to use ash sawdust the way you used the ebony as grain filler to get a natural looking shaft. I have never been keen on darkened arrows and always wanted a natural looking ash shaft.

Something I've not thought about. I suppose you could but you can get natural coloured grain filler and the slightly darker grain would need to be removed with a soft wire brush and then filled in. All wood darkens with age anyway and your shaft could end up looking like slightly darker ash with white grain, maybe ?

[the lone wolf]

My David Bowen cue has a natural finish. He called it neutral, not sure what he uses. But the cue has a nice clean finish the way I asked