making a cue

[ambrad]

hi all
I am making myself a new ash snooker cue as I am due a new cue after 30 years. I have made the shaft but it appears to be slightly uneven even after I have spent about an hour trying to correct it. Does any one have good tips on how to get the shaft perfectly straight. am I expecting too much. can a hand made cue be perfectly straight when you use a jointing plane and sand paper.
look forward to your replys
thanks

[vmax4steve]

It has to done in stages, cut the 35mm square from a board then leave it for three months to see if it bends. Plane it to a rough taper of about 35mm down to 15 mm using a long bed plane (no:7) then leave for three months, again to see if it bends. If it hasn't bent or has only bent a tad then plane it down to 32mm to 12mm again with a long bed plane; the long bed plane will ensure that the bend is taken out as it will only take off shavings where the blade contacts the timber and will do so until the surface is dead flat or straight and only then will the blade take a shaving off the whole length of the shaft.
Once it's down to 32mm to 12mm apply a sanding sealer or similar to the shaft after every subsequent planing, scraping or sanding to keep the moisture in the timber to stop it drying out further and bending.

Trust your long bed plane to do it's job, it's what they are designed for, to take out bends and bumps, oh and sharpen your plane blade every time you finish using it so it's ready to go next time, and don't try to take off too much, set your plane for fine shavings and be patient.

When sanding use a straight block of timber about 50mm X 25mm X 250mm long for the same reason as you use a long bed plane, keeps it nice and straight as you sand. The grain is softer than the rest and anything too short will create contours in the timber as the grain is sanded away more than the rest and you'll end up with a wavy surface.

[itsnoteasy]

Very informative post Vmax, thanks. Once you have used the number 7 plane do you drop down to a finishing plane (4 or5) or even down to a little block plane before sanding.

[ambrad]

thank you that will help a lot. thanks

[vmax4steve]

Very informative post Vmax, thanks. Once you have used the number 7 plane do you drop down to a finishing plane (4 or5) or even down to a little block plane before sanding.

I only use a no:4 and a block plane when trimming the splices down to something manageable for the final sweeps of the no:7 to round off the butt prior to final sanding and scraping. Have to keep the blades very sharp and sometimes sharpen them halfway into the process and go again.
I'm making an ash one piece at the mo with an ipe tabaca butt which is an extremely hard species of ironwood that is a bitch to plane, used it before, but it's such a lovely wood when finished, dark brown with granite like flecks of black, red and yellow in it. I will plane it down to 1mm over size and then sand it down to a finish from there as no matter how sharp you get your plane blade it tears.
Not looking forward to it at all but hopefully now I have a belt sander it will be a lot easier than the last time when I did it by hand for four hours using twenty sheets of 60 grade, 5 sheets of 120, 2 sheets of 180 and then two sheets of 240. It was like sanding metal

[Shockerz]

I only use a no:4 and a block plane when trimming the splices down to something manageable for the final sweeps of the no:7 to round off the butt prior to final sanding and scraping. Have to keep the blades very sharp and sometimes sharpen them halfway into the process and go again.
I'm making an ash one piece at the mo with an ipe tabaca butt which is an extremely hard species of ironwood that is a bitch to plane, used it before, but it's such a lovely wood when finished, dark brown with granite like flecks of black, red and yellow in it. I will plane it down to 1mm over size and then sand it down to a finish from there as no matter how sharp you get your plane blade it tears.
Not looking forward to it at all but hopefully now I have a belt sander it will be a lot easier than the last time when I did it by hand for four hours using twenty sheets of 60 grade, 5 sheets of 120, 2 sheets of 180 and then two sheets of 240. It was like sanding metal

Blimey. Using all the sandpaper alone isn't cheap, it must be a great finish!

[ambrad]

hi all
Thanks for your replies they are really helpful. obviously I am talking to people who have done this a lot. can I pick your brains regarding some other issues.
1. Linseed oil. Are any other products used in the finishing of the cue. such as the ebony in the but or is it just several coats of the same oil.
2. Should a sealer be used during the sanding process.
3. I'm struggling to source good quality ferules and joints. any suggestions.
4. I'm thinking about putting a joint in my new cue. I have a 37 inch Clarke lathe that doesn't accommodate such a process. Can a steady be made that will be accurate enough. If not does anybody have a suggestion or a solution. I/e can a bearing roller support be purchased that will do the job. Something similar to the ones on a cue lathe.

Sorry for the long question but im trying to tap your knowledge while i have your attention. lol

thanks all

[Ninja.cues]

hi all
Thanks for your replies they are really helpful. obviously I am talking to people who have done this a lot. can I pick your brains regarding some other issues.
1. Linseed oil. Are any other products used in the finishing of the cue. such as the ebony in the but or is it just several coats of the same oil.
2. Should a sealer be used during the sanding process.
3. I'm struggling to source good quality ferules and joints. any suggestions.
4. I'm thinking about putting a joint in my new cue. I have a 37 inch Clarke lathe that doesn't accommodate such a process. Can a steady be made that will be accurate enough. If not does anybody have a suggestion or a solution. I/e can a bearing roller support be purchased that will do the job. Something similar to the ones on a cue lathe.

Sorry for the long question but im trying to tap your knowledge while i have your attention. lol

thanks all

Hi,

Lots of products are used and some people are allergic to linseed oil.
Something I just find out a little while ago as my friend is.
You can use sanding sealer to get finish a cue as well as wax.
Not sure what you mean by your second question..
I get my joints from eBay but going to see if I can go direct...
Make most of my own ferrules from some 9.5 brass tube I got a few years ago.
To use a woodwork lathe, you would need a steady and a chuck for the live end.
Your would be ok to make the butt but might find it a little tight for the shaft.

[Shockerz]

Hi,

Lots of products are used and some people are allergic to linseed oil.
Something I just find out a little while ago as my friend is.
You can use sanding sealer to get finish a cue as well as wax.
Not sure what you mean by your second question..
I get my joints from eBay but going to see if I can go direct...
Make most of my own ferrules from some 9.5 brass tube I got a few years ago.
To use a woodwork lathe, you would need a steady and a chuck for the live end.
Your would be ok to make the butt but might find it a little tight for the shaft.

How do you cut your ferrules to keep them straight?

[RogiBear]

hi all
Thanks for your replies they are really helpful. obviously I am talking to people who have done this a lot. can I pick your brains regarding some other issues.
1. Linseed oil. Are any other products used in the finishing of the cue. such as the ebony in the but or is it just several coats of the same oil.
Yes many different suitable oils, each cuemaker uses a different blend, can use oil or wax on the butt
2. Should a sealer be used during the sanding process.
Personally I do, others??
3. I'm struggling to source good quality ferules and joints. any suggestions.
Best way is to make your own, you can get basic joints on ebay, but they are the type used by chinese makers
4. I'm thinking about putting a joint in my new cue. I have a 37 inch Clarke lathe that doesn't accommodate such a process. Can a steady be made that will be accurate enough. If not does anybody have a suggestion or a solution. I/e can a bearing roller support be purchased that will do the job. Something similar to the ones on a cue lathe.
Honestly, not really, you need a metal lathe else the cue is unlikely to be straight

Sorry for the long question but im trying to tap your knowledge while i have your attention. lol

thanks all

The fun part of cue making is finding out how to do things yourself (IMO), just try things!!!

[Ninja.cues]

How do you cut your ferrules to keep them straight?

At the mo, in a drill with a file and junior hacksaw but clean the top up with the file before I cut it.

[The Doctor]

It's all trial and error. Can trim your ferrule if you have a suitable lathe.

[Ninja.cues]

It's all trial and error. Can trim your ferrule if you have a suitable lathe.

I have a woodwork lathe but no workshop at the mo....
When I do have one, I can make them much easier..

[itsnoteasy]

Wouldn't a cheap pipe cutter cut them straight and flat?

[Shockerz]

Wouldn't a cheap pipe cutter cut them straight and flat?

I thought pipe cutters were designed for soft copper. Not sure how they'd fare with brass but if you could get it thin enough then maybe as the decent ones come with a de-burring tool.