Making a cue

[Smomi]

I searched bot I didnt find any topics what would talk about making cues. As much I can I understand the best cues come from single persons, not from famous firms like Railey( Ireally dont know the right firms and things). So is it like a family thing like father teaches his son etc? I really find it interesting how to make a cue and everything involved with it, so do anyone know anything about it? Any addresses or smthing.

[Belloz22]

try contacting john parris, he is known as the finest cue maker about, many professionals use his cues, i do as well.

[Robert602]

It's a bit of an art, though as far as I know it's not often a family trade. Putting an individual's name on a cue doesnt mean it's been hand crafted start to finish by the man himself, but I do know John Parris for one is very much involved in the cues his company produces.

Riley don't do (or pretend to do) top-end cues, most of their range is <£70 and the quality largely reflects that. That's not to say they're awful, I use one myself and I like it, but it's clearly not made with the same care or attention to detail as, say, a Parris. BCE seems very closely associated with Riley and also make similar cues for the mass market.

Peradon, Mastercue, Craftsman, B&W, (have I missed any?) all make pretty respectable cues though.

If you're interested in the actual process, Mike Wooldridge has a mine of information on his website, including an overview here http://handmadecues.com/web/workshop.htm .

[RaNeN]

I dont think making a cue is easy. It should be one tough job and if its your 1st time , its gonna be real difficult!

[Dustin Miller]

There are several custom cue makers in the United States who have published books or made DVDs for instruction on how to build cues.

[ADR147]

in theory making a cue is not very difficult, takes a lot of time to do very well though so in reality you don't often see a cue makers best possible work otherwise they would need to charge you 2 or 3 thousend pounds for a cue!

the process is simple enough, plane or turn a 60" by 1.5" by 1.5" block of ash or maple gradually down to an oversized taper then mark your splices and plane the area flat and then plane the the ebony splices flat glue two at a time on opposite sides then plane down the whole cue then gradually sand to the desired size add any further required splices fit ferrule and tip and drill and fit badge! oil and wax - sell cue retire to antigua.

[missneworleans]

To make cue will be a very diffucult work!!!

[ADR147]

takes time to do well and it takes practise but not difficult - would be difficult to make a cue like trevor white the first time you try!

[Wity]

Years ago I worked as a timber storeman, (not that I ever learnt very much about timber) at a shopfitter factory. Quite often i'd see chippys working through their dinnertime or after hours (probably still on the clock) making cues for themselves. Wish I'd taken more notice now I'd love to be able to say, "yeah it aint bad, made it myself."

[ADR147]

umm - yes i agree. in theory i could make a perfect cue for anyone but i would need to charge a £1000 to make it a sensible business option so maybe making your own is the way to go!

[4sinduct]

O'min also makes good cues btw i don't think peradon make any hand made cues imo for high end go with robert osbourne great service same with john parris fyi o'min and master make svery very fine cues for the price

[Piruz]

in theory making a cue is not very difficult, takes a lot of time to do very well though so in reality you don't often see a cue makers best possible work otherwise they would need to charge you 2 or 3 thousend pounds for a cue!

the process is simple enough, plane or turn a 60" by 1.5" by 1.5" block of ash or maple gradually down to an oversized taper then mark your splices and plane the area flat and then plane the the ebony splices flat glue two at a time on opposite sides then plane down the whole cue then gradually sand to the desired size add any further required splices fit ferrule and tip and drill and fit badge! oil and wax - sell cue retire to antigua.

Sounds like a peace of cake!
1. But what glue do you use to glue ebony splices to shaft?
2. And where do you buy your wood (ash, maple and ebony)?

I dont think these are secrets that past only to next generation of cuemakers?
This question is for ADR147, BITTER, MikeWooldridge, Trevs1 and any other cuemakers, who have done many cues by themselves. Althought never seen one of ADR147s cues, but I think he is good. Right?

Im just curious. I think Im not gonna try making my own cue until Im retired, and have some time. So, maybe in 60 years, I have done my first cue. Maybe. I dont even know does any carpenters or woodsellers (whats the right word? I lost it. ) have ebony in Finland. Ash grows in South Finland, so maybe I can even get good quality wood from our own forests.

[MikeWooldridge]

umm - yes i agree. in theory i could make a perfect cue for anyone but i would need to charge a £1000 to make it a sensible business option so maybe making your own is the way to go!

mmm, maybe i should start being sensible and raise my prices to 1k+....

[ADR147]

mmm, maybe i should start being sensible and raise my prices to 1k+....

what do you mean mike they are nearly that already!

[Semih_Sayginer]

is it more the time taken?

if so, is a lot of that time spent just leaving the cue to settle between processes?

if so, would a longer makeready time be sufficient, and the same price charged, with possibly a slight extra charge for storing them all if it takes longer to make them?

ADR?