Willard's Tipper-Trimmer machine has a GAUGE!

acousticsguru

player/instructor
Silver Member
Hello everyone!

Just bought myself one of these, and used it for the first time today. Thanks everyone for the reviews and tips I found here, and that helped me make a buying decision! Before anyone asks: got this new for a price at which I couldn't possibly buy a 220 VAC lathe.

First used the machine to trim the mushrooming off the tips on three "house cues" shafts, and of course ever so slightly trimmed into the ferrules of two of them, plus made a virtually unnoticeable dent into one, not sure if by under- or over-tightening the collet.

Also tried putting a yellow 3M Post-It around one shaft, with the collet chuck over it, but that'll only work with small diameter shafts (or larger collets - my machine came with two 13.5 mm ones). But it's really a matter of getting a feel for the positioning and tightening of the collets.

Then got adventurous and put a new tip on my favourite 20-year-old birdseye maple (softer than straight grain, demanding extra care!) shaft of my Southwest, admittedly after I noticed there's a GAUGE (a screw with a spring) built into the trimmer (the grey pencil-sharpener-like part), which the manufacturer simply forgets to mention on the DVD, or that scrap of paper of a "user manual" (LOL!) the machine comes with.

Makes me wonder, do all owners/users realize there's a gauge? It's technically impossible to trim into the ferrule if one uses it!

Especially if one's favourite tip comes with a flat top and at a consistent height (as e.g. my choice of Kamui Black S), one only needs to set the gauge correctly once, and could then use the trimmer blind-folded.

In a nutshell, I find machine well thought-out and -built, working perfectly, but the DVD is pretty useless (in other words, don't bother getting one if you find a used machine without manual, DVD or VHS cassette).

Greetings from Switzerland, David.
_________________

„J'ai gâché vingt ans de mes plus belles années au billard. Si c'était à refaire, je recommencerais.“ – Roger Conti
 

td1223

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Can someone explain the process for setting the gauge depth? I picked up a used one with no instructions.

Thanks,
 

lfigueroa

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Can someone explain the process for setting the gauge depth? I picked up a used one with no instructions.

Thanks,


Shave a couple of ivory ferrules and you'll figure it out :)

Just a bit more seriously, you have to play with it. DO NOT under any circumstances, start out with your favorite shaft. But after awhile it becomes pretty easy.

Just this weekend I installed a new G2 M and trimmed it this morning. Like butar.

Lou Figueroa
 
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captainjko

Kirk
Silver Member
Can someone explain the process for setting the gauge depth? I picked up a used one with no instructions.

Thanks,

The best way to do it is.... Tighten the screw gauge all the way in.... Then with new tip installed and you are ready to trim, slowly turn shaft to trim new tip. (You may have to back the screw out a few turns before tip starts getting cut). Then unscrew the gauge screw a little at a time and then turn shaft to trim tip more. Continue this until tip trims flush with ferrule.... I actually removed the screw on mine and welded a screw with a knob on it so I could turn it easily without having to use a screw driver.... Seen in picture below.... It is also listed for sale in the for sale section...
 

BC21

https://www.playpoolbetter.com
Gold Member
Silver Member
One of the worst mistakes I ever made was selling my Willard tip machine. It's a great device!
 

9Ballr

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Just a basic question, can this device - if you do your job - give a professional looking job when it's all said and done?
 

lfigueroa

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Just a basic question, can this device - if you do your job - give a professional looking job when it's all said and done?


Very close. You just can't get as super a high gloss finish on the sides of the tip as with a lathe but very close.

Two things no one has mentioned: one is that you can't finish the top of an ivory ferrule with the Williards. The finishing wheel is way too rough a grit and if you do it, eventually you'll just end up with a cracked ferrule. So what I do is have the shaft retipped every few years by a mechanic with a lathe and have them install a pad. Then, when I want to install a new tip myself, I carefully razor down to the pad and lightly sand the pad with the wheel. You can get by for several years of retipping with the Williards if you're careful.

The other thing is that I'm not so sure it'd be a great idea to use super glue with the Willards because you can't use it to remove excess glue that might squeeze out onto the ferrule. So I use Tweeten's. The only trick with that is to totally disregard the claim on the tube that says you can finish the cue after a 10 minute wait. My personal experience is that you need to wait 48 hours -- 72 is even better -- then you can finish the cue and it will hold as well as super glue.

Overall though I think the Williards is great for retipping and taking care of mushrooming. I've had mine for probably 15 years.

Lou Figueroa
 
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JoseV

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
The one I bought back in 09 did not have that gauge, I'll have to check if it has something inside the slot where the blade is.

Sent from my SM-N920P using Tapatalk
 

captainjko

Kirk
Silver Member
The Willard I have is 20 plus years old. The screw is inside the hole on the end opposite of the blade end.
 

captainjko

Kirk
Silver Member
Just a basic question, can this device - if you do your job - give a professional looking job when it's all said and done?

When I get through putting a tip on and trimming, I have a drill clamped in a vise that I use to spin the shaft to burnish tip. Also for shaft cleaning. Just get the right maintenance pin for the shaft you are needing to spin.... I did it this way for 15 years before getting my lathe.... And you can make good money doing it this way..
 

lakeman77

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Lou, thank you, I just checked, my older one, it does have a screw in the end of the "pencil sharpener". I never knew what it was for :) Thanks
I think they do as good a job as a lathe, maybe better since little if any heat generated. And there is no temptation to "clean" the shaft and change the taper.
Check out the Kamui youtube for putting on tips by hand.
 
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