My Latest Creation!

Cue Guru

Cue Guru

Close, but no roll...
Silver Member
Hello everyone!

I was looking around earlier and saw the nearly completed cues coming along nicely, and thought I'd post progress pictures of my latest project.

I spoke with John Davis several months ago who sent me some blanks to look at. I decided to keep the VERY traditional one, and use it for my second cue.

I was going back and forth for a while on exactly what I was ging to do with it, and still have a few things up in the air, but I think I have a course set and am making some progress!

So, here's some pics!

Pic 1 is the blanks I got from John. I kept the top one (CLASSIC!!) and sent the others back. That top one was incredibly straight as well...
Pic 2 is in the lathe turning the tenon for the butt sleeve. I cut them quite a bit larger than normal to lessesn the weight added by the ebony (fine-tuning so to speak) It looks like there is a break at the bottom of the points but that is just a mencil line indicating the wrap location... I use a pencil in the tool post and do my measurements with the dial on the lathe...
Pic 3 is the butt sleeve gluing up. I went round-and-round on exactly how to do that, but decided to pre-fab the sleeve around a mandrel and then bore it to the final size later...
Pic 4 is from this morning- I took the sleeve out of the press and it looks good!
 

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Here's the inlay pattern I think I'm going to use in the butt...

I might pare it back to just diamonds too; not sure yet.

I will be turning the butt sleeve OD tonight, so we'll see what it looks like tomorrow!
 

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More progress...

Pic 1: Turning the sleeve on the Hardinge
Pic 2: Nearly finished (bringing 0.050 oversize)
Pic 3: Preview 1
Pic 4: Preview 2 (added diamonds to points)

Any thoughts on the inlay pattern? I would appreciate some feedback. Should I pare it down to just diamonds in the butt?
 

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Nice looking start Guru. I am digging the dots in the butt, I would go for that and add maybe 2 smaller dots in the point as well. Above and below the diamond in the point. Just my 2 cents. Also on the wrap, I think a black textured would be the ticket.
 
I like the butt with the diamonds.

I would do a small dot above and 2 small dots below the diamond in the point.
 
Thanks for the input guys!

I am leaning toward NO dots at all now... I am thinking a set of four large diamonds (made up of four each of the slotted diamonds- sort of Szamboti-ish) and the single slotted diamond as shown in each point.

I want it classy, but not too flashy. Also, a very traditional look.

I will mock-up the butt sleeve now and re-shoot the picture...
 
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Here's a Gus along the same lines...
 

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For me, the pattern that Lenoxmjs said would be the choice.

Your 4-diamond pattern is great too.

Scott
 
I really like the diamonds and dots with nothing in the points. Looking forward to seeing the cue completed. Thanks for posting these photos as you go.
 
Thanks again for the aditional input!

I am leaning toward the Gus style inlays (except my diamonds are Pearl and slotted vs. Ivory) but all the suggestions made are very 'correct' for the style I am going for!

Some Balabushka inlays-

First pic is what I was originally going to do; however when I added the rings this pattern looks a bit too busy somehow...
Second pic is a nicely done prong inlay.
Third pic is what was mentioned earlier. I like it, but I want to keep is failrly simple. If I do anything at all in the prongs, it wil be a single diamond, like the Gus.

Keep the ideas coming!
 

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The 4-diamond pattern would be my first choice, followed by the Balabushka with two dots under the diamond and one above.

Josh
 
Here's an update that is a few days overdue.

Last week I got my taper rig all set up, and it works great! Now I don't have to screw with the tail stock any longer! :thumbup:

Here's some pics of turning the length old school style- single point and a lot of time and patience (0.020 over three hours).

Second pic is the collet closer I am using on the lathe to keep things centered nicely

Third pic is the cue 0.050 over final as of now.
 

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More updates!

I finished turning the butt sleeve tenon. I turned it oversize last time to check for any movement before I brought it to final dimension. Absolutely no movement after three weeks, so it should be nice and stable when complete.

I also removed my jig and bored the butt sleeve to fit over the tenon. I also kissed the ends to make sure they are absolutely clean and square before instalation.

Then I slathered it up with West System and put it on!

This morning I checked and everything looks like it went perfectly.

Now the question is, Delrin or Ivory for the butt cap?
 

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Thanks, Jim!

What do you think for the butt sleeve? Classic white Delrin, or Ivory?

Butt sleeve will be a full 1-1/2" of course!
 
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