Cue lathes what to expect and how much

This is a very good break down, Lee. Good job. This should be made into a sticky at the top of the page, otherwise it will slowly disappear, and next week someone will ask again for the millionth time, 'what's a good lathe to start with?'
Dave

very good explanation...i agree with this becoming a sticky

I can't believe people don't want to spend 1500 for a repair lathe from one of the cue specific manufactures because they think it costs too much. If you want to get into this as a business (repair only), you could start off with one of these lathes and break even on your purchase in a few months of small tournaments, or even sooner if your area is busy for cue repairs.

To do basic repairs, it really does not cost much to get into this. 1500 is nothing, especially when you can get it all back soon.

If you don't have 1500 to buy a lathe, you shouldn't even think of getting into any repair business.

starting out

I can see where you are coming from,
I started doing tips and cleanings around my area and paid off my first wood lathe off in 3 weeks! (275.00 on sale)
So then saved my money up for a mid-size cueman lathe started doing all types of repairs and getting alot of practice at the same time, trying to make my own cues and shafts also, but then i started turning shafts for a very well known cue maker and found out i didn't know anything, about the work that goes into making or designing cues, how to make cues hit this way and what you have to do to make cues hit that way. Not to mention that tooling that you can't find so you have to make your own and stuff to make the process a little easier. The cue maker said to me after turning close to 400 shafts in the 3 weeks that i was going over to his house... "so you still want to do this for a living?"
I said sure if i win the lotto!
Now i want to do it because i love it. but with the RIGHT equiptment i love my mid-size but there are limitations on what you can do, now i'm saving up to buy a metal lathe and some more equiptment (maybe by the time i'm 60 i'll have the money) and the costs that you were quoting are pretty close without adding supplies of course. i went into the HOBBY with visions of riches i guess, but got a reality check instead which i'm really glad i got before i spent riches to just still be in debt and hate the crap instead of loving it like i do..

I read this all the time on this part of the forum and in ask the cue maker "what type of lathe should i buy?" i think you have to be realistic on the money you want to spend and then add more!

But that is my long-winded 2 cents

Jodamit

I can only suggest what im looking for, as im a active buyer right now....

To start, i only want a lathe to do tips and cleaning. But after reading all the
good info. on this site for years, and my love for custom cues, i would like to
build some SP's in the future. I know enough to understand that wood is the first purchase, ect ect....So at this point, thats not something i plan to do. All i want to do is build some Sp's using one of the blanks on the market. IF' i ever got past the sp thing, and wanted to build true custom cues, then i would be looking at a full size metal lathe, for sure.....I would not even consider a all in one cue building lathe for that. So with my budget of 1200 my only requirement is a lathe thats has full repair capability, with the future option to do a basic sp cue. So in a nut shell this is what i, as a buyer i have been searching for....

A sturdy full bed lathe, with a good quality motor/chuck/bed ect ect...

A lathe that has a starting point of 1000-1200, that can have taper bars or a router option for doing tapers. IMHO, if someone designed a really nice lathe
with good parts, that didn't look like they where bought at home depot, that
could be a winner. The closest i have seen to that is Todds repair lathe, PRO....It just looks better built, and more professional then some of the others. If one could take that design, and offer add on options for BASIC cue building I would spend my money there.

In doing the research on lathes, there is a sad lack of good info.
It is beyond me how someone could offer a product, and give such
crap info. on it. My research, which is always pretty detailed, has turned
up very little info. on all the repair lathes availiable. So im reluctent
to drop 1200+ on anything with such limited details. As i see it, if a company
cant take the time to do a proper website, with good info on a product, i dont
expect them to service me and the product. This is not just one company, IMHO, its all the people offering cue lathes. It's just about 2010 people,
stop using crap websites, and cell phones for your pics.....and if you cant
get a 75.00 digital camera, and the 2 hours to fill out good detailed
descriptions of the lathe, and options, then dont expect me as a buyer to spend money with you.

And if you want to offer a product, have it ready to sell......there is a TON of good people out of work, no reason to not have parts ready to sell.....
If a lathe is a new design, then dont offer it for sale half ass' and expect me to pay for upgrades to make it updated, the way it should sale in the first place.

So there is my take on the cue lathe market now. So im looking used right now. I just dont see anything i think is worth the cash....

brianna187 said:

First off you will have to buy used thats the fisrt thing
and your a little short on the money for what you want
also if you buy a used car dont expect a warranty your buying someones headaches
it would be like buying a car from a private person as an example

id say you need to find someone really hard up and looking to sell a 3000,00 plus lathe for 1200.00 and then have him tech suport and warranty it also for you plus he needs a high res camera also

I personally think your being unrealistic im what your asking for
like the other poster said like

"To do basic repairs, it really does not cost much to get into this. 1500 is nothing, especially when you can get it all back soon.

If you don't have 1500 to buy a lathe, you shouldn't even think of getting into any repair business."

or this post

"I read this all the time on this part of the forum and in ask the cue maker "what type of lathe should i buy?" i think you have to be realistic on the money you want to spend and then add more!

But that is my long-winded 2 cents"


hope this helps you

Click to expand...

Not sure were you read i'm looking to pay 1200 for a 3000 lathe?
Your base lathe is 1650 or so, and the other repair lathes that can do
sp's are around 1400-2000 new. The items im looking at used are a Mid-size lathe by hightower, and cue companion by unique.....Or todds repair lathe @ 950.00

all of those lathes have sold used around my price point. I would just prefer to buy a new lathe, thats around 1200-1400 basic, but has proven, established upgrades available when i start making some SP's. I think once your lathe gets a full size bed, and taper abilities, its going to be tops. But i need something soon, and those options seem down the road as of now. Please dont get me wrong, im not saying any of those lathes aren't nice. But if i get into the 3500+ price range,i think a better lathe can be offered for BUILDING then available. @ under 2000 the hybred/rapair lathes seem nice to me, but it almost seems they are band aided together to do some jobs just average. So with that, i shy away from buying something at 2000 that i know i'll outgrow fast, and also shy away from
spending 3500-4000 on something i know can be better in that price point.
Again, not trying to bash anyones product at all, if your lathe was ready to roll today with taper already offerd, and a full bed, i would buy a base model
@ 1650, but without any info. or set time frames on beds/tapering i have to wait and see. You asked for peoples views, so i thought i would offer my way of thinking in buying a lathe.

And poo poo on anyone saying "if you dont have this or that" I got what i got and its around 1200, a really good deal just sold for (ask) 1400 or so i think.
was a mid lathe with said 600 in upgrades. Many others sold with a ask of 1000-1200 used that would be great for repairs.


I was a day late on this one......GRRRR!
http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=160489

iusedtoberich said:

I can't believe people don't want to spend 1500 for a repair lathe from one of the cue specific manufactures because they think it costs too much. If you want to get into this as a business (repair only), you could start off with one of these lathes and break even on your purchase in a few months of small tournaments, or even sooner if your area is busy for cue repairs.

To do basic repairs, it really does not cost much to get into this. 1500 is nothing, especially when you can get it all back soon.

If you don't have 1500 to buy a lathe, you shouldn't even think of getting into any repair business.

Click to expand...

Well when I wanted to step up My repair work, I went a little overboard getting a deluxe for simple repair I guess, but not only could I build cues on the side with It, but It had the large spindle which allowed me to chuck up the butt for more extensive repair work. I spent around twice as much as You mention, but even so You are correct,the lathe has paid for Itself over and over. I've got many times more then My monies worth. Had to bite the bullet at time of purchase though, It was a lot of money at the time, so I was much like others trying to save, It just made the most sense for the amount of work and type of repairs I was starting to get. Even now looking back, I would still say it was probably the best decision for Me at the time.:wink:

just a quick note

I bought a used Cue Companion and am taking my retired time to learn.I love the game and I want to learn everything I can,talked with a few GREAT makers,almost everyone cept Mr.HightowerI asked Joe Barringer if I should even try and he was emphatic about it he said "go for it I have seen men in their 70's start out" so whether it costs me $1.00 or $1,000,000.00before I am done I will go my way saying I have tried and either became a good Cue maker or a failure I will be happy to have tried
All the best to you kind hearted folks that welcome new guys/gals into the fold.
Thank You
John Baker
p.s.
I have already met some of the best folk on the face of the earth

DirtyIrish said:

I bought a used Cue Companion and am taking my retired time to learn.I love the game and I want to learn everything I can,talked with a few GREAT makers,almost everyone cept Mr.HightowerI asked Joe Barringer if I should even try and he was emphatic about it he said "go for it I have seen men in their 70's start out" so whether it costs me $1.00 or $1,000,000.00before I am done I will go my way saying I have tried and either became a good Cue maker or a failure I will be happy to have tried
All the best to you kind hearted folks that welcome new guys/gals into the fold.
Thank You
John Baker
p.s.
I have already met some of the best folk on the face of the earth

Click to expand...

Actually I have seen some start in their upper 80's. I know another one who started in his 70's and shot to the top real quick and passed away recently. I was real proud to see him in just a few short years, make it into the upper level of quality cuemakers. I hope I get to see my dreams come true before I pass also.

iusedtoberich said:

I can't believe people don't want to spend 1500 for a repair lathe from one of the cue specific manufactures because they think it costs too much. If you want to get into this as a business (repair only), you could start off with one of these lathes and break even on your purchase in a few months of small tournaments, or even sooner if your area is busy for cue repairs.

To do basic repairs, it really does not cost much to get into this. 1500 is nothing, especially when you can get it all back soon.

If you don't have 1500 to buy a lathe, you shouldn't even think of getting into any repair business.

Click to expand...

I repectfully, don't nessesarily agree with most of this statement. Sometimes people just don't have the cash to go all in. I know I didn't when I got the bug to do repairs. I was paying child support and trying to start my life over after a divorce. I bought a 10" Atlas from the 50's for $200 and spent alot of time cleaning it and setting it up in my parents basement, as I couldn't do it in my small 2 room apartment. It didn't even have the leadscrew or gearbox. I have spent quite a bit as time has gone by to outfit it back to original specs, and for cue building specifically, and now build cues as a hobby. I have spent a bunch over the years, and yes, it would have been great to buy everything new, and be a big man at the tournys, but I couldn't do that then. Buying that lathe was enough to get my feet wet to find out if I even could do it. I have made my money back on that investment, but it took a lot longer than a few months. To say " if you don't have $xxxx dollars, don't try it,' sounds a little condecending. I believe if a person has the heart, and desire, strong enough, they can do anything, even put a tip on and trim it with a steak knife and do a great job, if they have the drive to do their best, and that's all they have to work with. I don't believe having the money to go all in at the beginning should be what dictates whether to even try it. The cue machinery section and F/S section has a lot of ads for machines and setups for sale due to people that bought expensive equipment and then found out it either wasn't their deepest desire to do that kind of work, or they just didn't have the talent to do it. Also, there is never a garrentee to get your money back in a few months of doing tournys, first, you have to learn to do a great job at repairs, then get a good rep, so when you do a few tourneys, people know and trust you with their cues. That can take awhile, therefore your $1500 investment of a machine, plus supplies, can take a year or more to make back, if you bought it at the begining, before you even knew how to do a tip. When you figure even at $10 a tip, it will take over 150 tip jobs to break even for the machine, not counting the supplies, and any warrentee (free) jobs along the way as you learn.
This is just my take from someone who has had to struggle and didn't have that cash to spend while raising a family, and hold a day job.


Dave <=====looking at it from the other side

A cue lathe should have a solid, true, immovable bed with smooth ways & min. 40" travel. The headstock should be heavy with accurate bearings & 2 well made, accurate chucks located 10" apart. The tail stock should be heavy & accurate with a min 3" travel. The carriage should be heavy & smooth to operate. Full & infinitely adjustable taper bars are a must, one for butt & one for shaft. There should be a gear box for threading capability & there should be a variable speed carriage feed that's infinitely adjustable. The power should be no less than 2hp, gear drive, and variable speed. All movement must be tight and smooth, no slop. It should have min two bearing rests that can be mounted anywhere & are easily centered. The lathe should weigh in at 500lbs or less.

This is my dream cuemaking lathe. I want dead nuts accuracy & repeatability with no slop or flexy components. It has to be powerful as well. I'd pay around 6-8$G's gladly, maybe up to $10G's if it's the real deal. We have been building cues for 150 years & nothing like this exists. It's exactly what is needed for building cues but nobody's built it. I want one. And I don't mind paying for it so long as it's exactly right. No skimping, no shortcuts. Just a bare bones cuemaking lathe designed & built specifically for building cues without having to cheap out so to keep it "affordable". Instead of the machine manufacturers catering to & hassling with the guys who want something for nothing, how about building a machine for the guys who don't mind spending the cash on something that's for real. Again, i'm just dreaming. Not a metal lathe, not a hobby lathe, a true professional grade cuemaking lathe.

If I was just starting out and just wanted to do cue repair, just cue repair , this would be the lathe for me . http://lathemaster.com/LATHEMASTER9x30Lathe.htm you will need a rear chuck brianna sells one, you will have to do a little moding to get it to fit. shipping won't be a problem, bolt it down to any good bench. you can thread ,do tips , ferrules ,wraps, butt, and joint repair,now your learing on a real lathe. darrin

hillscues said:

If I was just starting out and just wanted to do cue repair, just cue repair , this would be the lathe for me . http://lathemaster.com/LATHEMASTER9x30Lathe.htm you will need a rear chuck brianna sells one, you will have to do a little moding to get it to fit. shipping won't be a problem, bolt it down to any good bench. you can thread ,do tips , ferrules ,wraps, butt, and joint repair,now your learing on a real lathe. darrin

Click to expand...

spindle bore is 3/4" how do you do a butt joint with that? What do you mean a real lathe? Some one learning on a toy lathe?

That would be cue building, not cue repair you just need to put a shaft through the head stock. yes this is a real machinest lathe, not that some of the others aren't good, yes they will do the job, but they wont feel the same. 13x40 is a cue building lathe 1.375-1.5 head stock hole. that is not a good lathe for tips, I put tips on my small south bend or my mini lathe, I realy like the mini lathe for tips and ferrules has lots of RPM.

That is a lot of lathe for the money!!!

no shi# thats why I'm out hear to help people out, I love AZ.