Wood for a new cue

SCCues

SCCues

< Searing Twins
Silver Member
I'm thinking about getting a local cue maker to build a nice player cue for me. Nothing fancy, just pretty wood with some trim rings.

Can someone tell me where I can buy some high quality amboyna burl wood that I can use for my cue? The friend i'm going to ask to build this cue has never worked with amboyna burl in his cues so he doesn't have any in his stock of different woods.

James
 
amboyna

I don't mean to be discouraging, but I just got a blank made from JOhn Davis in Chicago (very knowledgeable guy)and he was not thrilled about working with amboyna, so I actually decided against it. Supposedly it is very hard to work with and expensive and if your buddy messes up, you could be buying 2-3 pieces. I also heard that it plays a little different. I am not a cuemaker but am just trying to relay info given to me. How about tulipwood or snakewood? Anyway, good luck.
 
Just like birds eye, you don't know what it will look like until it is turned down. Finding a piece of high grade (very small eyes and very red) stuff in the square is a crap shoot.
 
hangemhigh said:
Just like birds eye, you don't know what it will look like until it is turned down. Finding a piece of high grade (very small eyes and very red) stuff in the square is a crap shoot.
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I agree, but i've seen some beautiful cues on this forum made from Amboyna burl and i'm willing to take a chance and hope that I can find a nice piece for my cue.

James
 
FeltMaster said:
You can get turning squares from Joe Barringer at Cue Componenets in Florida.

Just be sure your cue maker cores the forearm. (Joe may have some already cored)


http://www.cuecomponents.com/
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That's a good idea and if he does have some cored i'd be ahead of the game. The local cue maker i'm talking about doesn't core his wood unless he recently started so buying it already cored would be great.

James
 
cbaumann212 said:
I don't mean to be discouraging, but I just got a blank made from JOhn Davis in Chicago (very knowledgeable guy)and he was not thrilled about working with amboyna, so I actually decided against it. Supposedly it is very hard to work with and expensive and if your buddy messes up, you could be buying 2-3 pieces. I also heard that it plays a little different. I am not a cuemaker but am just trying to relay info given to me. How about tulipwood or snakewood? Anyway, good luck.
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Thanks for the advice, but i'm going to give amboyna a shot. My mind is made up about amboyna so tulipwood and snakewood won't work for this project. I like those woods, but they aren't what I want.

James
 
no snakewood

snakewood is a very difficult. you might try gilmer woods for your amboyna burl, and it should be cored imo.
 
Just bear in mind, that you need to ask how 'wet' the wood is that you are planning to buy. Not sure about Amboyna, but I know in the case of Tulipwood, it can take many years for a piece to be dry/seasoned enough to work with without problems...movement being a major one.

Be sure to ask questions, as Kiln or Air Dried is not a guarantee.

Also...not to knock your local guy, but when you start working with these exotics such as Amboyna or Snakewood...or other burls...you really need to work with a maker who has experience with these types of woods and knows a thing or two about coring. I am by no means saying that he may not be qualified...but asking a newer maker to stretch beyond their experience level could lead to disappointments.

You need to think long and hard about this before dropping $$$...and have utmost confidence in your maker.

I wish you all the best on attaining your 'dream cue'!! :D

Lisa
 
SCCues said:
I'm thinking about getting a local cue maker to build a nice player cue for me. Nothing fancy, just pretty wood with some trim rings.

Can someone tell me where I can buy some high quality amboyna burl wood that I can use for my cue? The friend i'm going to ask to build this cue has never worked with amboyna burl in his cues so he doesn't have any in his stock of different woods.

James
Click to expand...

Amboyna Burl is pretty but it doesn't make a very nice hitting cue in my opinion. I would certainly use something else if it were me.
 
ridewiththewind said:
Just bear in mind, that you need to ask how 'wet' the wood is that you are planning to buy. Not sure about Amboyna, but I know in the case of Tulipwood, it can take many years for a piece to be dry/seasoned enough to work with without problems...movement being a major one.

Be sure to ask questions, as Kiln or Air Dried is not a guarantee.

Also...not to knock your local guy, but when you start working with these exotics such as Amboyna or Snakewood...or other burls...you really need to work with a maker who has experience with these types of woods and knows a thing or two about coring. I am by no means saying that he may not be qualified...but asking a newer maker to stretch beyond their experience level could lead to disappointments.

You need to think long and hard about this before dropping $$$...and have utmost confidence in your maker.

I wish you all the best on attaining your 'dream cue'!! :D

Lisa
Click to expand...
You make some excellent points Lisa and thanks for your input.

James
 
Thanks to everyone for the great suggestions and tips on where to buy some amboyna wood for a cue.
 
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