> I had a steady stream of recent work on Players and these unbranded Chinese cues recently with a BULLSHIT ferrule material. This stuff combines the worst traits of the old paper fiber (unwillingness to polish,ugly even when you do get it) with the worst of the thermosets (pits in material sanding won't touch,stains badly when your sanding dust changes color,etc),plus a new trait I've never seen before.
The shaft for the unbranded cue was bad off even brand new. The customer's kids bought it for him for Christmas,so it's not like he could let him see him NOT using it. He showed it to me unplayed and it had a high spot in the ferrule right at the seam that was close to .010,so I offered to fix it.
I installed the tip,which took 3 tries to get it to stick even with perfect surface prep and fresh glue,and moved my concave live center up to the tip and indicated it. I took a light touch-off pass to take down the high spot,then took a .015 cut to about .050 past the seam,knowing I'd be blending and "taking some meat off it" as asked since the shaft was 13.4mm with a STOUT taper.
I started sanding the ferrule with 400,and it got good and warm. I stopped to go to the bathroom,come back and start with 600. All of a sudden,I'm starting to feel a sharp ridge where the seam is. I stopped the lathe and feel it and I'm not exaggerating,the ferrule swelled back up about .003 all the way around,I miked it twice on opposite sides with a .0001 Starrett then my Mitotoyo digitals.
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I took a 2nd cut of .010 and started to sand again,and it happened again,but not bad enough this time to require a 3rd cut. I slowly but surely got it back nice and flat during the sanding process,but while burning the finishing wax in,the ferrule popped back up about .001 this time. I'm hoping maybe it will shrink.
I'm seriously thinking about changing it before returning it,but want to tell him about it ahead of time.
The Players didn't do this but after the tip was installed I discovered 2 pits in the ferrule that may have been there when new,and I want to change it too because it looks like SHIT with blue/black crud in there. That shaft still had the original tip on it,uncleaned for 5 years.
I've had 2 other retips come in with same material.
I know it wasn't a moisture-based swelling either. No liquid exposure other than the CA kicker which was wiped off quickly,and denatured alcohol to clean the face. I don't even use much spit when burnishing.
This stuff reminds me of a poor grade house cue material,but much whiter,and sands/cuts more like a plastic.
All my customers over the years have conditioned me to make their shafts look as close to new as possible,since NO ONE has ever asked me to install a tip without cleaning the shaft too. I hate even the possibility of not seeing the look of complete satisfaction when returning their work,much less have them looking at me funny when I explain that this is just bad materials,not my work.
If the stuff swells this much,won't it eventually seperate from the tenon/stud if exposed to moisture,heat or cold? Both of these cues are likely to be left in the truck for long periods. Tommy D.
The shaft for the unbranded cue was bad off even brand new. The customer's kids bought it for him for Christmas,so it's not like he could let him see him NOT using it. He showed it to me unplayed and it had a high spot in the ferrule right at the seam that was close to .010,so I offered to fix it.
I installed the tip,which took 3 tries to get it to stick even with perfect surface prep and fresh glue,and moved my concave live center up to the tip and indicated it. I took a light touch-off pass to take down the high spot,then took a .015 cut to about .050 past the seam,knowing I'd be blending and "taking some meat off it" as asked since the shaft was 13.4mm with a STOUT taper.
I started sanding the ferrule with 400,and it got good and warm. I stopped to go to the bathroom,come back and start with 600. All of a sudden,I'm starting to feel a sharp ridge where the seam is. I stopped the lathe and feel it and I'm not exaggerating,the ferrule swelled back up about .003 all the way around,I miked it twice on opposite sides with a .0001 Starrett then my Mitotoyo digitals.
. I took a 2nd cut of .010 and started to sand again,and it happened again,but not bad enough this time to require a 3rd cut. I slowly but surely got it back nice and flat during the sanding process,but while burning the finishing wax in,the ferrule popped back up about .001 this time. I'm hoping maybe it will shrink.
I'm seriously thinking about changing it before returning it,but want to tell him about it ahead of time.
The Players didn't do this but after the tip was installed I discovered 2 pits in the ferrule that may have been there when new,and I want to change it too because it looks like SHIT with blue/black crud in there. That shaft still had the original tip on it,uncleaned for 5 years.
I've had 2 other retips come in with same material.
I know it wasn't a moisture-based swelling either. No liquid exposure other than the CA kicker which was wiped off quickly,and denatured alcohol to clean the face. I don't even use much spit when burnishing.
This stuff reminds me of a poor grade house cue material,but much whiter,and sands/cuts more like a plastic.
All my customers over the years have conditioned me to make their shafts look as close to new as possible,since NO ONE has ever asked me to install a tip without cleaning the shaft too. I hate even the possibility of not seeing the look of complete satisfaction when returning their work,much less have them looking at me funny when I explain that this is just bad materials,not my work.
If the stuff swells this much,won't it eventually seperate from the tenon/stud if exposed to moisture,heat or cold? Both of these cues are likely to be left in the truck for long periods. Tommy D.
