Here we go.. I got questions

Servicky

Servicky

ITT Table Mechanic
Silver Member
Ok...... Mr. Cuemakers.... I own a marble and granite company also i have several years experience in using a metal lathe... I want to start building pool cues..... Where do i start..... I know it's not a overnight profession.. But i would like to start somewhere... I have done tips and ferrules.. But now ready to buy machinery... And want to learn the correct way.. I'm in Seattle I don't think there are any cue makers here i could apprentice from... Thanks for all the help ...

Chris
 
I would buy Chris Hightower book and search the forum. There is a lot of good info in the book and on this forum.
 
This is how I started...

Search online
Chris Hightower cue building book and DVDs
Unique Products Cue building and repair DVDs
Use a lot of broken house cues for repair trial and error. :o
If you dont try it on your own you are not going to find out what you do wrong either.

Happy Cue building,
Kenny
 
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cuemakers...

There are cuemakers in Seattle...I'm not sure they accept apprentices as some of them have had bridges burned from generously giving up their time and knowledge.

I agree with other posters....do cue repair work. Spend lots of time on the forums reading about all facets of cues..joint construction, materials, woods, finish materials and of course machinery.

If you want an all in one step by step basic course..I believe cue components sell dvd's for you to learn from but by no means is this a solution. Just a the beginning to your journey as a cue maker.

Best of luck and hope to see your cues in the future.
 
Roger Pettit is out of Harvey's Billiards in Renton.
David Jones is up in Lynnwood.

They are both relatively close to you. I know that Roger has mentored other makers in the past, and I hear makes a great playing cue which are almost impossible to get. :smile:

Paul Allers is in Oak Harbor, on Whidbey...not sure if he is interested in mentoring or not, but I would bet he would talk to you about making cues...he loves to talk about that stuff.

Lisa
 
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Get some old cues,
Practice -replacing tips, replacing ferrules, repinning,rejointing, wraps etc.
Cut some in half / section them and see how the are made up.
Learn what you like about the way it is built and how you would do it.
Can you make it that way?
Can you make it better?
Can you get the points even?
ETC ETC etc.
Old stuff cost little and you can learn alot.
You will learn more by making 3 cues wrong than being on the net and just asking questions.
Wrong can be, not straight, incorrect weight, balance point not in the designed or desired place,flaws in the finish, bad wrap, wrapgroove too deep/shallow, joint diameter too big ,too small.Pin not true,does not play well, handle rattles or buzzes after 1 year of regular play, et etc etc.
There again, you might make perfect cues 1st time out. You won't know untill you try.
You also have to decide the type of cues you want to be making and the market you want to be in. Do you want to have fancy inlays etc or other types of cues.
Been some good advice here as well.
 
conetip said:
Get some old cues,
Practice -replacing tips, replacing ferrules, repinning,rejointing, wraps etc.
Cut some in half / section them and see how the are made up.
Learn what you like about the way it is built and how you would do it.
Can you make it that way?
Can you make it better?
Can you get the points even?
ETC ETC etc.
Old stuff cost little and you can learn alot.
You will learn more by making 3 cues wrong than being on the net and just asking questions.
Wrong can be, not straight, incorrect weight, balance point not in the designed or desired place,flaws in the finish, bad wrap, wrapgroove too deep/shallow, joint diameter too big ,too small.Pin not true,does not play well, handle rattles or buzzes after 1 year of regular play, et etc etc.
There again, you might make perfect cues 1st time out. You won't know untill you try.
You also have to decide the type of cues you want to be making and the market you want to be in. Do you want to have fancy inlays etc or other types of cues.
Been some good advice here as well.
Click to expand...

I agree with the above statement. Videos such as the ones Chris Hightower and others sell can help to gain knowledge as well as researching old threads here can, and asking questions, but there are many things that even though you have knowledge of them, they just take hands on practice. There are so many little things that are only learned through trial and error, and better to play around with components that You can afford to loose out on if something should go so wrong that It is beyond repair. The practice is also what builds the confidence that You can work on someone's cue without risk of doing damage, and to build from expensive materials that you don't want to get messed up. Believe me even when We Think We know what We are doing things can go wrong. I would even recommend the same thing to someone that has experience but Is learning a new machine, every machine is different and has It's own little tweaks that need to be learned. Neil posted a pretty good list of things that can go wrong or need to be learned through trial and error, but that list could go on and on.

Get some old bar blanks and practice some of the things he mentioned, Like evening the points cutting wrap grooves joint work and so on. The older Dufferins are pretty cheap and can still be had. I get them for free when the shaft diameters get too small, or someone breaks them. The are fat enough that there is plenty of room for learning on them. You can also cut dowels off of the blanks to use as You would a standard piece of wood in a cue, and learn how to build A joints and what have ya.

Don't get me wrong learning the hard way on expensive materials does help you remember not to make the same mistake again, but It can get real expensive, and can be quite disheartening.

Greg
 
Give me $15K and let me punch you in the stomach every day, for three years, then I'll give you $10K back. :p
 
That bad huh? Lol.
I don't know, it pays my bills (sometimes).
It's been suggested that there are 2,000+ in this country that call themselves cue-makers.
I'll wager that less than 10% of them are making any money.
But I guess everyone needs a hobby.
I'd say go for it. At least the tons of money you will spend will be good for the economy.

I read a statement by a cue-maker one time who stated that if he won the lottery, he'd still keep building cues until the money was all gone.
Point being, unless you're in the top 10%, try to blow your money slowly.
 
Servicky said:
Ok...... Mr. Cuemakers.... I own a marble and granite company also i have several years experience in using a metal lathe... I want to start building pool cues..... Where do i start..... I know it's not a overnight profession.. But i would like to start somewhere... I have done tips and ferrules.. But now ready to buy machinery... And want to learn the correct way.. I'm in Seattle I don't think there are any cue makers here i could apprentice from... Thanks for all the help ...

Chris
Click to expand...

Want to learn the right way?
Call me.
Bill Stroud 575-378-5677
 
KJ Cues said:
That bad huh? Lol.
I don't know, it pays my bills (sometimes).
It's been suggested that there are 2,000+ in this country that call themselves cue-makers.
I'll wager that less than 10% of them are making any money.But I guess everyone needs a hobby.
I'd say go for it. At least the tons of money you will spend will be good for the economy.

I read a statement by a cue-maker one time who stated that if he won the lottery, he'd still keep building cues until the money was all gone.
Point being, unless you're in the top 10%, try to blow your money slowly.
Click to expand...
I think you would lose the wager that only 200 cuemakers in this country are making money. But I do think your figure is about right for those who are making a living at it. But I would guess there to be more like a 1000 that have earned back their investment and are making a little pocket change part time.
 
I'm happy to say I got back the cost of my Cuesmith in my first 2 years. Not certain if I'm breaking minimum wage though with the countless hours I have spent. You must have a passion for it. If not it will show in your work and you won't make a dime.

I would suggest starting with his midsize so you can repair house cues with the movable headstock. With Chris you're not just buying a lathe you're gaining a very valuable mentor. Once you do start repairing with a lathe instead of by hand and you tear into something that is not clear in your head how to finish it STOP right there. Unless you know exactly what you want to do you will screw it up. Walk away from it till it's clear in your head on how to finish.

I like to tell my buddies "I may not be the best but I sure am slow".

My only regret is that my game has dropped off. Instead of playing with cues I find myself playing with cues.
 
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Willing to learn

Im pretty stoked about doing this I'm the type of guy that goes in all the way... As i stated befor I am a marble fabricator and as you know no mistakes are allowed in marble unless you do great repair work... Plus i have pretty much a wood shop now... I do custom inlays in hardwood floors.... Thanks for all the comments im glad i joined this forum ...


Thank you az billiards.....

And yes i will be calling everyone I can on this topic... Thanks again...
 
bstroud said:
Want to learn the right way?
Call me.
Bill Stroud 575-378-5677
Click to expand...



now thats one hell of a offer to the guy who started this thread. Some guys never get a offer like this, your a made guy if you go to work under bill stroud and learn half of what he knows.
 
cueman said:
I think you would lose the wager that only 200 cuemakers in this country are making money. But I do think your figure is about right for those who are making a living at it. But I would guess there to be more like a 1000 that have earned back their investment and are making a little pocket change part time.
Click to expand...


I dont know the numbers, but i'd guess its the 90/10 rule. 10% of the cue makers are making 90% of the money and 90% of the cue makers make the last 10% of the money.


Could be 80/20, I dont know the numbers.

But even then I bet that like most things in life. the top 10%, are making 90% of the $$$.
 
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