More on milk duds

Muellers are probably pretty decent but we should support one of our own.
PoolDawg. His are a cut above.

Recipe. For a start here is a measure gauge for hardness. This comes from Joey at the Cue Maker forum and I think is pretty darn accurate.
You can always get yourself a cheap digital caliper for measuring.

.220" thick, soft
.200" thick, medium
.180" thick, hard

I used to all at .180 but have been experimenting on the different thicknesses lately.

You can get a tip press from Joe Picone (EBay) for $30 or a cheap flat jaw hobby vise to start off with. The little hobby vises that clamp onto a table can be had very reasonably. They do a good job but nothing like a real press.

Keep in mind that my Duds can be hit or miss as I just use feel when tightening the C Clamp on a press. The hobby vise you can actually see the tip.

I use 2% altho I doubt it makes a huge difference. Skim doesn't work well.
Too thin. Might try chocolate sometime. Maybe more sugar in it.

I do know that I tried Lesbian milk once and it didn't work. I needed some milk and went to the 7-11. There was a sign on the cooler that said $1 Gal Homo.

Anyway, I use a little Rubber Maid container and soak for 24 hrs. It doesn't matter if its longer as I have forgotten them in there until the milk curdled and it didn't hurt them.

The tips will expand to approx twice their original height.

Press them for 24 hrs and there you have it. Pretty simple eh?

I have put the milk and tips in the microwave to speed the process up.
Different nukes so if you are going to try this, try a container of milk first without the tip to see how long it will take to warm the milk. Boil it with a tip and the tip will get all long and squiggley on you.
The most it takes on mine is approx 30 seconds.

The first nuke and the tip doesn't do much. I let the milk cool and nuke it one more time. This time, the tip will expand to approx twice the height.

I have then pressed for a few hours and took them out to let air dry while doing more tips this way.

I can't say that this makes a huge difference in the quality of the tip but in the long run, I think its better to just do it 24/24.

Hopefully some others will come on and post any little special differences as others have a few little tricks that they do. I believe that others may have experimented in mineral spirits, oven heating etc so there are definitely other ways of playing with them.

Happy Tip making.

PS - Another way of making a cheap press is to go to Lowes and buy a couple of large fender washers. get a bolt that will match the hole in the washer fairly snuggly. and a nut. A couple of smaller washers for above and below. You can put as many as 4 to six tips at a time depending on the size of fender washer you buy.

I have used this as a press but when you tighten the nut and bolt, obviously the washers will turn sideways, skewing your tips slightly.
It realy doesn't hurt them too bad as when you trim the tip, everything comes out straight but I would have to question the quality of the Dud after it has been skewed sideways. maybe its possible to do it a bit more carefully but they still come out a bit twisted.
It was just something that I tried.

Something that may remedy this is to just tighten the bolt enuff to hold the tips in. Then use a couple or four small C clamps, one over every tip in the washer. That would keep them from skewing. Necessity is the mother of invention, right?

PSS - I have tried pressing Triangle tips lately and I can tell you that they make a great break tip. Maybe even a super hard tip for the die hards that like them as hard as you can get. They do come out very nice too.
 
Last edited:
Blue Hog ridr said:
PS - Another way of making a cheap press is to go to Lowes and buy a couple of large fender washers. get a bolt that will match the hole in the washer fairly snuggly. and a nut. A couple of smaller washers for above and below. You can put as many as 4 to six tips at a time depending on the size of fender washer you buy.

I have used this as a press but when you tighten the nut and bolt, obviously the washers will turn sideways, skewing your tips slightly.
It realy doesn't hurt them too bad as when you trim the tip, everything comes out straight but I would have to question the quality of the Dud after it has been skewed sideways. maybe its possible to do it a bit more carefully but they still come out a bit twisted.
It was just something that I tried.

Something that may remedy this is to just tighten the bolt enuff to hold the tips in. Then use a couple or four small C clamps, one over every tip in the washer. That would keep them from skewing. Necessity is the mother of invention, right?
Click to expand...

If you're willing to lose the space for one tip in your bolt/washer press, you could drill a hole in the edge of each washer, and put a pin or small bolt in to keep them from twisting.
 
3andstop said:
Anyone have a recipe for making milk duds? Time to soak, time to press?

Also, anyone have any feedback on these ...

http://www.muellers.com/Dudley-Cue-Tips--14mm,495.html
Click to expand...

I use the Muellers Dudley and love it. I've tried many of the layered tips including Moori, Sniper, Everest, Talisman and I keep going back to non-layered. I use the Dudley, unless the cloth is really damp/slow then I'll use my backup shaft that has a Tringle (it plays a little faster than the Dudley). The Dudley holds chalk like a sponge and grips the CB very well...and doesn't mushroom. Oh, and they are priced right too.
 
Great idea Tenzip. You can buy the old style rivets that you have to use a hammer on, in different sizes. That would definitely keep the washers from twisting. Just drop one in on each side and tighten down.
 
Blue Hog ridr said:
PoolDawg. His are a cut above.

Recipe. For a start here is a measure gauge for hardness. This comes from Joey at the Cue Maker forum and I think is pretty darn accurate.
You can always get yourself a cheap digital caliper for measuring.

.220" thick, soft
.200" thick, medium
.180" thick, hard
Click to expand...


I think the above measurement is pretty accurate. I check mine with dial calipers. I however do not use milk. I soak mine in water less than a minute then press them. I call them water duds! lol I don't think a long soak time is necessary no matter what you use. It only takes a few seconds to saturate a tip with warm milk or water.

The difference is a tip pressed at say .200 using milk will be a little firmer than using water. Milk acts as a filler so it fills the pores.

I personally do not want to change the tip composition of an Elk. I only want to compress it to the desired height. I compress mine to .200 so new install is always medium. They hold chalk great and never mushroom. Over time when they get to firm, I cut them off and install a new one.

Its not rocket science and I think some over think the process. From my experience tips pressed with milk firm up faster. I'll pass on the special mixtures in favor of a tip that stays closer to the original firmness.

From my experience there is no advantage in spin rates, draw etc no matter what route you take. That's all in your stroke not the tip.

Many years ago I use to soak them in clear lacquer and let them dry. I did that so they would firm up faster. Of course I use to pound them to compress them. Kind of mid evil but I could not stand a soft tip. Anyway just my two bits worth. Duds are great tips & they are priced right.

FYI the above measurements are for 14mm elks. Don't use 13mm and think it will be the same. 14mm start life at approximately .250 in height.

Rod
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top