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How long does it take to make a cue?
- Thread starter Woof Biscuit
- Start date
Seems to be what I going to end up with.
Told six months going to be min.8 maybe more. I think other cues, priority changes as to who's cue gets done first etc.. can largely come into play.
Can't forget if a cue maker turned out several every week (production type )the cost would drop do to flooding the market.
Told six months going to be min.8 maybe more. I think other cues, priority changes as to who's cue gets done first etc.. can largely come into play.
Can't forget if a cue maker turned out several every week (production type )the cost would drop do to flooding the market.
those are the COMponents.
and the 'two man-days', well, those must be kinda like the distance marker, 'as a crow flies' which never squares with my car rides . :grin:
bill stroud said that for a standard 4 pt veneered cue it should take no more than 8 weeks for a cuemaker to deliver.
of course, it's been years and he still hasn't delivered the dyd cue to his contest winner.
best,
brian kc
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well that's a loaded question...
It can take any where from 8-100 working hours depending on the design and complexity of the cue.
Some cue makers insist on insanely long resting periods between turnings for the woods.
I mean if a cue maker wanted to make you a plain jane or had splices etc already done, and they were working on just your cue, a reasonable time frame would be 2-8 weeks.
That's not how it works though, and most cue makers who are worth their salt have a back log so you should expect 3-9 months at a minimum...
Jaden
It can take any where from 8-100 working hours depending on the design and complexity of the cue.
Some cue makers insist on insanely long resting periods between turnings for the woods.
I mean if a cue maker wanted to make you a plain jane or had splices etc already done, and they were working on just your cue, a reasonable time frame would be 2-8 weeks.
That's not how it works though, and most cue makers who are worth their salt have a back log so you should expect 3-9 months at a minimum...
Jaden
Let us take a look at the process of making a shaft.
A) you buy the wood, wood arrives
B) you cut it into 1.5" long square dowels
C) you let the dowels dry and relax for 6 months to 2 years
D) you put the dowel on the lathe and turn it round
E) you let the dowel dry and relax for 6 weeks to 2 months
F) you turn the dowel down to but diameter
G) you let the dowel dry and relax for 6 weeks
H) you put the first taper cut on the dowel
I) you let the dowel dry and relax for 2 weeks
J) you put on the second taper cut (0.001 to 0.002 taken off)
K) you let the dowel rest for 2 weeks
L) repeat L and K 3-10 more times; more for special taper requests
etc.
When you make an order, the cue maker probably has 50-100 of these dowels in circulation because he has 50-100 customers in front of you.
A) you buy the wood, wood arrives
B) you cut it into 1.5" long square dowels
C) you let the dowels dry and relax for 6 months to 2 years
D) you put the dowel on the lathe and turn it round
E) you let the dowel dry and relax for 6 weeks to 2 months
F) you turn the dowel down to but diameter
G) you let the dowel dry and relax for 6 weeks
H) you put the first taper cut on the dowel
I) you let the dowel dry and relax for 2 weeks
J) you put on the second taper cut (0.001 to 0.002 taken off)
K) you let the dowel rest for 2 weeks
L) repeat L and K 3-10 more times; more for special taper requests
etc.
When you make an order, the cue maker probably has 50-100 of these dowels in circulation because he has 50-100 customers in front of you.
Its not how many hours of actual working, it`s the drying, aging, gluing etc. that takes time. Some cuemakers start from scratch, some has cues and components in various stages of completion, that can speed things up alot.
I'll have that cue for 950.....and ten more of the same.
And a few of the 325 dollar ones too.
All you experts , and no one has it right.
It totally depends of if you have prepaid for the cue or not.
If the cue is paid in full in advance hell it could be decades .:thumbup:
One month to make the cue, 13 years getting around to making the cue LOL
It totally depends of if you have prepaid for the cue or not.
If the cue is paid in full in advance hell it could be decades .:thumbup:
One month to make the cue, 13 years getting around to making the cue LOL
Gary G! We can trade. Things are good here, my friend. Stay in touch.
Lots of interesting answers. Thanks for the input.
Calm down. No need to get sensitive. It was really an honest question. Maybe you don't have parts ready to go but some do. I done seen it!
I am calm Shirley...
You said MOST - so, exactly how many cuemakers inventories have you seen, personally?
Again - anyone who knows as much about cue making as you are implying you do
wouldn't need somebody else to guess for him.
So what are you really trying to find out?
Dale
I make cues and have for years. The cues I make are quite different then most. They are not made to shoot pool with but are made to make folks happy, these cues still take me anywhere from six hours (for the simple plain Janes) to twice that long for the fancy models. They are difficult to turn and even though I have gotten good at them they are still a PITA.
I must say I still get a kick out of making them and will until I can't do it anymore.
I must say I still get a kick out of making them and will until I can't do it anymore.
If I work only 50 hours a week on cues and have 2 weeks a year vacation then there are 2500 hours used and I build 50 cues, it comes to 50 hours per cue on average. Cue making is like every other business, paper work, shipping, cleaning, emails, phones, etc are all part of the business of building cues. A simple answer isn't simple. I do have a large selection of parts ready to go when the cue is ordered, shafts, handles, ferrules, veneers, milled fronts, etc but I had to make all these parts in the years preceding the order, that time has to count too.
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asiasdad
Banned
Southwest cue ordered 2.2.2005 was notified last month that they are
just now starting 2004 orders.
Reason ? Back log of orders.
Joel Hercek cue ordered 5.2006 last email I am approximately 3 more years
away from discussing final design.
Reason ? Backlog of orders, backlogged so bad he quit taking orders a
few years ago.
Why the huge backlog of orders ?
Reason....everyone wants the best, and apparently there are enough willing
to pay for that and wait, and wait, and wait.
I have experienced exceptions, and the most notable one was the
Tascarella shop. I was quoted 18-24 months and received it in 11 months.
I had a basic 4 point, 4 veneer design, no time consuming inlays, and who
knows in the present economy perhaps some orders cancelled out which
would surprise me as Pete charges a 25% deposit to weed out the flakes.
I would be concerned if I was told I would get a cue in less than 9 months.
Danny
just now starting 2004 orders.
Reason ? Back log of orders.
Joel Hercek cue ordered 5.2006 last email I am approximately 3 more years
away from discussing final design.
Reason ? Backlog of orders, backlogged so bad he quit taking orders a
few years ago.
Why the huge backlog of orders ?
Reason....everyone wants the best, and apparently there are enough willing
to pay for that and wait, and wait, and wait.
I have experienced exceptions, and the most notable one was the
Tascarella shop. I was quoted 18-24 months and received it in 11 months.
I had a basic 4 point, 4 veneer design, no time consuming inlays, and who
knows in the present economy perhaps some orders cancelled out which
would surprise me as Pete charges a 25% deposit to weed out the flakes.
I would be concerned if I was told I would get a cue in less than 9 months.
Danny
JC
Coos Cues
Thanks for info, Paul. You've actually built a cue for me, and exceeded my expectations. I still have it and played with it earlier this week.
I thought my question was simple but I guess it isn't. I genuinely wanted to know how long it takes to build the cue I described. I have no agenda, honestly. The spliced forearm from scratch seems to be the most time consuming thing.
Steve Lomax quoted me 4-6 months last month when I ordered, starting from Feb 1 when he got back from DCC. Said it could possibly go a little quicker. With his reputation I'm not too concerned. I know with his health he had backed off production for awhile, but now that he's doing a lot better he's ramping up again -- maybe I caught him before he had much of a backlog built up.