Tips on how to install leather wrap

X

xxcysxx

Registered
Hi, I'm thinking of leather wrapping my cue on my own. This is going to be my first time doing it and I've been spending time researching to avoid making as few mistakes as possible. Can you give me some tips on the following topics:

How do you get the proper radius at the ends of the leather (lengthwise) without using a template? I saw a youtube video where a guy uses a straight edge on the ends of the wrap to wrap a predator cue, wouldn't this cause a gap at the taper end and an overlap at the wider end?

What do you use to practice wrapping when starting out? I plan on buying several wooden dowels and practice on them, but they don't have the taper like the the cue.

Have you use the leather blanks from a craft store like AC Moore or Michaels? I'm thinking of using them for practice, and also on my cue. Any pros and cons of using them?

In the case when I'm unhappy with the result of the wrap on my cue, when unwrapping the dried leather, do you heat the leather to peel it off or just peel it off at room temperature? Any precautions I should take to avoid the old adhesive from picking up the wood from the cue?

Thanks
 
Make a template of thin paper(like white meat wrapping paper) making sure you cut, using a single edge razor blade, the end edges exactly to the groove. Tape the paper tightly on the wrap area, then use a straight edge to draw a line down the wrap area that is straight using a pen on the paper. Cut down the line using the ruler as a straight edge for the razor blade. You now have a pattern for the leather and it fits your cue.

The thickness of the leather needs to match the grove in your butt for the wrap. Measure with calipers the size difference between the wrap cut and the adjoining cue part. Your leather needs to be this thickness or slightly less.

Spend the money for a leather piece or two from someone who sells wrap leather. If you were accomplished at this wrap business you could take the calipers to a leather supply store and find a piece that would work. Keep in mind that your cue's wrap area may be deeper or shallower than wraps on other cues. It would be best to tell your supplier the approximate thickness of leather that you need.

Go to youtube and watch videos on wrap installs. They may have a jig but the basic install is the same. Be sure to draw a black, straight line down the wrap area using the ruler as a guide.

In the long run you will make some mistakes on installation and get a lot of sanding practice. Your best bet is get a cuemaker to do it for you but you may be bound and determined to learn the process. If so, good luck.
 
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Putting on a leather wrap is one of the hardest things to do. Without a template and experience it's just not a DIY project. Any blemish on a leather wrap install is an eyesore. My advise is to take it to an experienced repairman. Ask politely if you can watch.

Alan
 
aphelps1 said:
Putting on a leather wrap is one of the hardest things to do. Without a template and experience it's just not a DIY project. Any blemish on a leather wrap install is an eyesore. My advise is to take it to an experienced repairman. Ask politely if you can watch.

Alan
Click to expand...

Tap, Tap, Tap...
Well said,
Dave
 
He asked how to do it, knowing, I hope, that his first few efforts would not be perfect. Sounds like a person who would like to learn more about cue repairs.

XX-------, you can pm me if you have more questions.
 
Thanks rhinobywilhite, that was a very productive response.

I saw a couple of wrap installs from other folks in the local pool halls and thought that I can do a better job, knowing to myself that I am a meticulous person and who could handle my stuff better than me.

rhinobywilhite said:
Make a template of thin paper(like white meat wrapping paper) making sure you cut, using a single edge razor blade, the end edges exactly to the groove. Tape the paper tightly on the wrap area, then use a straight edge to draw a line down the wrap area that is straight using a pen on the paper. Cut down the line using the ruler as a straight edge for the razor blade. You now have a pattern for the leather and it fits your cue.

The thickness of the leather needs to match the grove in your butt for the wrap. Measure with calipers the size difference between the wrap cut and the adjoining cue part. Your leather needs to be this thickness or slightly less.

Spend the money for a leather piece or two from someone who sells wrap leather. If you were accomplished at this wrap business you could take the calipers to a leather supply store and find a piece that would work. Keep in mind that your cue's wrap area may be deeper or shallower than wraps on other cues. It would be best to tell your supplier the approximate thickness of leather that you need.

Go to youtube and watch videos on wrap installs. They may have a jig but the basic install is the same. Be sure to draw a black, straight line down the wrap area using the ruler as a guide.

In the long run you will make some mistakes on installation and get a lot of sanding practice. Your best bet is get a cuemaker to do it for you but you may be bound and determined to learn the process. If so, good luck.
Click to expand...
 
I decided I wanted to try to do some a little while back and found some good prices here:
https://www.cuesmith.com/leather-wrap-blanks.html
They had advertised here on AZB. Practice wraps for 3 bucks.
I had a few cheap cues with Irish linen wraps and found that the thickness of these wraps worked great when the linen was removed.

If your a pretty good DIY'er, it's really not as hard as some make it out to be. My first one came out pretty good and the second very good IMHO.

I'm certainly no expert though. I've done two lol.
 
Yikes! The shipping from that place is $15 for a few piece of leather. Did you have to pay that much for your shipping to get your practice leather?

Oh, and how was their practice leather, what was the imperfection that made them so cheap?


Player said:
I decided I wanted to try to do some a little while back and found some good prices here:
https://www.cuesmith.com/leather-wrap-blanks.html
They had advertised here on AZB. Practice wraps for 3 bucks.
I had a few cheap cues with Irish linen wraps and found that the thickness of these wraps worked great when the linen was removed.

If your a pretty good DIY'er, it's really not as hard as some make it out to be. My first one came out pretty good and the second very good IMHO.

I'm certainly no expert though. I've done two lol.
Click to expand...
 
xxcysxx said:
Yikes! The shipping from that place is $15 for a few piece of leather. Did you have to pay that much for your shipping to get your practice leather?

Oh, and how was their practice leather, what was the imperfection that made them so cheap?
Click to expand...

Oh yeah, now I remember that high shipping. :mad: I got 6 I think so that spread the cost out some.

I got one of the practice wraps and really didn't see anything wrong with it. Didn't like the color though. I never did use it. If you want it PM me your address and I'll send it to you.
 
Send your Cue Man order in with the "Will Call For Payment" method and I can adjust the shipping to about $9 priority mail for leather. Then you can call with credit card or send paypal payment.
 
rhinobywilhite said:
Make a template of thin paper(like white meat wrapping paper) making sure you cut, using a single edge razor blade, the end edges exactly to the groove. Tape the paper tightly on the wrap area, then use a straight edge to draw a line down the wrap area that is straight using a pen on the paper. Cut down the line using the ruler as a straight edge for the razor blade. You now have a pattern for the leather and it fits your cue.

The thickness of the leather needs to match the grove in your butt for the wrap. Measure with calipers the size difference between the wrap cut and the adjoining cue part. Your leather needs to be this thickness or slightly less.

Spend the money for a leather piece or two from someone who sells wrap leather. If you were accomplished at this wrap business you could take the calipers to a leather supply store and find a piece that would work. Keep in mind that your cue's wrap area may be deeper or shallower than wraps on other cues. It would be best to tell your supplier the approximate thickness of leather that you need.

Go to youtube and watch videos on wrap installs. They may have a jig but the basic install is the same. Be sure to draw a black, straight line down the wrap area using the ruler as a guide.

In the long run you will make some mistakes on installation and get a lot of sanding practice. Your best bet is get a cuemaker to do it for you but you may be bound and determined to learn the process. If so, good luck.
Click to expand...
i'm planning to do my own leather wrap as well. I've got a piece of leather from a third party dealer but i think the leather may be too thick for the cue. May i know what kinda of thickness are you using for the leather?
 
honxuaan said:
i'm planning to do my own leather wrap as well. I've got a piece of leather from a third party dealer but i think the leather may be too thick for the cue. May i know what kinda of thickness are you using for the leather?
Click to expand...

Usually, .019-.023 ths. Much depends on the glue used.

Dick
 
honxuaan said:
i'm planning to do my own leather wrap as well. I've got a piece of leather from a third party dealer but i think the leather may be too thick for the cue. May i know what kinda of thickness are you using for the leather?
Click to expand...

The thickness would depend on the wrap cut made in the handle area. They could vary from approx. 24-30 thousandths. Usually one determines what thickness he has for the wrap he wants to use(use calipers to measure leather thickness) and then cuts the depth on the handle accordingly. Not trying to confuse you but the cue has no finish at this point and you would need to allow for the thickness of your finish.

If you already have a wrap cut on your cue measure the depth(calipers) and you will then be able to decide the thickness of the leather you need. It is better for the leather to be even or slightly below the cue surface. So let's say you measure the cut area and it is 50 thousandths deep. You need a wrap that is 24-25 thousandths because the wrap encircles the cue.

I think you are installing this on a completed cue so I may have included too many details.
 
JT's cuerepair said:
Darcy's videos are well worth watching if you want to learn how to do a leather wrap,
Click to expand...

I bought Darcy's cutting template jig and used my deluxe lathe with a single edged razor blade in the tool post with the taper bar engaged and was very happy with the results after doing a few.

Then I decided to get fancy and bought a wrap magic jig. Quite frankly my results didn't improve although it's a little easier but not much. I do like the wrap magic for lining up rings though.:smile:

JC
 
JC said:
I bought Darcy's cutting template jig and used my deluxe lathe with a single edged razor blade in the tool post with the taper bar engaged and was very happy with the results after doing a few.

Then I decided to get fancy and bought a wrap magic jig. Quite frankly my results didn't improve although it's a little easier but not much. I do like the wrap magic for lining up rings though.:smile:

JC
Click to expand...

I just got done fixing the wrap channel on my first cue (made it a touch too deep) and I'll be experimenting soon on how to cut the seam. Chris Hightower made a good point that it can be difficult to hold down the wrap doing it like this. I'm wondering how you managed it?

Someone suggested just using a straight edge and cutting to a line. I like that idea and I know it will work well, but I've been playing around with it for practice and I've been having trouble actually getting the straight edge to stay put....flat piece of metal balancing on a round cue. Maybe I just need more practice and my fingers will eventually figure out how to do it reliably.
 
john coloccia said:
I just got done fixing the wrap channel on my first cue (made it a touch too deep) and I'll be experimenting soon on how to cut the seam. Chris Hightower made a good point that it can be difficult to hold down the wrap doing it like this. I'm wondering how you managed it?

Someone suggested just using a straight edge and cutting to a line. I like that idea and I know it will work well, but I've been playing around with it for practice and I've been having trouble actually getting the straight edge to stay put....flat piece of metal balancing on a round cue. Maybe I just need more practice and my fingers will eventually figure out how to do it reliably.
Click to expand...

It your lathe has an indexer or thread gear, you can cut the seam with a toolpost mounted blade.
Nothing gets it straighter than that.
The straight edge way scares the heck out of me.
 
JoeyInCali said:
It your lathe has an indexer or thread gear, you can cut the seam with a toolpost mounted blade.
Nothing gets it straighter than that.
The straight edge way scares the heck out of me.
Click to expand...

Thanks, Joey. I have a Hightower so it indexes. Chris mentioned that it could be difficult holding down the leather during the cut using this method, but I haven't actually had a chance to try it yet. Maybe I'll just go ahead and try it like this, and just see how it turns out. I've got plenty of leather, and I'm getting rather good at removing old contact cement. :)

Incidentally, building up that wrap channel with veneer was a hell of a lot of work. It got me ready to re-wrap pretty quickly, and that was kind of the goal because there's other stuff I want to try too, but in terms of actual hours spent working, I probably could have just made a new handle for it. It took me, more or less, all day.
 
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john coloccia said:
Someone suggested just using a straight edge and cutting to a line. I like that idea and I know it will work.
Click to expand...

Well that someone. (lmao) thinks you haven't thought about it eneogh. Independence day.....maybe I'll hold your hand tomorrow. I'm a smartass sometimes.
 
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