Wrap channel too deep

J

john coloccia

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I finished up my first cue but I made the channel for the leather wrap too deep. It's not terrible, but I'd like to fix it at some point and redo the wrap one of these days when I get a jig. I have a bending pipe and can bend some veneer if I really have to, but I'd like to do something simpler if possible. I was thinking of maybe just wrapping it with fiberglass tape, super gluing it down and then go from there.

Any ideas would be appreciated. :)
 
john coloccia said:
I finished up my first cue but I made the channel for the leather wrap too deep. It's not terrible, but I'd like to fix it at some point and redo the wrap one of these days when I get a jig. I have a bending pipe and can bend some veneer if I really have to, but I'd like to do something simpler if possible. I was thinking of maybe just wrapping it with fiberglass tape, super gluing it down and then go from there.

Any ideas would be appreciated. :)
Click to expand...


OR........
Seeing it's your cue that you built. You could change the handle and be done with it.
 
Michael Webb said:
OR........
Seeing it's your cue that you built. You could change the handle and be done with it.
Click to expand...

Ha ha...yeah, you're absolutely right! But it's just a simple no frills, plain jane. There's more work in the handle than the rest of the cue. The wrap channel thing was stupid. I tried plunging in, but it got hung up on the tool body and when it started cutting it suddenly went too deep. I'll do it much differently next time and it won't happen again. I just want to do something simple to get it to the point that I can use it to practice with a jig. Nothing more than that. :)

Man, I will never do leather again without a jig and/or at least some sort cutting template. Possible, but what a royal PITA. I'm sure it's very simple when you're good at it. I ended up making a copy of the channel with masking tape and using that to get the ends right. Then I basically just winged it at the seam. It could have been a lot worse but I'm sure I made it 10 times harder than it needed to be. :)
 
Last edited:
Kim Bye said:
A coat of epoxy maybe? And turn it down when it's cured.
Click to expand...

That was my first thought, but I wasn't sure contact cement would stick to it. Maybe I should ask the question a different way:

Will contact cement bond reasonably well to epoxy or CA? If so, I could use practically anything I want....even just paper, and then saturate it with glue and it would make a good enough repair. Would be useless to prepare for linen, I think, because as far as I know PVAs don't stick worth a darn to epoxy and CA. I don't need it to last forever. I'm considering this a disposable learning experience, and as a last step I might take Michael's advice and tackle ripping it apart to replace the handle, again as a learning experience.
 
john coloccia said:
Ha ha...yeah, you're absolutely right! But it's just a simple no frills, plain jane. There's more work in the handle than the rest of the cue. The wrap channel thing was stupid. I tried plunging in, but it got hung up on the tool body and when it started cutting it suddenly went too deep. I'll do it much differently next time and it won't happen again. I just want to do something simple to get it to the point that I can use it to practice with a jig. Nothing more than that. :)

Man, I will never do leather again without a jig and/or at least some sort cutting template. Possible, but what a royal PITA. I'm sure it's very simple when you're good at it. I ended up making a copy of the channel with masking tape and using that to get the ends right. Then I basically just winged it at the seem. It could have been a lot worse but I'm sure I made it 10 times harder than it needed to be. :)
Click to expand...

A piece of masking tape on the forearm and one on the butt sleeve. Put a pen line. Then line a ruler up with the lines and cut your seems. DONE. not kiddin.
 
Michael Webb said:
A piece of masking tape on the forearm and one on the butt sleeve. Put a pen line. Then line a ruler up with the lines and cut your seems. DONE. not kiddin.
Click to expand...

Do you cut through both layers at the same time? It just occurred to me that would make it simpler. Thanks for the advice, Michael.
 
john coloccia said:
Do you cut through both layers at the same time? It just occurred to me that would make it simpler. Thanks for the advice, Michael.
Click to expand...


No Sir.
One side then the other. That's the reason for the tape to align the ruler. Although cutting thru both seems logical, what ever the thickness of the leather will make the piece on top longer.
 
Michael Webb said:
No Sir.
One side then the other. That's the reason for the tape to align the ruler. Although cutting thru both seems logical, what ever the thickness of the leather will make the piece on top longer.
Click to expand...

A little green sprinkled your way Mike. This is what paying it forward, and giving someone a little helping nudge is all about. Super cool tips from one of the good guys. :cool:
j2
 
Michael Webb said:
No Sir.
One side then the other. That's the reason for the tape to align the ruler. Although cutting thru both seems logical, what ever the thickness of the leather will make the piece on top longer.
Click to expand...

Thank you, Michael. I will give it a couple more tries like this without using a jig. I wanted to do something similar on this wrap, but with the wrap sitting below the handle it made it awkward. I really should have just stopped and fixed it right then and there, but the wrap was the last thing left, it was late, and I was anxious to get out to the pool hall for an hour or two just to try it out. I let my impatience get the better of me. :)
 
Hey, I wonder if anyone's ever tried mounting a razor in a tool post, lock the head, and cut the wrap like that? Maybe I'll try that, just for fun. I'm sure I can lock my XActo handle in there. :) I know I need to learn to do it by hand, but I'm just curious if it's viable.
 
Disclaimer-I know nothing about leather wraps,just thinking out loud.
But do leather wraps come in different thicknesses?
How about thicker leather that is used for different purposes other then wraps that my be a little thicker?
 
He is absolutely right...changing the handle with the forearm and butt sleeve at final size would allow you to go ahead and fix the weight problem too. But, the reason i agree with Mike is that the experience will be priceless. Right now you see it only as alot of work "which it is" but it also requires a skill you've not yet acquired. Simply replacing the handle will teach you 10 other things you never thought of.

john coloccia said:
Ha ha...yeah, you're absolutely right! But it's just a simple no frills, plain jane. There's more work in the handle than the rest of the cue. The wrap channel thing was stupid. I tried plunging in, but it got hung up on the tool body and when it started cutting it suddenly went too deep. I'll do it much differently next time and it won't happen again. I just want to do something simple to get it to the point that I can use it to practice with a jig. Nothing more than that. :)

Man, I will never do leather again without a jig and/or at least some sort cutting template. Possible, but what a royal PITA. I'm sure it's very simple when you're good at it. I ended up making a copy of the channel with masking tape and using that to get the ends right. Then I basically just winged it at the seam. It could have been a lot worse but I'm sure I made it 10 times harder than it needed to be. :)
Click to expand...
 
LGSM3 said:
He is absolutely right...changing the handle with the forearm and butt sleeve at final size would allow you to go ahead and fix the weight problem too. But, the reason i agree with Mike is that the experience will be priceless. Right now you see it only as alot of work "which it is" but it also requires a skill you've not yet acquired. Simply replacing the handle will teach you 10 other things you never thought of.
Click to expand...

I will eventually do it. I'm just having too much fun playing with it at the moment. :) Maybe in a couple of months. If I end up doing it, I'll post back here what I eventually do and how it turned out.

I think I'll probably just leave the wrap and weight as is for now and just fix it all in one shot when I can.
 
john coloccia said:
Hey, I wonder if anyone's ever tried mounting a razor in a tool post, lock the head, and cut the wrap like that? Maybe I'll try that, just for fun. I'm sure I can lock my XActo handle in there. :) I know I need to learn to do it by hand, but I'm just curious if it's viable.
Click to expand...
Yes it has been done. The hard part is holding the leather down flat to do each seam separately with that method, or we would all probably be doing it that way.
 
cueman said:
Yes it has been done. The hard part is holding the leather down flat to do each seam separately with that method, or we would all probably be doing it that way.
Click to expand...

Well, I should have read that section of your book before I did the wrap! I read it last night and noticed that you mentioned the idea of putting a razor in a tool holder. :)
 
john coloccia said:
Well, I should have read that section of your book before I did the wrap! I read it last night and noticed that you mentioned the idea of putting a razor in a tool holder. :)
Click to expand...

You know what John?
You earned my respect in handling and responding in this thread. Unlike most who ask then disappear, you stayed with it, and responded accordingly. Well done Sir.
 
Michael Webb said:
You know what John?
You earned my respect in handling and responding in this thread. Unlike most who ask then disappear, you stayed with it, and responded accordingly. Well done Sir.
Click to expand...

Well shoot, Michael. I didn't realize I was being extra nice...I'm a little embarrassed. :o Thanks, and thanks for helping out a newbie. :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top