Purchased cue blank, how do I store it?

[Ģüśţāṿ]

The title pretty much says it all. I purchased a beautiful cue blank at SBE this past weekend. While I'm figuring out exactly what I want done to it and who will build it, I would like to know know the best way to store it. Is it best to hang it, lay it on a flat table frequently rotating it, or some other way?

Thanks!

 

[cafrank]

I would hang it personally


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[KJ Cues]

Being a blank, we would assume that the maker of the blank used woods of proper moisture content.
If it is bare wood that hasn't been sealed, seal it, particularly the ends.
Hang it somewhere that has stable humidity. That's all there is to it until you're ready to use it.

 

[Ģüśţāṿ]

It is currently bare wood. What would an ideal product to seal it with. Thanks for your help!

 

[ideologist]

It is currently bare wood. What would an ideal product to seal it with. Thanks for your help!

Anchorseal or wax on the ends

 

[Michael Webb]

I'm always against hanging wood in a non controlled enviroment. It's a tough call to me.

 

[Yotehntr]

Need to see some pics... after seeing them I may be willing to store it for you

 

[Thomas Wayne]

Need to see some pics... after seeing them I may be willing to store it for you

Hanging is fine, as is standing it perfectly upright. Regardless of previous advice, and assuming it is sufficiently oversize, do NOT seal it. You want it to do as much moving around ("warping") as it can while it's still big enough to re-center and re-cut. If you seal it up tight it's more likely to move AFTER the next cut or two - which may mean it's now too skinny to correct the centering properly.

Keeping a cue straight - butt OR shaft - is all about running a race between the wood wanting to move and the cuemaker cutting it down to size. The wood's goal is to contort into the shape it where it's most comfortable, and the cuemaker's goal is to engineer a "tie" right at the finish line of this race. In other words, the cuemaker wants to be taking his final light passes on the butt / shaft just at the same time that the wood has found it's most comfortable, relaxed state.

If you seal it up in its oversized condition you will inhibit the natural aging process, and during the next cut-down it will experience a greater shock at suddenly being exposed to ambient humidity. With butts this is less dramatic, of course, due to the shorter sections and the splicing techniques, but it still can be a factor.

If this advice runs counter to what other cuemakers have told you, consider this: top makers of fine furniture - I'm talking about the Tage Frids and Sam Maloofs of the world - would NEVER seal up various components during the build process. Wood is going to move, and it's impossible to prevent that natural occurrence. By allowing it to do all it's moving DURING the build process (instead of sealing it up tight until the very last cut) you can manipulate the process such that the wood is pretty much done moving right about the time you're done taking the last few finish cuts.

You're safe giving it a light coat of shellac or solvent-based sanding sealer to keep dust and crud out of the pores - both allow a fairly free flow of humidity into and out of wood, But applying Anchorseal, which is meant primarily for freshly cut wet or 'green' wood would be a mistake - as would wax, IMO.

TW

 

[BarenbruggeCues]

^ ^ ^ ^ ^ Thanks for saving me the typing time.
I've had this very discussion with several builders after my shaft dipping experiment and decided it was not only a waste of time and money, but counter productive in the end goal I am trying achieve.
I was going to suggest a rattle can of Bullseye but you did that also. If you stand it on end in the house, do not use any outside walls for a prop. A minimal angle to keep it from falling over is all that is required.
Almost forgot.....once a month you must look at, give it a kiss and hug and tell it you haven't forgotten about it.

 

[ideologist]

You're safe giving it a light coat of shellac or solvent-based sanding sealer to keep dust and crud out of the pores - both allow a fairly free flow of humidity into and out of wood, But applying Anchorseal, which is meant primarily for freshly cut wet or 'green' wood would be a mistake - as would wax, IMO.

TW

I was figuring just the ends, and my post is dumb enough to not communicate that.

I've seen ebony split at the ends when moving across the United States, that's why I wax it up now on the ends

 

[JoeyInCali]

I am now confused what a cue blank is.

 

[pdcue]

I was figuring just the ends, and my post is dumb enough to not communicate that.

I've seen ebony split at the ends when moving across the United States, that's why I wax it up now on the ends

I also wax the ends of ebony - but, ebony is an entirely different animal - IMHO

Dale

 

[JoeyInCali]

I also wax the ends of ebony - but, ebony is an entirely different animal - IMHO

Dale

You wax your ebony butt?
Barabeem!

I saw a friend's high end ebony crack on his display rack years ago. He didn't even notice it.
The maker replaced the cue.

 

[BarenbruggeCues]

I guess I'll be the naysayer but the only time I ever leave wax or anchor seal on ebony is before I start working it. Only 2 reasons I can think of that ebony will have or develop butt crack ........
worked before completely dry....
too much heat when worked.....
I want my ebony (and why not every other wood) to be exposed during the build. That way I know what I'm dealing with.
Disclaimer.....my shop does not have the swings of hi to lo RH and hot to cold.

 

[JoeyInCali]

I guess I'll be the naysayer but the only time I ever leave wax or anchor seal on ebony is before I start working it. Only 2 reasons I can think of that ebony will have or develop butt crack ........
worked before completely dry....
too much heat when worked.....
I want my ebony (and why not every other wood) to be exposed during the build. That way I know what I'm dealing with.
Disclaimer.....my shop does not have the swings of hi to lo RH and hot to cold.

Sissy!!!!!

 

[KJ Cues]

The title pretty much says it all. I purchased a beautiful cue blank at SBE this past weekend. While I'm figuring out exactly what I want done to it and who will build it, I would like to know know the best way to store it. Is it best to hang it, lay it on a flat table frequently rotating it, or some other way?

Thanks!

Here's what we don't know :

Is it Full-splice or A-jointed ?

Where was it made or who made it ? (knowing who could be a clue as to where).

Where are you located ? (assuming the blank is with you).

When was it made ? Has it been sitting around for yrs or was it made yesterday ?

What are the diameters top & bottom ?

What is it's current moisture content ?

When do you think you might get around to having it completed ?

Until these questions are answered, everyone is running on assumption.
Including me and that's something that I really hate to do.
Until these unknowns become knowns, your best bet is to seal it and hang it.
That will put the blank into limbo until you decide what you want to do.
If you don't want to seal the body, that's fine. It likely already is.
Confirm that the ends are sealed because if damage should occur, that's where it will happen.
Your biggest concern going forward is wild swings in humidity. Try to avoid them.
Given the various responses so far, are you confused yet and are you any further ahead ?

 

[Thomas Wayne]

Here's what we don't know :

Is it Full-splice or A-jointed ?

Where was it made or who made it ? (knowing who could be a clue as to where).

Where are you located ? (assuming the blank is with you).

When was it made ? Has it been sitting around for yrs or was it made yesterday ?

What are the diameters top & bottom ?

What is it's current moisture content ?

When do you think you might get around to having it completed ?

Until these questions are answered, everyone is running on assumption.
[...] ?

Speak for yourself - after 40 years of doing this, I am not "running on assumptions".

TW

 

[KJ Cues]

Regardless of previous advice, and assuming it is sufficiently oversize,

TW

I rest my case.

 

[Renegade_56]

I'd say figure out where the blank will end up being used (cuemaker, location) and just get it there in time to let it normalize to that atmosphere. As long as it's stored stress free I wouldn't think hanging would make much difference.

 

[louieatienza]

I'd say figure out where the blank will end up being used (cuemaker, location) and just get it there in time to let it normalize to that atmosphere. As long as it's stored stress free I wouldn't think hanging would make much difference.

Now that's a sensible response.