HOW TO REPLACE A CUE TIP … No Special Tools Required

[dr_dave]

This is all good for those that want to do it themselves or have no one near to do it.
I go to Best Quality Billiards on West Colfax in Lakewood(Colorado).
They charge $10 +the tip cost and usually it's one day service.
I get a Triangle installed for $13.00.
And they do a good job.

That's the advantage of living in a big city, where almost everybody has "a guy" fairly close to their neighborhood. In Fort Collins, where I live, I know of only one "guy" and he isn't very close and isn't always available. I suspect many people in the US face similar (or worse) situations ... hence the video.

Greetings from the North,
Dave

 

[boogieman]

This is all good for those that want to do it themselves or have no one near to do it.
I go to Best Quality Billiards on West Colfax in Lakewood(Colorado).
They charge $10 +the tip cost and usually it's one day service.
I get a Triangle installed for $13.00.
And they do a good job.

If you have a good local place, be sure to support them and give them word of mouth advertising because once they are gone, you pretty much have to DIY. I think I'd even buy the guy a soda for a tip for the tip.

 

[measureman]

That's the advantage of living in a big city, where almost everybody has "a guy" fairly close to their neighborhood. In Fort Collins, where I live, I know of only one "guy" and he isn't very close and isn't always available. I suspect many people in the US face similar (or worse) situations ... hence the video.

Greetings from the North,
Dave

Loveland has Doug a roommate of Ted AKA Cuesblues.
Doug does tips and minor repairs and refinishing.
He also does a great job of converting house cues into 2 pieces cues.
He's done a few on 100 year old or so 1 piece cues.
I can hook you up with his phone number if you want.

 

[measureman]

If you have a good local place, be sure to support them and give them word of mouth advertising because once they are gone, you pretty much have to DIY. I think I'd even buy the guy a soda for a tip for the tip.

There are a 1/2 dozen or so other guys that do tips here in the Denver area.
And we have a few custom cue makers.

 

[dr_dave]

Loveland has Doug a roommate of Ted AKA Cuesblues.
Doug does tips and minor repairs and refinishing.
He also does a great job of converting house cues into 2 pieces cues.
He's done a few on 100 year old or so 1 piece cues.
I can hook you up with his phone number if you want.

Please PM or e-mail me his info. Thanks Bruce!

 

[fastone371]

I've always struggled to burnish my tips correctly. This seems like a great tutorial.

Try burnishing the sides of your tip on top of a Valley table rail, it works great!!!! I touch mine up whenever I am standing near an unused Valley.

 

[Greg M]

Try burnishing the sides of your tip on top of a Valley table rail, it works great!!!! I touch mine up whenever I am standing near an unused Valley.

Don't have access to any American tables, unfortunately.

 

[WildWing]

Keep that sandpaper off the ferrule. After a few tips, it'll look like a bullet.

Rather, keep taping the ferrule, put the shaft in a towel, and a vise, and use a shoe polish motion on the tip with sandpaper, constantly turning the shaft. Sandpaper is a ferrule's worst nightmare.

 

[dr_dave]

Try burnishing the sides of your tip on top of a Valley table rail, it works great!!!! I touch mine up whenever I am standing near an unused Valley.

Thanks for the "tip." I'll try that with a house cue when pool league starts up again.

 

[logical]

I've done a few using the same basic method but the table trick to press the tip down while the glue sets is anew one for me. I have one of the old style clamps but I like the table weight idea...thanks.

I have better luck with single edge razor blades than a utility knife...they are cheap enough in packs of 100.

Sent from my SM-T830 using Tapatalk

 

[dr_dave]

I've done a few using the same basic method but the table trick to press the tip down while the glue sets is anew one for me. I have one of the old style clamps but I like the table weight idea...thanks.

You're welcome. Did you already do the paper and block sanding trick that Bob taught me?

I have better luck with single edge razor blades than a utility knife...they are cheap enough in packs of 100.

Do you hold the razor blade with your fingers, or do you use a glass scraping holder or something else?

Thanks,
Dave

 

[WildWing]

I have better luck with single edge razor blades than a utility knife...they are cheap enough in packs of 100.

Razor blades, utility knifes... keep them away from your ferrule and tip. You're going to gouge them sooner or later. I've done advice on how to do tips perfect. Knives and blades are not the way to go. Here's how you go with just sandpaper and freezer tape, towel, and vice. These razor blades and utility knives give me gas pains.

All the best,
WW

 

[dr_dave]

I've done advice on how to do tips perfect. Knives and blades are not the way to go. Here's how you go with just sandpaper and freezer tape, towel, and vice.

Could you please share your advice or a description of your procedure (or provide a link to a description or video elsewhere)? Thanks!

 

[measureman]

Please PM or e-mail me his info. Thanks Bruce!

I think I sent a PM.
If not send me one and I will respond.
I'm better at pool then tech.

 

[dr_dave]

I think I sent a PM.
If not send me one and I will respond.
I'm better at pool then tech.

Got it. Thanks!

 

[fastone371]

Razor blades, utility knifes... keep them away from your ferrule and tip. You're going to gouge them sooner or later. I've done advice on how to do tips perfect. Knives and blades are not the way to go. Here's how you go with just sandpaper and freezer tape, towel, and vice. These razor blades and utility knives give me gas pains.

All the best,
WW

Cue on the left looks just like my D11 McDermott

 

[WildWing]

Could you please share your advice or a description of your procedure (or provide a link to a description or video elsewhere)? Thanks!

Certainly. I take off a tip like you do, but I prefer to finish the top of the ferrule with a file, being very careful to keep it square on the ferrule.

I put the new tip on about like you do, but I don't tape the sides of the ferrule. I use a gel super glue, which gives plenty of time to get the excess off. Also, I always glue a red fiber pad on the tip, as it makes finishing subsequent tips easier.

The difference is, I don't use a razor or other knives. I put masking tape on the ferrule, and use a portable vise, with the shaft inside a nice thick towel. I put enough pressure on the shaft to keep it stable, but loose enough for me to turn the shaft in the towel. Freezer tape works best on the ferrule, as it doesn't leave residue as much as standard masking tape.

I cut strips of 320 grit sandpaper, and trim the excess tip using a shoe shine motion, turning the tip every 15 seconds or so. This admittedly takes longer than cutting with a knife, but it's my preferred way. I never touch the ferrule with the sandpaper. Using this method, you're sanding over the freezer tape as well as the excess tip, so you replace the tape often, don't go through the tape.

Here's the slightly tricky part. When you've got the tip almost flush with the ferrule, but you can't go any farther because of the tape, you put another wrap of tape on the ferrule, but leave a millimeter or two of ferrule showing. Keep on sanding the tip, turning the shaft, but check quite often to see when you're perfectly flush with the ferrule. You won't go into the ferrule if you're careful. That little space between tape and tip allows you to flush the tip without going into the ferrule. You may want to use 400 grit for that last little bit.

Once perfect, burnish the sides of the tip with wet thumb and paper towel. I don't recommend those plastic burnishing tools that taper on the inside, because I've heard of too many tips popping off with it.

Then shape the tip with your choice of tip shaper, or medium-fine cross cut file. Once shaped I like to burnish the sides again. That's it. Although a bit time consuming, this method ensures that you don't decrease the diameter of the ferrule, or scratch or gouge it.

All the best,
WW

 

[dr_dave]

Certainly. I take off a tip like you do, but I prefer to finish the top of the ferrule with a file, being very careful to keep it square on the ferrule.

I put the new tip on about like you do, but I don't tape the sides of the ferrule. I use a gel super glue, which gives plenty of time to get the excess off. Also, I always glue a red fiber pad on the tip, as it makes finishing subsequent tips easier.

The difference is, I don't use a razor or other knives. I put masking tape on the ferrule, and use a portable vise, with the shaft inside a nice thick towel. I put enough pressure on the shaft to keep it stable, but loose enough for me to turn the shaft in the towel. Freezer tape works best on the ferrule, as it doesn't leave residue as much as standard masking tape.

I cut strips of 320 grit sandpaper, and trim the excess tip using a shoe shine motion, turning the tip every 15 seconds or so. This admittedly takes longer than cutting with a knife, but it's my preferred way. I never touch the ferrule with the sandpaper. Using this method, you're sanding over the freezer tape as well as the excess tip, so you replace the tape often, don't go through the tape.

Here's the slightly tricky part. When you've got the tip almost flush with the ferrule, but you can't go any farther because of the tape, you put another wrap of tape on the ferrule, but leave a millimeter or two of ferrule showing. Keep on sanding the tip, turning the shaft, but check quite often to see when you're perfectly flush with the ferrule. You won't go into the ferrule if you're careful. That little space between tape and tip allows you to flush the tip without going into the ferrule. You may want to use 400 grit for that last little bit.

Once perfect, burnish the sides of the tip with wet thumb and paper towel. I don't recommend those plastic burnishing tools that taper on the inside, because I've heard of too many tips popping off with it.

Then shape the tip with your choice of tip shaper, or medium-fine cross cut file. Once shaped I like to burnish the sides again. That's it. Although a bit time consuming, this method ensures that you don't decrease the diameter of the ferrule, or scratch or gouge it.

All the best,
WW

Thank you for sharing. That's good stuff. I particularly like the file idea and sanding next to and over the freezer tape. FYI, I've added a quote of your post to the how to replace a cue tip resource page.

Thanks again,
Dave

 

[WildWing]

Cue on the left looks just like my D11 McDermott

The cue is a mid-70's Joss. You're right, given the pin and joint, it does resemble a McDermott D series.

All the best,
WW

 

[WildWing]

Thank you for sharing. That's good stuff. I particularly like the file idea and sanding next to and over the freezer tape. FYI, I've added a quote of your post to the how to replace a cue tip resource page.

Thanks again,
Dave

Thanks very much, appreciate it. The keys are practice and patience. Everyone that looks at a tip of mine thinks I had it done by a professional with a lathe, but it's my own two hands.

All the best,
WW