Tip Press
- Thread starter philly
- Start date
Pressing a tip is sorta like a pre-loading....compressing the tip to a consistancy that would be like the tip had been played for a few weeks already before you install it. Less mushrooming, and more consistent as the tip wears down. Some wet it with water, others soak them in milk, and others just press it dry.
I would't be so categorical. There are a lot of factors to consider ... no need to start making a list of them.
Well I'll just mention one of them...there is a big difference to live, work building cues whatsoever in the USA (for example) and in Ukraine where I live with all ensuing circumstances.
I do have some experience in this sport I love...remember the things and life 20 years ago, 10 years ago, nowadays...know the difference and trying to foresee...
So everyone makes his own decisions based on his circumstaces... in addition there is no gimmicks about some pretty simple tasks).
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boogieman
It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that ping.
The picone works well, comes in 13 and 14mm versions. You can press dry, or milkduds are dead easy and don't let anyone tell you there is voodoo involved for milkduds. Basically warm the milk in the microwave, not boiling, then toss the tip in, I use elkmaster. You only need like 3/4" of whole milk in a small jar, I use an old pimento cheese spread jar if you're familiar with those. Let the tips soak, just toss them in before you go to bed, you can put it in the fridge if you plan on using the milk multiple times so it doesn't rot. Next morning or evening, whatever, it really doesn't matter, take the tip out of the milk and rinse it off under the sink. Dab the surface water off with a paper towel. Next put it in the press and press it using a c clamp or whatever type of vise you want. You can play with whatever pressure or size you want. I aim to compress them a little smaller than stock if I want a medium. I like hard tips so I crank a 4" c-clamp as hard as I can by hand. Let them sit in the press, I usually do it overnight. Take the tip out and sit it on a paper towel and let it dry naturally.
That's it. It's perfect and better than most tips you can buy.
You can get as technical or non technical as you want. Measure the tips before you soak them and then press to whatever percentage you want if you like to record things. You can tap the tips with a screwdriver or something and listen to them to hear if they are hard or not. I like the ones that make a tinking sound and don't feel rubbery. Rubbery ones go on for the medium tip folks. All the finished tips are good, but some tink more than others, these are the ones I put on my personal cues, but I've not seen any of them play bad, so it's probably just over analyzing about something that doesn't matter much.
They hold chalk amazingly well and basically vanish into your cue. Your cue will be an extension of your body and you won't notice the tip.
Out of about 15, I only had one bad one. The tip swelled up to like 5/8" tall and leaned like crazy. I tried pressing it anyway, but it was misshapen so I trashed it.
I use two pieces of hard leather between the jaws of a vice grip.
Uhh.... what?
Do I need to explain casual relationships? Uhh...nevermind...Uhh.... what?
I think the pictures are of a Picone Tip press. If not a Picone, is very similar. I buy mine from pooldawg8 Jeff he does a good consistent job of the tips. And I think for a very good price. Never had any issues with his tips either. Save me messing around etc.
That is one of the things I've meant in my second post in this thread (#7) when I said about circumstances...
I live in Kiev, Ukraine and to get certain stuff ... well to be short it's just another story comparing to... That's why first of all I look for the better decisions depending on...
If I can do something myself and it saves time first of all then I do.
Otherwise I plan when to order beforehand so to have it when it's needed and so on...
I've ordered Ultraskin tips from Tom a few times and pretty happy about them and dealing with him but these tips are not available here and they were not even known till I got to know about them and ordered for the first time.
Elkmasters were, are and I believe will always be available here (and being so cheap I don't worry about them ever to appear fake).
When it comes to those premium tips so as I'm not sure about a dealer here...
Well long story short when I've used to play with old Moori so many years ago when they appeared and I bought them here I could be quite sure about them being original.
Nowadays if I decide to buy let's say Kamui in a billiard store here with all those fake ones coming from China ... well should I continue?
The laws, how they work and so on over there and over here are completely different animals...
Uhh ... here it is just a little bit of the whole picture).
Thanks for your desire to help).