Introduction. Hi everyone

the secret to surviving on the internet especially selling or doing any work for someone is one simple thing.

***always do what you said you would do.

if you don't your name gets to be mud. if for some reason you cant, then rectify your deal immediately.
 
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Daves custom cues said:
I'm a good ways off from taking orders..
I really need to find a good source for some exotic hardwood. Hitting the local woodcraft every week can put a guy in the poor house trying to find that perfect bit of timber. Lol
There's alot of things I want to experiment with too, like dying and stabilizing in order to create something really unique. But I also like and appreciate the color, grain patterns, and natural beauty of wood..
One things for certain, I'm enjoying the new challenges and diversity with cue building. It really let's one express their artistic side while simultaneously testing ones skills and abilities.
Colored pencils... take colored pencils to work tonight... 😃
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Don't take orders and certainly don't take money up front if you do. Just build your cues and offer them up for sale. If you are any good you will be able to sell every the cue you are able to build.
Dealing with customers you have made commitments to can become very stressful and make you hate building cues.
 
middleofnowhere said:
Don't take orders and certainly don't take money up front if you do. Just build your cues and offer them up for sale. If you are any good you will be able to sell every the cue you are able to build.
Dealing with customers you have made commitments to can become very stressful and make you hate building cues.
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No plans on taking orders, or taking deposits.
To me that would be like working for someone else and would turn a fun hobby into a job. :sick:
 
Daves custom cues said:
No plans on taking orders, or taking deposits.
To me that would be like working for someone else and would turn a fun hobby into a job. :sick:
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You're exactly right. I have a pretty nice cue shop that I actually haven't used in years cuz I have other business interests. When I was building cues I built pretty nice cues. I doubt I sold one beyond 100 miles from where I live and sold every cue I ever built. In fact I would go into the pool room ended up leaving without my own cue I built for myself.

Many times I would have somebody just approach me and say you got anything you're just finishing up that I might be interested in? It's the nicest way to sell cues and you do your own designs things that please you. Not some guy who comes in and says I want a mermaids inlaid in the points.
If you follow that formula you'll have a long time building cues and always to enjoy it.
If you start doing repairs, you should be selective about the repairs you accept to do. Don't say yes to something that as you're saying yes you know you don't want to do and it's going to be a tremendous headache.
 
Daves custom cues said:
No plans on taking orders, or taking deposits.
To me that would be like working for someone else and would turn a fun hobby into a job. :sick:
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Yeah? Well you did seem to be interested in a challenge as posted in my wanted thread. That's not an order, but sure sounds spunky.

Nothing but fun, but if you can do what you said, I will back up what I said.

Remember, we work for pictures!

Good, bad, or ugly, I will cheer you on if you have the guts to go after it.
 
Chopdoc said:
Yeah? Well you did seem to be interested in a challenge as posted in my wanted thread. That's not an order, but sure sounds spunky.

Nothing but fun, but if you can do what you said, I will back up what I said.

Remember, we work for pictures!

Good, bad, or ugly, I will cheer you on if you have the guts to go after it.
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I'm holding true. You were one of the first people who welcomed me to this forum. <respect>
And yep, I'm spunky!! And enjoying this ;)
I love challenges!! And love being a smart a.. in good humor...
So you want that bedazzled hello kitty pool cue right??? Roflmao....
Joking aside, I'm really serious about this. I've been smacking and finger plucking all day today a bit of ebony that I turned and bored a few months ago questioning if it's worthy or not. It's a good bit, but ..... could be better. Finding the best materials is where the challenges lie...
Cocobola, I remember seeing some awesome turning stock back 20 years ago when I was into turning pen blanks. But what I'm finding today I cant even identify as cocobola... That's my biggest challenge, finding AAA stock.
But exploring new things, like cutting abalone shell inlays (yep been working on that) keeps me interested and pushing on. Learning new skills keeps me interested and motivated. If i screw it up then just buy me a beer, give me a pat on the back and tell me I'll do better next time...
 
Daves custom cues said:
If i screw it up then just buy me a beer, give me a pat on the back and tell me I'll do better next time...
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You got it! 👍

But...we need pictures!

Daves custom cues said:
That's my biggest challenge, finding AAA stock.
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I know. That is dwindling.

I wish you luck in finding good wood.

But regardless of that, it will be the skill in putting it together that will determine the outcome.

Daves custom cues said:
You were one of the first people who welcomed me to this forum.
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I am trying. I left this forum for 5 years and only recently returned. I am fascinated by the art and engineering behind the cues.

I won't bullshit anybody.

I will appreciate your efforts.
 
I'm still just poking along at a snails pace watching the wood blanks move (warp) before my eyes... 😆
Have my gun drills now and working on getting them set up to core a 25" long piece of cocobola that I've turned down to 1.3" . Will be a stepped core. One heavy chunk of wood thats for sure
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I'm also experimenting with some veneers. Decided to glue up a test stack tonight to see how it looks. I don't like that I can see the layer lines in it. I just glued the sheets together with a weight on top. I think i need to sand and smooth the sheets a bit before glueing, and add a bit more pressure by putting the lamination into my vulcanizing press to get what I'm looking for.
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Still hoping to get one built before Christmas, but time is running out fast on that one...
 
WIFE: Why do you keep buying all this wood? You buy it, then go play with it in the garage for a little bit, then you just leave it sit and go buy more wood. When are you going to make an actual pool cue???

ME: I'm working on it. It takes time and the wood needs to rest after turning so it can stabilize. Plus im searching for bits that will compliment each other when assembled requires a bit of inventory... See how well these will work together??
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WIFE: you dont need any more wood...
ME: 😡 goes to woodcraft " just to look" 😆
 
fastone371 said:
If you put my Ebony cue under bright light you can clearly see the wood grain.
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I love ebony, but tend to prefer the lighter grained pieces. Both of my ebony cues (Predator Blak4-2 and Virtuoso Ebony/Green) have lighter grain and look incredible, not a fan of the dark pieces that are solid black. Not sure if that's a generally desirable trait with ebony or just personal preference.
 
Daves custom cues said:
WIFE: Why do you keep buying all this wood? You buy it, then go play with it in the garage for a little bit, then you just leave it sit and go buy more wood. When are you going to make an actual pool cue???

ME: I'm working on it. It takes time and the wood needs to rest after turning so it can stabilize. Plus im searching for bits that will compliment each other when assembled requires a bit of inventory... See how well these will work together??
View attachment 868951

WIFE: you dont need any more wood...
ME: 😡 goes to woodcraft " just to look" 😆
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I wish my wife would've told me I had enough wood!!😉
 
Daves custom cues said:
WIFE: Why do you keep buying all this wood? You buy it, then go play with it in the garage for a little bit, then you just leave it sit and go buy more wood. When are you going to make an actual pool cue???

ME: I'm working on it. It takes time and the wood needs to rest after turning so it can stabilize. Plus im searching for bits that will compliment each other when assembled requires a bit of inventory... See how well these will work together??
View attachment 868951

WIFE: you dont need any more wood...
ME: 😡 goes to woodcraft " just to look" 😆
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Thats gorgeous!!
 
Daves custom cues said:
Finally managed to get approved here. Thanks !!
Well, lil about myself... back when I was in my late teens and early twenties I really enjoyed going to the local pool hall " Bank shots" in Delaware. Can't say that i was any good and my playing style was more hold my beer while I play wack a mole.
Fast forward 30 years.. Last year I joined the local Moose lodge in elkton Maryland and started playing again, not so great at first, but after a few weeks I started getting pretty decent.Now after a year a year of playing ive become "above average". Lol.
Ive been working on ball positioning lately and have been having a bit of a rough time with it. Last Friday I managed to get the cue ball where I wanted it, but bobbled every shot out of the pocket doing it so many times that a player I had never met asked one that I play regularly if I was new to the sport..... I was happy to hear him say " oh no, he's actually really good, just off tonight"
Any way, one of the reasons I joined up was to learn more about cue making as I'm getting ready to try and make my first one. I blame my neighbor for getting me interested in this, he has made a couple now and got me hooked into it.
I do a fair amount of machine work and have a pretty elaborate shop set up for metalworking and have done some woodworking in the past so this should be alot of fun. So far all I've done is turn down some dowels and scribble down some design ideas, but hope to start putting something together in the next couple weeks... After I dump more money into some wood that is...
Anyway, Hi everyone and here's a pic of the dowels I have turned to 1.3" so far. More to come, but where to post???
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That burl!🤩
 
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