Heard of Milk Duds? Get ready for Uber Duds!

[mescarcega]

I've recently heard about milk duds and have been curious to try them. I already bought some from pooldawg8 and am waiting patiently to play with them. However, the mad scientist in the back of my mind is thinking about the process of making milk duds. I am not ready or willing to make them, but is there a way to make a milk dud on steroids? For example, if we soak Elkmaster tips in milk to imbue casein into the tips, would more casein make the tips better? And by better, I mean would more casein make them play like a soft-medium tip with the durability of a hard tip? I know people soak them in milk, but would half-and-half offer more casein stock? What about heavy/whipping cream? And what if you add chemical casein stock or casein powder to cream and soak the Elkmasters? I believe Techno Duds are cured in a casein stock solution for "consistency" (even though a lot of people have bad mushrooming experiences with them). What if you were to combine the two solutions or dissolve casein powder into cream? Would soaking Elkmasters in a casein-rich solution create an Uber Dud, or would the casein even penetrate into the tip?

 

[straightline]

I use this stuff:

Super Glue ULTRA Gel Control from Loctite Adhesives

Super-tough, durable bonds that resist weather, impact, shock and vibration.

www.loctiteproducts.com

Tried it so you could shape those damned things and turns out it stabilizes the whole tip. Hits great and if it's too "clothy" I just use more glue directly on the striking surface and wipe it in before it dries. The EMs will absorb a bunch more than it takes to just glue 'em on.

 

[Sheldon]

In my opinion, if they were any good, they'd sell them that way.
People played around with them back when single layer tips were about all you could get, and the quality was all over the place.
Soaking and pressing them at least created some consistency. If you can't grade the tips beforehand, you might still end up with trash after all that work.

 

[couldnthinkof01]

Or... And hear me out.... Le pro

 

[jazznpool]

Ryan Theewen (RAT Cues) made great Milk Duds when he was at Mueller's Billiard Supply. They were soaked and pressed.

 

[Fatboy]

Triangle’s

 

[tomatoshooter]

Or... And hear me out.... Le pro

Are you suggesting that someone who makes thousands of tips in a manufacturing facility can make a better tip than I can with stuff I have laying around in my garage?

 

[ShootingArts]

Elkmaster is selling their own selected tips now at a much higher price. It does lead me to wonder if there are less quality tips in a box of fifty now. I have posted this many times but it only takes minutes to measure and weigh a box of fifty. I measure the first one and lock the caliper down and use it as a gage to measure the rest of them. I find size to be very consistent but I need to be sure because the next step is to weigh them. In the box I weighed they fell into four groups. Nine were super light. I have to think the tanning process didn't stop or something, threw these in the garbage, less than five dollars lost. Then there were four that were super heavy. I wanted to experiment with these for myself but unfortunately they were lost in a storm. Finally I had two groups of very consistent weight in each group. These were dudded for customers. Absolutely no complaints although I haven't used them all yet.

Thirty-seven milk duds from a box of fifty. A nice profit! However, I used some without dudding on my cues too. The selected Elkmasters mushroomed slightly when new then were excellent tips. Very little difference between them and the dudded tips that I only crush down to original height or a bit less after soaking. I don't like a super hard tip and my duds and the original Elkmaster play much the same.

Hu

 

[tim913]

nowadays milk probably cost more than the tips

 

[Shuddy]

I've recently heard about milk duds and have been curious to try them. I already bought some from pooldawg8 and am waiting patiently to play with them. However, the mad scientist in the back of my mind is thinking about the process of making milk duds. I am not ready or willing to make them, but is there a way to make a milk dud on steroids? For example, if we soak Elkmaster tips in milk to imbue casein into the tips, would more casein make the tips better? And by better, I mean would more casein make them play like a soft-medium tip with the durability of a hard tip? I know people soak them in milk, but would half-and-half offer more casein stock? What about heavy/whipping cream? And what if you add chemical casein stock or casein powder to cream and soak the Elkmasters? I believe Techno Duds are cured in a casein stock solution for "consistency" (even though a lot of people have bad mushrooming experiences with them). What if you were to combine the two solutions or dissolve casein powder into cream? Would soaking Elkmasters in a casein-rich solution create an Uber Dud, or would the casein even penetrate into the tip?

I’m on TRT. I could spare a few ampules. Imagine Elkmasters on actual steroids!!!

 

[CocoboloCowboy]

Some people still play with & love LePros.

 

[dirtvictim]

I'm waiting for Meta Duds

 

[chenjy9]

I'm waiting for Meta Duds

What about Lyft Duds? I heard they are just as good for cheaper!

 

[Mick]

To make my milk duds I soak them in a mixture of water and yellow carpenters glue for about a week before I press them. Then I press them to a specific foot pound, retorquing occasionally over 2 days. Makes for very consistent tips.

 

[middleofnowhere]

In my opinion, if they were any good, they'd sell them that way.
People played around with them back when single layer tips were about all you could get, and the quality was all over the place.
Soaking and pressing them at least created some consistency. If you can't grade the tips beforehand, you might still end up with trash after all that work.

I'm waiting for Meta Duds

Elkmaster is selling their own selected tips now at a much higher price. It does lead me to wonder if there are less quality tips in a box of fifty now. I have posted this many times but it only takes minutes to measure and weigh a box of fifty. I measure the first one and lock the caliper down and use it as a gage to measure the rest of them. I find size to be very consistent but I need to be sure because the next step is to weigh them. In the box I weighed they fell into four groups. Nine were super light. I have to think the tanning process didn't stop or something, threw these in the garbage, less than five dollars lost. Then there were four that were super heavy. I wanted to experiment with these for myself but unfortunately they were lost in a storm. Finally I had two groups of very consistent weight in each group. These were dudded for customers. Absolutely no complaints although I haven't used them all yet.

Thirty-seven milk duds from a box of fifty. A nice profit! However, I used some without dudding on my cues too. The selected Elkmasters mushroomed slightly when new then were excellent tips. Very little difference between them and the dudded tips that I only crush down to original height or a bit less after soaking. I don't like a super hard tip and my duds and the original Elkmaster play much the same.

Hu

For what it's worth I remember having a conversation with the representative from tweeten at the BCA show one year. We talked about tips and he told me that I should pick out the taller tips because the tips are all pressed the same and the taller ones would represent a harder tip. Like I said for what it's worth.

I used to when I would pick out tips I would try tapping them on a little Formica counter it when it was real quiet so I can hear what they sounded like. I'd go through like a whole box of 50. I don't know if that was really of any value. But I definitely knew what the tip was going to be like when I put it in the lathe and cut it down.

Some tips would cut with fuzzy edge and some would machine off really smooth and look nice before they're even finished. The fuzzy ones if I really didn't like the way they looked I just cut them right off without ever even finishing them.

 

[EddieBme]

To make my milk duds I soak them in a mixture of water and yellow carpenters glue for about a week before I press them. Then I press them to a specific foot pound, retorquing occasionally over 2 days. Makes for very consistent tips.

Are you selling or personal use only?

Eddie

 

[Gravey39]

I have matte leather boots, so i sourced an oil free conditioner for them. The mad scientist in me decided to try using it to make a milk dud. It worked and it worked amazingly. I am happy to share the product. Not sure what they use in this conditioner but it worked.

 

[Sheldon]

I used to when I would pick out tips I would try tapping them on a little Formica counter it when it was real quiet so I can hear what they sounded like. I'd go through like a whole box of 50. I don't know if that was really of any value. But I definitely knew what the tip was going to be like when I put it in the lathe and cut it down.
Some tips would cut with fuzzy edge and some would machine off really smooth and look nice before they're even finished. The fuzzy ones if I really didn't like the way they looked I just cut them right off without ever even finishing them.

Tapping them on a piece of tile or metal will tell you a lot about the tip. Also examine the flat side, the smoother ones are generally a lot better than the ones that look more textured. Cutting them after install is another good indicator.

 

[CocoboloCowboy]

Many Tips on market, take your choice or pick poison.

Tips - Mueller's Billiard & Dart Supplies

Tips

www.muellers.com

 

[Mick]

Are you selling or personal use only?

Just personal use. They are such a chore to make, I'd have to charge $50 a pop to be worth the hassle.