My first tip install

SSDiver2112 said:
Well, it has been an interesting few months. I did make a slight spelling change to my brand name from Escott to Esscot. I accidently deleted my YouTube channel in the process so now its EsscotCues42

I continue to do repairs. Most are simple tip or ferrule replacement. However, a few interesting challenges cross my lathe now and then.

This was one of the more interesting ones. A shattered Jacoby Edge Hybrid shaft the owner was told to be unfixable. He showed it to me, and I decided to give it a shot. The original tenon was destroyed and I did not want to shorten the cue by making a new one the same way, I made a wooden vault plate like a CF shaft has.

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I made an attachment a while ago for my live center that has interchangeable attachments. This new attachment uses a camera iris to center any size tip automatically. Thought I had a new idea until I found someone was making and selling something similar many years ago. It worked really well for about a month until a bit of CA got on the iris and game over. I may replace the iris someday and use it sparingly when I need to be more precise.

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I love building cues. Going from wood blocks to what we call functional art is so fulfilling. At first I would look at the cue I am building and think “I can’t give this up, it’s too cool”, but after watching someone love the cue and enjoy playing with that really means so much more.

Since my last post where I mentioned my first commissioned cue build, I received two more requests. The first was for a local player I met while out shooting pool. He found out I make custom cues and said he wanted me to build one. After some consultation, his only real request was a red cue with Irish linen wrap, and have the same size, weight and balance as his Cuetec he was using. Being my first commission I wanted it to be as special as possible. I wasn’t feeling the piece of Redheart I had, and after some searching, I found some curly Redheart that I liked for this. I added matching joint protectors and magnetic chalk holder. (More Here)

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My second was for an AZB’r that was gracious enough to let me build a cue for him. He sent me the B/W Ebony forearm, Birdseye Maple handle, and an inlayed piece for the butt sleeve. I finished this one first because the Redheart wood was too wet and I had to build a kiln to dry it out and wait until the wood’s moisture level came down. Both are completed and in the hands of their new owners. (More Here)

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The third was for a friend and teammate that I had made the Purpleheart shaft for. She liked it so much she wanted a new player too. Liking dark things and purple, I made a figured Purpleheart and Ebony cue for her. A 4oz torrefied shaft was a nice pairing to reach the 21oz she wanted. (More Here)

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The Curly Pyinma/Rosewood and the Cocobolo/Mango/Snakewood/Ebony and the old Jone’s Bros Bar cue are done.

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I am excited to have three new requests to build cues that are currently in the early design phase. So more to come later. I had a fourth that ended up getting canceled. I did like the idea and decided to continue with it as time allows.

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Everything looking good...real good. You obviously take pride in quality workmanship.
 
There is a cue that I have always admired even before I started working on cues. The Brunswick Titlist cues from the 26 ½ to the Titlist one-piece to the Willie Hoppe Professional. Just something about it I have always liked. Early on I got my hands on a 1940’s Willie Hoppe Pro and a 1970 one made by Adam. Deep down I also wanted a cue made from one. These two are in too good of a condition to mess with so I needed to find an old house cue or one beat up enough to get cheap. Most on the internet are $400 - $1000. Made from different woods, some demand a higher price than others. Ebony being the most sought after. After years of patiently searching, I finally found one.

Here it is next to my WH Pro.

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An old one-piece Willie Hoppe Titlist with the shaft chopped off. Other than the old yellowed finish and faded veneers it looked to be in decent condition, so I took a chance. Once I got my hands on the cue, I saw some minor cracks in the handle and typical uneven points, but great condition and enough meat to trim it down to today’s butt diameter thickness and even up the points some. The color and chatoyance of the wood made me think it was mahogany at first, but with the old finish I couldn’t be sure yet.

After seeing the veneers on the butterfly conversion come to life. I was not too worried about the veneers on this cue. I offset the center for the points and started to trim it down to see what was under the upper layers and to get it ready to core.

Fantastic! With just the first little bit trimmed off there is a lot more color. I hope even more color as I go deeper in. The wood now exposed was looking more like Rosewood, which was also a plus.

Here is what I saw.

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With the cues 1940’s age and the couple of cracks I cored the cue up into the lower points. It sat for a little bit as I thought about the butt sleeve design. Funny thing though. When I went back days later to take some additional pictures, I noticed something that made me very happy. The now exposed wood revealed its true nature. A Purpleheart Titlist! Just what I wanted, and it even has some figure as well. I decided to go with a butt sleeve design similar to part of my current cue using Purpleheart and Ebony. To be continued.

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SSDiver2112 said:
Well, it has been an interesting few months. I did make a slight spelling change to my brand name from Escott to Esscot. I accidently deleted my YouTube channel in the process so now its EsscotCues42

I continue to do repairs. Most are simple tip or ferrule replacement. However, a few interesting challenges cross my lathe now and then.

This was one of the more interesting ones. A shattered Jacoby Edge Hybrid shaft the owner was told to be unfixable. He showed it to me, and I decided to give it a shot. The original tenon was destroyed and I did not want to shorten the cue by making a new one the same way, I made a wooden vault plate like a CF shaft has.

View attachment 842079

View attachment 842080

I made an attachment a while ago for my live center that has interchangeable attachments. This new attachment uses a camera iris to center any size tip automatically. Thought I had a new idea until I found someone was making and selling something similar many years ago. It worked really well for about a month until a bit of CA got on the iris and game over. I may replace the iris someday and use it sparingly when I need to be more precise.

View attachment 842081

I love building cues. Going from wood blocks to what we call functional art is so fulfilling. At first I would look at the cue I am building and think “I can’t give this up, it’s too cool”, but after watching someone love the cue and enjoy playing with that really means so much more.

Since my last post where I mentioned my first commissioned cue build, I received two more requests. The first was for a local player I met while out shooting pool. He found out I make custom cues and said he wanted me to build one. After some consultation, his only real request was a red cue with Irish linen wrap, and have the same size, weight and balance as his Cuetec he was using. Being my first commission I wanted it to be as special as possible. I wasn’t feeling the piece of Redheart I had, and after some searching, I found some curly Redheart that I liked for this. I added matching joint protectors and magnetic chalk holder. (More Here)

View attachment 842084

My second was for an AZB’r that was gracious enough to let me build a cue for him. He sent me the B/W Ebony forearm, Birdseye Maple handle, and an inlayed piece for the butt sleeve. I finished this one first because the Redheart wood was too wet and I had to build a kiln to dry it out and wait until the wood’s moisture level came down. Both are completed and in the hands of their new owners. (More Here)

View attachment 842085

The third was for a friend and teammate that I had made the Purpleheart shaft for. She liked it so much she wanted a new player too. Liking dark things and purple, I made a figured Purpleheart and Ebony cue for her. A 4oz torrefied shaft was a nice pairing to reach the 21oz she wanted. (More Here)

View attachment 842090

The Curly Pyinma/Rosewood and the Cocobolo/Mango/Snakewood/Ebony and the old Jone’s Bros Bar cue are done.

View attachment 842091

View attachment 842092

View attachment 842093

I am excited to have three new requests to build cues that are currently in the early design phase. So more to come later. I had a fourth that ended up getting canceled. I did like the idea and decided to continue with it as time allows.

View attachment 842094
Click to expand...
What would cause a Lam shaft to blow like that?? Short of a f***ed up Massè?? Gorgeous cues, btw...
 
Great looking work SSD Your learning well Grasshopper. Lol
Keep up the great work and please keep posting your work.
Wish I had skill to do things like you guys do.
 
Mensabum said:
Breaking can do that??
I'm glad it doesn't happen around here. Scary.
You're welcome. Well Deserved.
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I could see an issue if breaking with a thin walled shaft such as that and having a very bad miscue.
I have multiple Jacoby Ultra shafts, that are similar in design to that shaft, and while I don't break with them, I have a few times broke by mistake with them.
It's really interesting to see the actual amount hollowed out as I have taken my Ultra shafts down to 12.5 from their 12.75. Wasn't too worried about that as Jacoby made me one at 12.5 also when I picked up a cue from them and said it was safe to go down to 12.25 mm.
Edit, I see we were typing the same basic thing at the same time.
 
I'm interested in getting a home lathe to do tips but I'm not a great DIYer and the whole idea may crash and burn after I try doing a few tips so I don't want to spend a lot. I looked on Amazon and am bewildered by the choices. Can someone recommend an Amazon or other website or Home Depot/Lowe's lathe I can use to try to do some tips? Thanks!
 
Logandgriff said:
I'm interested in getting a home lathe to do tips but I'm not a great DIYer and the whole idea may crash and burn after I try doing a few tips so I don't want to spend a lot. I looked on Amazon and am bewildered by the choices. Can someone recommend an Amazon or other website or Home Depot/Lowe's lathe I can use to try to do some tips? Thanks!
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I know some use a metal lathe with some modifications to do shafts. Not sure of the price though. Amazon won’t have much that would be worth while. I would love to have a cheap tip lathe to have as a portable unit but cheap and good don’t go together here.
 
SSDiver2112 said:
Yes those types of LD shafts are hollow. The thin walls plus being thin strips laminated together can’t handle the extremes of breaking. A miscue can add additional side forces too.
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Hollow?? That explains it. I thot laminates were solid, perhaps cored in front, not hollow. Wouldn't want one.
 
Logandgriff said:
I'm interested in getting a home lathe to do tips but I'm not a great DIYer and the whole idea may crash and burn after I try doing a few tips so I don't want to spend a lot. I looked on Amazon and am bewildered by the choices. Can someone recommend an Amazon or other website or Home Depot/Lowe's lathe I can use to try to do some tips? Thanks!
Click to expand...
What can we expect to pay for a low end lathe for tips??
 
muskyed said:
I could see an issue if breaking with a thin walled shaft such as that and having a very bad miscue.
I have multiple Jacoby Ultra shafts, that are similar in design to that shaft, and while I don't break with them, I have a few times broke by mistake with them.
It's really interesting to see the actual amount hollowed out as I have taken my Ultra shafts down to 12.5 from their 12.75. Wasn't too worried about that as Jacoby made me one at 12.5 also when I picked up a cue from them and said it was safe to go down to 12.25 mm.
Edit, I see we were typing the same basic thing at the same time.
Click to expand...
I have several customs with lam shafts. I wonder how many of those are hollow?? Took it for granted all were solid, no air in there. Are hollow lams SOP?? Are they supposed to be for hit, or??
Do they make any solid lams??
 
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