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    Options for inlay work?

    I had a Hightower pantograph. Well built and accurate. I made several cues with it. Got busy at work and cue work went on hold, so I sold it. Wish I hadn't. I have a CNC, but haven't used it for cue work yet. I bought it for small projects and have used the crap out of it for engraving...
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    What's your worst screw up?

    If you don't leave enough room for epoxy to escape, hydraulic pressure will crack ebony. This is about 9 years old.
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    What's your worst screw up?

    Hard to rate my biggest error, but maybe rubbing my knuckle against a rotating chuck. Made a mess and badly stained a forearm. As to wood, I keep many of errors hanging behind my lathe. It reminds me not to make the same error again, but I always seem to find new ways. This is about 10...
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    Cue Smith Inlay Machine

    I live in Raleigh. I know Chris ships these things, but I'd prefer not to. Though another cue is tempting, I'd rather not do any trades. Besides, my main playing cue is one of the ones I made with this machine.
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    Cue Smith Inlay Machine

    Didn't get much interest. Maybe it's price? How about $1,000
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    Cue Smith Inlay Machine

    SOLD $1,400. I can't imagine trying to ship this thing, so would prefer local delivery or we can work out where to meet. I'm in central North Carolina. I bought it, made three cues with it and then lost interest in cue building. Stored it for about 7 years with the hopes the cue...
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    Fiber vs plastics vs phenolics- Clarification

    Doc, Chris Hightower's "From Tree, To Tip, To Trade Show!" has some good text about materials found in cues. It also does a good job of explaining the construction of cues. If you can find a copy of it, it's a good read and reference book. Alan
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    DYI repair

    It could have been worse. There's incompetence and then there's real bone head. How about a picture of the "after". It looks like the earlier "fix" made uglified the butt. I'm curious how you made out.
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    Help with tip centering tool

    Joey, Made some this weekend. Sure is a lot easier to use than a concave live center. Thanks!
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    Help with tip centering tool

    Joey, Are the interiors straight walled or is there a slight taper?
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    Are making joint protectors a pain in the a..

    Jim, You have one J/P on your gallery that I don't understand. It's a long cocobolo one with a penny in it. Why is it so long? Alan P.S. Not intending to highjack the thread, and it is related to J/P.
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    A-joint questions

    Thanks for all the replies. I think I get it now. Didn't even consider the concentric issue. The buzz (and glue adhesion) I thought about, but didn't really understand it - - now I have a better understanding. The risk of ugly wood hiding below an oversize blank is an issue with one-piece...
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    A-joint questions

    So, when my forearm is cut to about 0.950 I join it to my handle section by fitting a tenon and using a screw. From what I gather, most cue makers wait to join their forearm to handle nearer to the finished diameters. I need to ask why. What if the A-joint is done much earlier? If you still...
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    Cocobolo ferrules?

    For some reason I hear Johnny Cash's voice singing "The Ring of Fire". I developed an allergy to cocobolo a few years ago. Wasn't affected by it for 15+ years, then all of the sudden, I broke out and was itchy in every place that sweats from any of its dust - - arm pits, finger webs, between...
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    Cues #3 and #4 Complete please take a look

    Ray, I like the tulipwood - - very clean. What equipment are you using to make these?
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    Leather Wrap Seam

    It looks like everyone has their own way of doing this. I started this thread thinking there was a "best" way. I suppose their is, but it's best for each person. I didn't try the Titebond, but I did try the rest of the ideas here. Using Elmer's alone, I had a hard time keeping the wrap from...
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    Leather Wrap Seam

    With what do you thin the contact cement? Is there a ratio or is it just to make it less "gooey"? I have a whole quart of this stuff and a few more wraps, so I want to give it another (or more) try before experiementing with a different adhesive.
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    Leather Wrap Seam

    Michael, I don't get how the leather stays in place until the glue dries. Do you bind it some way? Thanks, Alan
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    Leather Wrap Seam

    Dave and Steve, That may be the biggest culprit. I'm not sure how to describe what I'm doing, but it's a little like squeezing a pimple. I may be pushing one side under the other and needlessly stretching the leather. I've only done two, and I have to admit the first one was botched by not...
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    Leather Wrap Seam

    I didn't check that. I'm using a fairly crappy cue for my tests, so that might be an issue. I'll measure carefully before the next one. Thanks.
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