How long to make a new shaft?

S

scassidy77

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I have a highly respected cue maker that I asked to make me a new shaft for my playing cue. He initialy said it would take about 5-6 weeks to complete. It's been a little over 4 weeks now since then. Happened to talk to him today and he said it would be about another 6 weeks before it is finished.
Does that seem like an unusual amount of time to make a shaft? I don't know much about the cue building process, but I am surprised that it takes that long to make a new shaft. Thanks
 
GBCues

GBCues

Damn, still .002 TIR!
Gold Member
Silver Member
You want your shaft to stay straight, right?
It's too bad he's running that much over his original timeline, but it's not out of reason.
Relax
 
B

Busbee Cue

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
It would depend on how much shaft wood your cue maker has in is pipeline and at what sizes they are resting at.
 
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JoeyInCali

JoeyInCali

Maker of Joey Bautista Cues
Silver Member
If it's going to have clear coat finish, the maker will spray it along with his batch of cues.
The weather and his schedule factor in.
 
cueman

cueman

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
Silver Member
I find cuemakers, myself included at times to be overly optimistic about how soon things will be done. Especially something small like a shaft. This reminds me I need to finish up a shaft for a customer I have been procrastinating on. A lot of cuemakers enjoy building butt, but wish they did not have to build shafts as that is the repeat boring work.
 
desi2960

desi2960

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
If you know nothing about building

This might interest you.
Most builders that turn their shafts from the start. Usually start with a 1 inch square 30 inches long.
Different builders slow torn the wood over a long period of time. An example is remove just a small amount of wood then hang the shaft for a few weeks, then remove a small amount then thang for a few weeks. Cutting slow like this helps the shaft stay straight after its finished.
Many builders will take as long as a year to finish one, some builders much longer.
I have some shafts that have been hanging over 5 years.
 
Dave38

Dave38

theemperorhasnoclotheson
Silver Member
desi2960 said:
This might interest you.
Most builders that turn their shafts from the start. Usually start with a 1 inch square 30 inches long.
Different builders slow torn the wood over a long period of time. An example is remove just a small amount of wood then hang the shaft for a few weeks, then remove a small amount then thang for a few weeks. Cutting slow like this helps the shaft stay straight after its finished.
Many builders will take as long as a year to finish one, some builders much longer.
I have some shafts that have been hanging over 5 years.
Click to expand...

I was just going to type the same thing. I have toyed with the idea of buying finished sized shafts from respected suppliers to only be used for the customers that have a need to replace their warped or broken production cues, so that the shafts I make stay with my cues. This will facilitate a faster turn around for the repair customer and not drain my shaft stock for my cues.
Dave
 
S

scassidy77

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
desi2960 said:
This might interest you.
Most builders that turn their shafts from the start. Usually start with a 1 inch square 30 inches long.
Different builders slow torn the wood over a long period of time. An example is remove just a small amount of wood then hang the shaft for a few weeks, then remove a small amount then thang for a few weeks. Cutting slow like this helps the shaft stay straight after its finished.
Many builders will take as long as a year to finish one, some builders much longer.
I have some shafts that have been hanging over 5 years.
Click to expand...

Yep, this is what I did not know. And yes I do want it to stay straight, so if it takes a while so be it. I was not aware of a shaving and drying process on a shaft. Like I said, I don't know much about the cue building process. In my head I thought that that they had a bunch of blanks laying around that we're already dried. And all they had to do was turn them down, put a tip on them, and thread them for a pin, etc.
Obviously I was wrong in my assumption. Thanks for the input everyone.
 
BarenbruggeCues

BarenbruggeCues

Unregistered User
Silver Member
I learned a long time ago that if you want to do repairs and/or replace things like shafts, you had better have an aged supply hanging in the rafters.
By aged, I mean shafts that are cut to .550-.540 on the business end that are at least having "some" years on them.
4-6 weeks finish time is not out of the question and is then solely based on the work load in the shop.
 
JoeyInCali

JoeyInCali

Maker of Joey Bautista Cues
Silver Member
BarenbruggeCues said:
I learned a long time ago that if you want to do repairs and/or replace things like shafts, you had better have an aged supply hanging in the rafters.
By aged, I mean shafts that are cut to .550-.540 on the business end that are at least having "some" years on them.
4-6 weeks finish time is not out of the question and is then solely based on the work load in the shop.
Click to expand...

Better yet, a rack of .525's.
 
JC

JC

Coos Cues
I have only been at this a relatively short time (5 years) but so far my observation has been that shafts that are going to stay straight never seem to be warped at any time during the cutting down process. If a shaft is warped after the first cut and then again after the next one it's probably time to put it in bin "B" even if it's still .700" or larger. The ones that are straight every time can be cut down to size relatively quickly from whatever size they are currently at with high confidence if you've already cut them more than once.

That's what I've noticed anyway. I have tried cutting these straight shafts extremely fast for my own players as experimentation and they don't seem to warp. I mean from .650 to playing with them in a few days. The good wood seems to stay straight and the warpers can't be trusted ever. Fortunately most good maple is in the first category but some that looks excellent just won't stay straight. Maybe cutting them super slow can save some marginal ones but I wouldn't count on it.

JC
 
BarenbruggeCues

BarenbruggeCues

Unregistered User
Silver Member
JC said:
I have only been at this a relatively short time (5 years) but so far my observation has been that shafts that are going to stay straight never seem to be warped at any time during the cutting down process. If a shaft is warped after the first cut and then again after the next one it's probably time to put it in bin "B" even if it's still .700" or larger. The ones that are straight every time can be cut down to size relatively quickly from whatever size they are currently at with high confidence if you've already cut them more than once.

That's what I've noticed anyway. I have tried cutting these straight shafts extremely fast for my own players as experimentation and they don't seem to warp. I mean from .650 to playing with them in a few days. The good wood seems to stay straight and the warpers can't be trusted ever. Fortunately most good maple is in the first category but some that looks excellent just won't stay straight. Maybe cutting them super slow can save some marginal ones but I wouldn't count on it.

JC
Click to expand...

You mean you don't cut the warped ones to final size and hurry to get it finished before sending it out so you can say "it was straight when it left my shop....must have been something you did!" :eek:
 
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JoeyInCali

JoeyInCali

Maker of Joey Bautista Cues
Silver Member
JC said:
I have only been at this a relatively short time (5 years) but so far my observation has been that shafts that are going to stay straight never seem to be warped at any time during the cutting down process. If a shaft is warped after the first cut and then again after the next one it's probably time to put it in bin "B" even if it's still .700" or larger. The ones that are straight every time can be cut down to size relatively quickly from whatever size they are currently at with high confidence if you've already cut them more than once.

That's what I've noticed anyway. I have tried cutting these straight shafts extremely fast for my own players as experimentation and they don't seem to warp. I mean from .650 to playing with them in a few days. The good wood seems to stay straight and the warpers can't be trusted ever. Fortunately most good maple is in the first category but some that looks excellent just won't stay straight. Maybe cutting them super slow can save some marginal ones but I wouldn't count on it.

JC
Click to expand...
Try letting them experience 100* at 10%.
They will move.

Season and cut a bunch down to .525 ends.
Check them a few weeks after summer and winter .
The good ones will go back straight if they moved at all during summer and winter . Assuming your storage for them is semi-controlled.
If you control the temp to 75* and humidity to around 45-50%, they probably wouldn't move.


On that note, never buy tapered shafts if you can help it.
The center holes on those were decided for you.
You should decide where the centers of your dowels should be.
It's hard work taking squares to rounds then parting the ends and centering the tapered pieces right. I don't bother coning these days . They are a waste of time to me. What matters more is right centering . A correctly centerd .650" tapered pieces are more stable than badly centered .750" cones in my experience. If I need to get rid of the bad guys ( grains that have no function but to fight the other good guys ), I whack them.

Needless to say, use thin kerf wingers that are sharp.
Never use thick straight cutters. Too much stress on the wood.
 
cueman

cueman

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
Silver Member
scassidy77 said:
Yep, this is what I did not know. And yes I do want it to stay straight, so if it takes a while so be it. I was not aware of a shaving and drying process on a shaft. Like I said, I don't know much about the cue building process. In my head I thought that that they had a bunch of blanks laying around that we're already dried. And all they had to do was turn them down, put a tip on them, and thread them for a pin, etc.
Obviously I was wrong in my assumption. Thanks for the input everyone.
Click to expand...

No. More than likely you were right in that we have shafts very close to finish size that can be finished within a few weeks. Unless it needs special ring work it is just a matter of spending the time to finish them.
 
Johnny Rosato

Johnny Rosato

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
scassidy77 said:
I have a highly respected cue maker that I asked to make me a new shaft for my playing cue. He initialy said it would take about 5-6 weeks to complete. It's been a little over 4 weeks now since then. Happened to talk to him today and he said it would be about another 6 weeks before it is finished.
Does that seem like an unusual amount of time to make a shaft? I don't know much about the cue building process, but I am surprised that it takes that long to make a new shaft. Thanks
Click to expand...
He initially said 5-6 weeks. After 4 weeks he said 6 more weeks,
You must have paid him up front!
 
R

Ron Padilla

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
ok so lets see if this will produce a answer! Who right now produces the best aged shaft wood that a maker can buy from and complete the product with out having to do much culling from the stack? it is being hinted at newbies regardless of age are in line to fill the voids made by others due to just quitting, retiring, or selling out? I have seen the posts of some who have stated that they wouldn't buy from so and so and so on!
 
S

scassidy77

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Johnny Rosato said:
He initially said 5-6 weeks. After 4 weeks he said 6 more weeks,
You must have paid him up front!
Click to expand...

No, I did not pay him up front actually. I do know that he is very busy though. And I do know that he does amazing quality work and takes a lot of pride in what he puts out.
So I assume it's a combination of being very busy and wanting to give me the best quality product he can deliver.
I'll admit I was surprised when I was initially told 5-6 weeks. And then disappointed to find out that it will take longer than initially said. Mainly because I have a couple pool tournaments coming up next month. So More than anything I was just hoping to receive it in time to practice with it, and feel comfortable using it for the tournaments. That won't happen now, but it is what it is
After receiving feedback on here I can understand the process better now though. And I do, and always have had upmost confidence that I will receive a great finished product when done. I am very fortunate to have such a good cue maker to work with. I just hope one day I can afford to have him make me the whole cue 😂
.
 
JC

JC

Coos Cues
scassidy77 said:
I am very fortunate to have such a good cue maker to work with. I just hope one day I can afford to have him make me the whole cue 😂
.
Click to expand...

That's what all they all want you to think while you wait and wait and wait after they tell you a date. There are a whole lot of equally talented folks out there from whom you would already be playing with your shaft had they told you 4-6 weeks.

It goes on and on because it's tolerated and excused and normalized.

Good luck to you.

JC
 
JoeyInCali

JoeyInCali

Maker of Joey Bautista Cues
Silver Member
Ron Padilla said:
ok so lets see if this will produce a answer! Who right now produces the best aged shaft wood that a maker can buy from and complete the product with out having to do much culling from the stack? it is being hinted at newbies regardless of age are in line to fill the voids made by others due to just quitting, retiring, or selling out? I have seen the posts of some who have stated that they wouldn't buy from so and so and so on!
Click to expand...
If you pay the right price, probably quite a few.
 
R

Ron Padilla

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
so even though others have made comments in the past as to specificity with one person or company over another for wood now no one wants to give an answer as to the say the top 3 to 4 to buy wood from? I fully understand that business is built on relationships, when I was still employed and spending a hundred grand a month on parts it brought a lot of favors with it. Now most cue makers are going to spend that much but still one hand helps the other, so if no one wants to so in public send me a pm! I would like to make sure my dollars are going in the right direction even if it is based on opinion!
Thanks
 
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