sealing an ash shaft

Dave38

Dave38

theemperorhasnoclotheson
Silver Member
Question for those that have built Ash shafts, How does one seal the shaft so as to not feel the 'bump' or 'drop' between the grain lines? Or is that normal and just do the normal procedures? I built my first ash shaft and it plays well, just not used to feeling the gaps.
Dave
 
M.G.

M.G.

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Ash wood needs "filler" component, so that's what you have to do.
In Snooker they take a black one as to intensidy the grain lines.
But there's neutral looking one.

After the fine grains have been filled fine-sand and seal /... however you see fit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WuOWF4ScV3c
 
tsp&b

tsp&b

Well-known member
Silver Member
I have had good results just using several coats of sanding sealer.
 
Kim Bye

Kim Bye

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Grain filler is what most makers of snooker cues uses. It comes in black, white and probably other colours. I have used the white variant on the ash shafts I've made.
 
deraltefritz

deraltefritz

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Not a cuemaker, but I've done a bit of research on snooker cue making, and here's what I found concerning filling the grain.


Mike Wooldridge uses a slurry of oil (boiled linseed oil I would assume, but he keeps the ingredients secret) and ebony sanding dust, which he rubs into the grain. This process is repeated several times over the course of days or weeks, buffing with steel wool in between applications.
https://handmadecues.com/finer-details/ (scroll down a bit just before "Eyesight" section).

Andy hunter does the same, apparently with raw linseed oil.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQ0Zrz-f_tA

As the oil polymerizes, the dust will fill and stay in the voids of the grain and give that distinct look at the same time.
I don't know if that technique can be applied with non-oil finishes.

But as Kim Bye said, mass production and the majority of better quality hand made snooker cues use colored grain fillers.
 
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CuesDirectly

CuesDirectly

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
deraltefritz said:
Not a cuemaker, but I've done a bit of research on snooker cue making, and here's what I found concerning filling the grain.


Mike Wooldridge uses a slurry of oil (boiled linseed oil I would assume, but he keeps the ingredients secret) and ebony sanding dust, which he rubs into the grain. This process is repeated several times over the course of days or weeks, buffing with steel wool in between applications.
https://handmadecues.com/finer-details/ (scroll down a bit just before "Eyesight" section).

Andy hunter does the same, apparently with raw linseed oil.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQ0Zrz-f_tA

As the oil polymerizes, the dust will fill and stay in the voids of the grain and give that distinct look at the same time.
I don't know if that technique can be applied with non-oil finishes.

But as Kim Bye said, mass production and the majority of better quality hand made snooker cues use colored grain fillers.
Click to expand...
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Great method, I have described it on here before. The most important part is once it's done on the lathe, set it aside and do not touch it for a week, do not wipe it down during the first week or you will destroy the work you did. BLO label will say 3 days but 7 is for sure.
 
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