Homemade lathe review and just a few questions

DirtyIrish

Not even close to the OGs
Silver Member
Whoa,be careful

Hi,won't take much time up but I have to say DONT TAKE ANY HIGH DOLLAR CUES TO DO ANYTHING TO!
That setup will get you nothing but trouble,call Chris (cue an here on AZB) or the boys at "CueCompanion" I am sure the can help you out with any decent set-up!
Man-o-man I can jus see a custom OB shaft that you are going to re tip .........
The look on Royce's face when you ask can anything be done with this?
Personally have both a cue companion and a mid-sized Hightower and when I see some of the hack jobs done here in dallas it makes me sick (not real sick tho......I get a Lot of "can you fix this?"
Just saying
Irish
 

CrossBone Cue

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I got the Highttower mid size one, spend the extra money and get the large bore head. Hightower is awesome.
 

Billiardbills

Billiard Bill
Silver Member
I have seen quite a few other reviews on homemade lathes that do work well and this is a culmination of those and what I've engineered for a VERY inexpensive and mobile solution for tip work, small refinish jobs (not wraps) and cue cleanup.

Obviously a true lathe would be the way to go as stated twice in my post. I'm simply just looking for suggestions regarding what I have to work with.

I cut tips with a razor blade and they come out very well. As close to professional as they get. My questions were regarding the below topics.

The current motor is up to 3000rpm but doesn't have enough torque.

Collets are getting too hot.

Best method of removing and applying finish as well as polishing the finish.

Again, any help on these topics is greatly appreciated.
 
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TomHay

Best Tips For Less
Gold Member
Silver Member
Okay, hope you want honest. Please re read your post.

Your combo motor head stock has speed but not enough torque. You can't get what something won't give so you need to scrape it and go to larger one.

Your collet system which you got a better set of rollers is overheating. Based on that when you get a better chuck motor set up they will over heat more so you will need to scrap it.

I am in the exact same spot as you. I own in PGA Villas in Port Saint Lucie Florida and gave my lathe away until I move on to one of my other places (could be never).

I have the ability and want but until things change I have some local friends that make cues for a living do my stuff.

Don't mean it harsh, just telling you how it is.
 

whammo57

Kim Walker
Silver Member
You asked for advice and you got it......... from experienced people.... some of them have even tried similar devices as you are making.........

It comes down to it.... you can't get there from here...........


Please take another route..........

Kim
 

seanjonsean

Otanisan Cues
Silver Member
i had a modified lathe from HB that used nylon skate wheels as ures and it worked for tips n ferules but it wasnt perfect and i did mar up shafts , but this opened the door for me and made me think if i was ready to buy and or spend several thousands in this business some people buy a lathe and find out later that this is not for them ,me i love it best investment ive made and i asked and listened to several members here , so i saved up my pennies and last year i ordered me a Deluxe from Hightower:grin:
 

Billiardbills

Billiard Bill
Silver Member
I'm not sure if you're asking me the above question or someone else. I was referring to another rigged up system that cut tips well that was on here. It's where I originally come up with my first option.

It doesn't really matter much. I'm definitely considering my options for a "real lathe" but am still struggling with where do I put it. My wife isn't thrilled about any of it with a 1 year old starting get out and about on her feet.

I appreciate the opinions (positive and negative) and will consider them with my plans.


Play Well!

Billiard Bill's
Buying-Selling-Trading
Text/call Bill 239.823.0408 (8am-7pm EST please)
billiardbills@gmail.com
Southwest Florida
 

CrossBone Cue

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Put it in the living room so you can watch tv, wife got mad because I was always in "my room" now Im close to her..lol.
 

billl67

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Lathe

If you are serious about this.save yourself the time and heartache,I went through this for about a good year trying to build cues off of lathes I made . You get what you pay for call Chris Hightower, Jim @ unique products or Todd of ts&b any other way I feel you are truly wasting a lot of good time, just my thoughts .
Good luck,
Billl67
 

Blue Hog ridr

World Famous Fisherman.
Silver Member
That lathe makes me seriously ascared.

Actually, my first thought was, the other things that I could have done with that nice piece of lumber that you started out with.

If you are referring to people modifying or making something similar to the Cowboy Lathes, yeah, thats possible to do that and have something acceptable to do work on your own cues.

When you say the word Mobile, please say that Mobile doesn't mean taking it to a hall for a tournament.

Keep your eyes peeled for good deals in the Machinery Forum.

Quite often you will find a length of used lathe bed, a headstock, carriage, etc.
Motors from Penn State also.

Lots of guys have made their own taper bar set up.

Be patient and buy one piece at a time. There is a wealth of info here and I am sure that once you have all the pieces, many will be more than willing to answer questions.

Keep in mind tho, sometimes unless you know what you are doing, building a lathe isn't a ton cheaper than just out right buying a pre built.

If it is the experience of making your own lathe that you are after, then buy the necessary spare parts that others are selling instead of Jury Rigging things that were never meant to be part of a Lathe anyway.

I once bought a used lathe, (still consider it to have been a great deal Bud), some Hightower parts etc. Todd helped me out with a few extras. I bought aluminum to make a taper bar set up. Not even close to having it finished yet.

I would bet 100% that when I am done, its going to be a super lathe but it won't come in much less than a Mid American or Hightower.

I already have a lathe so this is just for the experience of piecing one together. Cost was secondary to my eventual goal.
 

Celophanewrap

Call me Grace
Silver Member
I spent several hundred dollars trying to come up with a lathe, building several contraptions along the way and coming up with a really nice little Jett lathe. Great tool, but it is NOT for pool cues. Finally contact Todd, one of the smarter things I ended up doing. I've upgraded, new motor (a couple of times), big bore headstock, bits, quick change tool post (that I almost never use), different little attachments, I'm very fortunate to have A2Z tools in my back yard here in Denver, etc....
If I would have contacted Todd to start with I'd have been much happier much sooner and there'd be far less "stuff" clogging up my garage.
One thing about the motor, I upgraded to one of the Penn State industries reversible
(1 HP? I think) motors. I built a reverse switch for it and it's been great. I did try out a smaller sewing machine size motor (Dayton 1/10 HP) that I got from Grainger and it was a great addition except that the RPM's were ridiculous, like 7200. That is a reasonably cheap alternative to a sewing machine motor. Go to Harbor Freight and get a speed control and it seemed to work out OK.
I think in the end a bigger initial investment will end up being much better for you, and if you go with Todd (midamerica) the price is likely to even comparable to what it would cost you to build.
 

Blue Hog ridr

World Famous Fisherman.
Silver Member
Good advice Celo. I think that most of us know the value in quality tools etc.

If a person wants to turn out quality items and work, you have to start off on the right foot.

Nothing wrong with the way you started out. Sounds like you just found out what you needed and continued to up grade until you got what you wanted.

I'm sure that you can eventually make good use for some of your spare parts as well,
like small lathe for simple jobs as sanding and refinishing.

Like, I got one of Lee's proto type lathes he built before he settled on one design.
It was dirt cheap and with a couple of parts and tweaks, it could become a decent repair lathe for some jobs.

But why do that when it is a great sanding and finishing lathe as it sits.

Jeez, you should have seen the crate he built to send it in. Almost needed dynamite
to break into it.

And not to put down the guys who built the Cow Boy style lathes for personal use. Seen many pics on here. They can be used for tips, and shaft maintenance, which in itself, is way better than doing it by hand by ten country miles.

Todd helped me out in more ways than just selling me parts for my on going project. I just may turn that one into his CnC lathe before I'm done.
 
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