Shaft maintenance process?

Forget it unless you at least invest in a highspeed drill and a lathe pin to match your shaft. Then some sealer, cleaner, wax and sandpaper is all you need. Less than $100 investement.

I like unique's cleaner and wax. I feel it's a simple process, cleans well, and seals the wood nice and smooth. Don't go crazy on the sanding, easy way to ruin a shaft. You can do a lot without a lathe in regards to shaft and tip maintenance.

There are a number of ways to pull dents, straighten shafts, etc. You may want to experiment on junk shafts from pawn shops or goodwill before messing with your buddy's expensive cue. Much of the info you are looking for can be found via searching this section of the site, as topics like this have been posted in the past.

Cuejo also posted several videos that are excellent instruction in my opinion, and of course Chris Hightower is the number one guy to pick up supplies from. What I've mentioned so far is just from my experience, and I thought it might be helpful to you. I don't consider myself as a professional repairman by any means so take everything on here with a grain of salt.

Easy

Use a Magis Eraser for cleaning the shaft .....Nothing works better.....:thumbup:

I'm going to second the Magic Eraser recommendation. This is the same as the Longoni No Blue product.

The generic versions are available at Wal-Mart for a few bucks. While at Wally World, meander over by the auto stereo section and pick yourself up a mixed pack of 1000, 1500, 2000, 2500 grit wet/dry sand papers, at about $3.
Total should be around $US6.00! Pretty reasonable compared to the Longoni product retails closer to $10-up!.

I like to give everything a wipe down with Isopropyl Alcohol, preferring 70% or above. Stay clear of the bargain store brands they tend to be 50-60%.

I not a cue mechanic in real life, just keep buying used cues and these methods work for me.

Good Luck

kris j.

Can be done by hand. Start with a magic eraser, rub up and down the shaft rotating shaft slowly in your hand on each up and down stroke. So if you go down in the stroke, spin cue slightly, go back up with a stroke, over and over. Until you are satisfied with the results. Start with 800 grit wet sand paper, but do not wet it. After you are satisfied with the results, go to 1500 and spend extra time here. Always sanding with the grain meaning up and down. Move to 2000, same steps, then to 2500 for final sanding til you like the feel. Wipe down with either a tack cloth to remove all the dust you have made, or a paper towel with denatured alcohol. Not wet, just slightly damp.

To seal on a budget, use Pledge furniture polish. Spray pledge on a lint free towel , mist, not soaking the towel, rub into the shaft until all of shaft is covered. Let dry for a few minutes, as it won't take long to dry, then use 2000 again and sand in same manner, then 2500 grit again. You may need to repeat the pledge - 2000 - 2500 sanding paper steps 2-3 times depending on shaft.

Once you have your shaft as smooth as you want it, after the last 2500 sand paper step, find a piece of leather,raw leather, squeeze the shaft tighter with the leather in our hand, and really work the cue shaft up and down also rotating it slowly as you do while you sanded. The shaft will get warm, but will cool very fast. And you will have a nice slick shaft that is sealed, for under 10.00 I hope this helps as I used to do this many years ago when I was low on cash and wanted a nice slick shaft. It works very well.

I have a similar process, but I just used stuff I had laying around. Wiped shaft with slightly damp towel (doesn't remove the chalk blueing, but I don't mind the patina. Hit the shaft with a q wiz. Burnish with dollar bill. Then wax with meguiars quik wax


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I tried the Magic Eraser last night on an old McDermott shaft that I've had for about 30 years and it worked like magic. I was amazed, it took off ALL the blue and it was pretty easy.

Magic eraser?

The mr clean magic eraser?

Im looking to clean up all my shafts to wax them and o see so many recommendations for magic eraser

beneath_the_sur said:

Magic eraser?

The mr clean magic eraser?

Im looking to clean up all my shafts to wax them and o see so many recommendations for magic eraser

Click to expand...

Yes....that one.

Do Not use Isopropyl or more commonly known as rubbing alcohol, even at the 90% mark, it will still contain 10% water, the 70% has 30% water...etc. That much water will cause the grain to raise.
Use a magic eraser, with DENATURED alcohol....there is NO water, so no raising of the grain, and it cleans 100 times better, and dries Very fast. I agree with Chris, use a high speed drill or invest in a simple lathe, as wood likes speed and the best polishing/burnishing comes from the speed. By hand will do for a temp fix while at a tourney, IMO, but any other time, do it with speed. As far as sealers....there are many ways to do it, trial and error are the best way to find what YOU like and what works for the feel you want.
Dave

So i cleaned up the dirty shafts with mr clean magic eraser


I go to wax them and the shafts dont take the wax like my new clean shafts that i didnt rub with magic eraser

Those came out much smoother
Any ideas?

beneath_the_sur said:

So i cleaned up the dirty shafts with mr clean magic eraser


I go to wax them and the shafts dont take the wax like my new clean shafts that i didnt rub with magic eraser

Those came out much smoother
Any ideas?

Click to expand...

What did you use for a liquid to go with the eraser? Tell us exactly what you did, with what ever materials, step by step and it will make it easier to help.

Dave38 said:

What did you use for a liquid to go with the eraser? Tell us exactly what you did, with what ever materials, step by step and it will make it easier to help.

Click to expand...

damped it water

wrung out as much to not put to much water on the shaft
and just gripped the shaft with the eraser in my hand and cleaned it up and down

no one said i needed a specific liquid with the eraser which was my suprise when i opened the box to dry pads

beneath_the_sur said:

damped it water

wrung out as much to not put to much water on the shaft
and just gripped the shaft with the eraser in my hand and cleaned it up and down

no one said i needed a specific liquid with the eraser which was my suprise when i opened the box to dry pads

Click to expand...

The water raised the grain. Not a big deal. Knock it down with some 1000, 1500 grit paper and see if that doesn't smooth it back up. You can do it by hand sanding with the grain in a couple minutes. After sanding & before wax, crumple a brown paper bag into a ball and wrap that ball around the shaft. Stroke it with a lot of grip pressure as fast as your arm can move it. Sounds funny I know but it will burnish the shaft, which should keep the grain fibers down long term.

Thank you very much

You may want to let it sit for a couple of hours to dry out. I've cleaned and sealed shafts only to feel them a hour or so later with some grain raise due to some trapped water.

beneath_the_sur said:

So i cleaned up the dirty shafts with mr clean magic eraser


I go to wax them and the shafts dont take the wax like my new clean shafts that i didnt rub with magic eraser

Those came out much smoother
Any ideas?

Click to expand...

thats something i didnt know and even after several applications of wax, was not really smooth

i put them up and didnt even bother with one i cleaned, so ill give them a go today after a very light sanding as suggested