learning curve
jhendri2 said:
When Johnny Archer was young I watched him beat the crap out of seasond pro's. The same goes today with Kid Delicous. By your theory, Nick Varner and Earl Strickland should dominate the tour.
Hercek, Stroud, Black, etc. were all young at one time. Speculation of the next great is fun, we do it in sports also. Who's the next Michael Jordan or Babe Ruth or Joe Montana...
Yes, cuebuilders may learn different tricks of the trade along the way, but I am going to guess the learning curve is much shorter than it was 20 years ago. The advent of the internet allows new cue mkaers to contact guys like Blud or who ever to get their questions answered. They're not sitting in the dark trying to figure out what to do.
Jim
Jim, yes today the curve is shorter. Trying to learn cuemaking years ago, was just like the old pool players, they wouldn't offer any advice just as the older cuemakers wouldn't either.
However, after all these years of building, I still learn new things and methods, all the time.
Teaching by a "qualified instructor", allows a new guy to excell in a few short years and in some cases excell in a few short month's.
I have taught many. Sold them machinery.
In my case, I'm self taught. I didn't like the machinery that I was having built, [tolorances were not close] in a machine shop. So Janice and I went out and purchased a complete machine shop. We have been building our own machines that do have very close tolorances, for the last 25 years or so.
So, you can come learn from me, and also purchase machinery from us, [ CNC or mechanical], either cash or we offer lease financing.
Lots of good cuemakers coming up. With the equipment avaiable in today market, it's fairly easy to build real good cues.
Example of machinery getting better.
Years ago, most of us, the old school, all had a dowel sander used for sanding the cues and shafts down to size. I still use mine, but only for making the joints fit. After the product comes off one of my saw/lathe's, it requires very little sanding. Years back we all had much sanding to do, after turn cutting shafts and butts. The newer type saws that I use, produces a very smooth and clean finish. Not much sanding to do, at all.
CNC as opposed to pan-a-mill
Same kind of results, shorter time on the machine with CNC, no back acke or sitting in a chair for 8 to 10 hours to cut pockets and parts. While the CNC is running, you can be doing other task in your shop. This alone has allowed cuemakers to get cues out faster than in years past.
rock away
blud
