Advice on installing a tip

Pidge

Pidge

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I've never had to put a tip on my playing cues without a lathe but there's only one guy in a 20 mile radius that uses a lathe... And he always does a shoddy job.

If anyone can offer advice on installing a tip without a lathe I'd really appreciate it. Ferrule is 11.25mm and I have tips in 12 and 13mm. Tips are Kamui SS.

Normally on my snooker cue I'd glue the tip as centrally as possible then rest the tip on a table whilst adding a little downward pressure and slice down with a sharp blade whilst rotating the shaft to trim the over hang. The tips I use on my snooker cue are not layered so would this method damage a layered tip?

Regards
 
Should be ok if you take your time. Of all the Doo Dads and Gee Gaws that I bought over the years, that is the way I ended up doing it. I also used a Porper Mushroom grazer to clean up after. And sand paper of course.

Just make sure that whatever blade you choose to use, that its sharp as a razor.

Choose a good CA glue such as Loc Tite Gel and prep the tip properly.

One thing that I always do is use a thin CA on the glue side of the tip. Many tips will soak up a considerable amount of glue so that is one way of keeping tips from popping off later.
 
bought one of these kits from Seyberts a while back. Wasn't wowed by the glue and accelerant, more of a "loc-tite gel" fan but hey to each there own.

http://www.seyberts.com/products/Deluxe_Tip_Replacement_Kit-984-277.html

NOTE: I used to work in a pool hall and fixed many many many a house cue getting the putting a tip on without a lathe skill down pat before doing my own cues and family and friends cues. Not saying it can't be done or overly hard it just takes a bit of touch so be careful
 
After you cut off the old tip, you have to create a flat surface for the new tip.
If you don't the new one will pop off when you play, because, basically, it is perched on a dome of old glue.

I use a 10" mill bastard file retired from sharpening skis.
There are less aggressive methods :grin:

Rough up the bottom of the new tip.

Tape around the ferrule to protect it from glue.

I use Super Glue Gel.
 
replacing tip

I purchased the Williard tip machine a little pricey but in the long run you save....had it over 15yrs.....
 
Honestly, I would increase your search radius. If I had to drive 45 minutes to find a good repair person I would. Nothing really beats a person with knowledge with a good lathe and accessories.

You might get a tip glued on properly and might even trim it down without hacking your ferrule ... or you might not. I would think that risk would be worth driving an extra 15-20 minutes to find a better repair man. Also, check for any tournaments near your area, a lot of times great repair men set up during tourneys, you could drive a few more miles and get your tip replaced while waiting.
 
Taking old tip off: easy

Cleaning up and facing ferrule: easy

Gluing on new tip well: easy

Finishing new tip flush with ferrule: time consuming, but easy if you are patient

I have never used power tools to do it but have done numerous tips by hand. It can be done to a level of perfection equal to that of lathe work...if you really take your time. Your hands will ache. Tools? A mixture of razor blades, files, and emery papers.

I burnish using a strip of denim then leather using a burnishing compound I developed myself. It is a mixture of bees wax, paraffin wax, and a couple other things. I just hold the shaft between my knees and use the denim then the leather back and forth over the edge of the tip. Very tedious.

Is it worth it? I dunno. It's very satisfying when you are done...but it is a heck of a lot faster and easier with a lathe.

Remember, one slip and you will gouge the ferrule. There is little room for error if your really want it perfect.




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Might wanna check out some you tube vids, but choose carefully. Some of those could be retitled "How to jack up your cue in three easy steps"
Before I was able to get a lathe I used a Porper Big Shaver. With some care and a little practice I was retipping everything in sight. And if you should toy with the idea of getting a lathe, stay away from the american cowboy (? - I think) POS on ebay. The shaftmaster is functional with some practice, but for an outstanding product at a reasonable price check out midamericapool.com
 
Thanks for all the helpful advice guys, really appreciate it. Because the American style of billiards isn't popular in my area, there are very few people that have the experience of putting on a 12mm tip onto a plastic ferrule. I've always sent my shafts for re-tipping to a guy in London but I've got a big game coming up in a week and can't take the risk of it not being back in time.

Besides...its a skill I need to learn! I've got a few spare shafts and tips laying around ill be sure to practice first!
 
Pidge said:
Thanks for all the helpful advice guys, really appreciate it. Because the American style of billiards isn't popular in my area, there are very few people that have the experience of putting on a 12mm tip onto a plastic ferrule. I've always sent my shafts for re-tipping to a guy in London but I've got a big game coming up in a week and can't take the risk of it not being back in time.

Besides...its a skill I need to learn! I've got a few spare shafts and tips laying around ill be sure to practice first!
Click to expand...

These are excellent for trimming a tip, but practice first on an old shaft and put some tape on the ferrule.

http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=162081&highlight=trimmer
 
Pidge said:
Thanks for all the helpful advice guys, really appreciate it. Because the American style of billiards isn't popular in my area, there are very few people that have the experience of putting on a 12mm tip onto a plastic ferrule. I've always sent my shafts for re-tipping to a guy in London but I've got a big game coming up in a week and can't take the risk of it not being back in time.

Besides...its a skill I need to learn! I've got a few spare shafts and tips laying around ill be sure to practice first!
Click to expand...

I did em by hand then lathe for 20 yrs then back to hand trimmed, def. prefer the lathe, but I'll use a fresh razor ea tip. Williards wheel to face ferrule, then flat file the backing material slightly to score, then sand tip, apply liberal amt of super glue gel to tip, rotate tip and transfer its glue to the backing and itself completely, then put together and spin, then center and gravity drop the shaft tip end too hydraulically push glue outward into a mushroom shape, this removes all air pockets and your done, except for a dbl ck on tip centering. I always try to use a size tip one bigger than the shaft size.
 
TheThaiger said:
I still find that very difficult.
Click to expand...

I would say it's relative. In this case relative to the difficulty of getting the tip finished flush...

All of this can be difficult without a lathe of course. It takes a lot of patience and sore fingers...
 
Well . . . there is that old saying . . .

Chopdoc said:
Is it worth it? I dunno. It's very satisfying when you are done...but it is a heck of a lot faster and easier with a lathe.

Remember, one slip and you will gouge the ferrule. There is little room for error if your really want it perfect.
Click to expand...

I'd just mail it off to a damn good cue repair guy . . . put a damn good tip on it and you're GOOD for a damn long time . . . right tool + right guy = done right. You will be damn glad you did . . . anything less then a lathe is wasted.
 

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There are very few cue repair guys in my area that use a lathe...and none that I'd say were damn good!
There are hundreds of repair guys that deal with snooker and english pool cues, but they're 8-10mm tips with a brass ferrule. A friend of mine owns a joinery business I'm sure he has a lathe of some kind, hopefully I can use that to re tip...just hope I don't lose a finger!
 
Agreed!

Blue Hog ridr said:
Should be ok if you take your time. Of all the Doo Dads and Gee Gaws that I bought over the years, that is the way I ended up doing it. I also used a Porper Mushroom grazer to clean up after. And sand paper of course.

Just make sure that whatever blade you choose to use, that its sharp as a razor.

Choose a good CA glue such as Loc Tite Gel and prep the tip properly.

One thing that I always do is use a thin CA on the glue side of the tip. Many tips will soak up a considerable amount of glue so that is one way of keeping tips from popping off later.
Click to expand...


Listen to this guy! he had some great advice when I needed it also!

and the tools he's talking about works! :grin:

Here was my thread if any info in this helps!
http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=269569

Some more good info in here:
http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=226097
 
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