After the lathe

TomHay

TomHay

Best Tips For Less
Silver Member
I know there are a lot of guys looking to buy lathes to start making cues. I wanted to start a thread on the next steps. I have an order in to Atlas for things like taps for radial, 2 small, 2 regular size, Delrin, natural and double plack phenolic and the list goes on $800.00. On wood I was lucky enough to find some wood cut round, some with initial taper and some seet squares, $2,000.00. As the wood is being cut I will be ordering another $2,000 - $4,000.00 worth to keep production going as it takes steps to make big small.

I had no sticker shock as I have been through this twice before.

Being retired now I looked at Crack or Cue Building to have an expensive addiction. I decided on the more expencive of the two and went for making cues.

May God have mercy on my sole.:rotflmao1:
 
The cool thing with the atlas order is you paid about the same for shipping, as you would've for a few tips.:D Oh wait, that's not cool, is it?:D
 
I'm still waiting on my lathe to be built, but I've been looking for places to buy wood. And it seems that the link below is a really cheap place to get wood the selection isnt all there but they have a little bit and at better prices than I've seen on here, and according to the site its been klien dried. Pather cues is another cheap place to get wood again the selection isnt huge but its a good place to get wood for those out there just getting into it.
http://schmelkecue.com/cue-making-supplies.html

I've been seeing wood on here for sale, and its not badly priced but seems to still be a little on the high side. Atlas is ok they certainly have the things that are hard to find but they also charge for it to. Supply and demand can be a tough thing to deal with.
 
I might buy a cheap four pointer for a Sneaky Pete from Schmelke but my kind fix is below
1aQuilted.jpg
 
The words "Cheap" and "Wood" probably should not be used together. IMHO
 
This is why I usually wince when new people are wanting a lathe so much that they are willing to accept something inferior for a couple hundred cheaper. Or even better, they figure they have enough for a lathe so but not enough for a simple book to learn about the trade....Then, three months later, strapped for cash and selling it on here for 500 less. This is a costly adventure!

And anyone wanting to try this has to consider the total cost (best prescription...buy Chris Hightower's book before making any moves). The book gives you more info on what you need and where to find it than any other source. And if you're handy around your shop, he can give you ways to save the cost of the book, over and over etc.
 
This is a great thread.
It seems that some are too keen to get a lathe, when in reality the materials and the knowing of what you want to do need to be in order first.
When you have materials, and know what you want to create, then comes the knowing of how to create it. Then you will know what equipment to be looking out for.
In the OP's case being 3rd time around is way ahead of the newbies.
Stuff here should help out alot that are getting into making something of their own creation.
Good ventilation and think about personal safety.
Neil
 
I feel the cost of goods to be a very good topic. By mid month I will begin my personal cue for me. I think I will be buying many of the parts to put it together from Chris Hightower. I figure wholesale the parts and pieces will cost me between 2 - 3K. The question in my mind right now is do I want to make a reverse twin as a Jump Break? Its gonna be fun.:smile:
 
TomHay said:
I feel the cost of goods to be a very good topic. By mid month I will begin my personal cue for me. I think I will be buying many of the parts to put it together from Chris Hightower. I figure wholesale the parts and pieces will cost me between 2 - 3K. The question in my mind right now is do I want to make a reverse twin as a Jump Break? Its gonna be fun.:smile:
Click to expand...

WOW 2-3K just for parts and pieces lets see ivory handle joint butt and points that should just about take care of it,maybe a little left for some silver :D
<------- wishes his wife would let him spend that kinda cheese on a cue for me
 
Just wait, you will be experimenting on your finish soon. Your head will spin then pop.
 
Maybe I mis spoke when I said cheap wood. I've been working with wood for a number of years. I see no reason to go and spend $20 for a piece of wood when I can get it for $10 for the same kind of wood. You guys are saying the more you pay for the wood the better it must be, thats not even close to being true. If thats the case I have two blocks of birdseye maple that I will see for $100 a piece. Hey its got to be the best your going to pay alot more for it.

It sometimes sickens me when people say "the more you pay the better it will be." Come on guys how true is that really? Just because you pay $20 for a block of wood and I pay $10 doesnt mean yours is better. The only time to cost should go up is if the Grade is different.

I've been doing cue repairs for a while and I understand the costs involved and they arent as high as you guys make them out to be. The biggest cost to making a cue is the labor that goes into it. The perfection I will need to make sure its right before I say its finished. I would think that you guys would be the same way. But its sounding like the more it costs for you to put into the materials the better it is.
 
TomHay said:
I feel the cost of goods to be a very good topic. By mid month I will begin my personal cue for me. I think I will be buying many of the parts to put it together from Chris Hightower. I figure wholesale the parts and pieces will cost me between 2 - 3K. The question in my mind right now is do I want to make a reverse twin as a Jump Break? Its gonna be fun.:smile:
Click to expand...

Tom, I love to see someone who really gets "Good Old Fashion Fun!" out of creating a cue. Stay excited!!!!:thumbup:
 
sethjames303 said:
Maybe I mis spoke when I said cheap wood. I've been working with wood for a number of years. I see no reason to go and spend $20 for a piece of wood when I can get it for $10 for the same kind of wood. You guys are saying the more you pay for the wood the better it must be, thats not even close to being true. If thats the case I have two blocks of birdseye maple that I will see for $100 a piece. Hey its got to be the best your going to pay alot more for it.

It sometimes sickens me when people say "the more you pay the better it will be." Come on guys how true is that really? Just because you pay $20 for a block of wood and I pay $10 doesnt mean yours is better. The only time to cost should go up is if the Grade is different.

I've been doing cue repairs for a while and I understand the costs involved and they arent as high as you guys make them out to be. The biggest cost to making a cue is the labor that goes into it. The perfection I will need to make sure its right before I say its finished. I would think that you guys would be the same way. But its sounding like the more it costs for you to put into the materials the better it is.
Click to expand...

I can't speak for anybody but myself, but I believe the price difference of cue woods is determined by grade, rarity/availability, and age. Old wood that is well dry, been through many seasons & is still solid & sound, is worth more than a chunk right off the mill & waxed, or even fresh out of the kiln. I can't count all the kiln dried wood I have that cracked, warped, twisted, etc. after sitting in my shop for a while. The pieces that are still sound & solid after a few years are worth more to me because I feel I can trust them. If I were to sell them for whatever reason, they wouldn't be as cheap as I paid.

I haven't sold wood before, that wasn't sought out particularly for a particular cue somebody wanted to build. But I have considered selling some that i'll never use. At this point, after so many years, I have a lot of wood that will never get used. It's good wood, and after all this time is certainly dependable. The trash got tossed years ago. But the figure isn't as great as I will use, or I simply don't like working with the wood due to allergies or any other reason. There's quite a bit. Most of it I have given away or traded, but still a bit taking up room in the shop. If I were to sell it to make more room for new wood, why shouldn't I get more for it than I paid? I stored it & monitored it, throwing away the junk as time went by. To me, the stuff left over is worth more than a similar piece offered up by a dealer who just got it off the truck. Some of that dealer's wood will go to the trash once it sits in somebody's shop for a while, and it's priced accordingly. But what if the dealer could tell you that it is several years old & survived years of culling? Then what would it be worth?
 
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