any cuemakers want a challenge??

J

JOEY

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
ok, i previously posted about a shaft that i messed up by using a rag to cool the heat buildup. i used a wet tissue and it helped some, but not enough. its about an 1.5 inch long ring that is probably a .5-1mm deeper than the shaft. any of you god-like cuemakers that can bail me out ( cause its not my shaft) plz reply to this thread, and ill send it off to you. just let me know what the damage is going to be $$. ill need the cue back a.s.a.p., because it was a cue i was cleaning for a friend, and he needs the cue back.
thank you in advance, joey
 
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Sounds like someone will just need to build a new shaft.... What do the joint collars look like? plain? or does it have billet work?
 
Sheldon said:
Sounds like someone will just need to build a new shaft.... What do the joint collars look like? plain? or does it have billet work?
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black rings with cocobolo dashes in the ring. you dont think it can be fixed? just my luck, try and help someone, and im the one gettin the shaft. what can i do, its my fault.
 
JOEY said:
ok, i previously posted about a shaft that i messed up by using a rag to cool the heat buildup. i used a wet tissue and it helped some, but not enough. its about an 1.5 inch long ring that is probably a .5-1mm deeper than the shaft. any of you god-like cuemakers that can bail me out ( cause its not my shaft) plz reply to this thread, and ill send it off to you. just let me know what the damage is going to be $$. ill need the cue back a.s.a.p., because it was a cue i was cleaning for a friend, and he needs the cue back.
thank you in advance, joey
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you might try dropping some water (a little goes a long way) onto a band-aid pad and wrapping that around the cue overnight.

I'm assuming it goes all the way around, so you may need two bandaids to go all the way around.

Something to try at least.
 
Your not really getting the shaft, Your being responsible for what happened while you were working on it.
 
Michael Webb said:
Your not really getting the shaft, Your being responsible for what happened while you were working on it.
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The first hurdle to get over in what seems like the Boston Marathon... :mad:
 
The closer they are to the ferrule the tighter the grain and harder to pull, without a retaper. The real bad one I mentioned was farther up in the open grained area of the shaft, and not all the way around, just 1/4 of the shaft, I've pulled several rings that went all the way around in that area simular to the one you mention, but not a good location where yours is at. If you have to replace the shaft, ask the guy if you can keep the old shaft, and you can use it to practice retapering By hand, Mistakes are how I learned to pull dents and retaper at first :D . a wood lathe and a set of calibers. I do them alittle different now, but that's how I learned. I was lucky enough that It was My own shafts though, and I learned that way before trying it on a customer cue when asked to do It. I do feel your pain, had a few hard lessons Myself, unfortunatly it really does go with the territory, and is all part of the learning curve. If It can happen, there's a good chance It will. It makes you better, and more aware of what you do in the future though, if there's a good side to be found in it. It more then likely won't be the last time something goes wrong.
One of the most important parts Is being a stand up guy, and doing what you already are by replacing It. If it were something tricky that you were not too confortable with doing, they talk you into it anyway, and you forewarn them you'll do your best, but may be a bad outcome, and can't be responsible, then it might be different, altough still would'nt feel right, and i don't even like taking chances for that reason. In this situation though, when it was unforeseen, and unmentioned beforehand, the only right thing is to replace It, unless the shaft is too big for him, a large dia to begin with, and he does'nt might a serious retaper. I'm sure he was use to what dia he had though. Unfortunatly have to do what ya gotta do.

If i could help you out i would, but don't think I could pull this one off, by the sound of what you have there. I just did another long one near the ferrule, no where near that bad, on only one side of the shaft, and took 2 days on and off labor to pull out. a new shaft would have been cheaper or the same price, even though I got it out. Greg
 
JOEY said:
black rings with cocobolo dashes in the ring. you dont think it can be fixed? just my luck, try and help someone, and im the one gettin the shaft. what can i do, its my fault.
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What kind of cue is the shaft from? Since the dent came from a rag, I would think all of the original wood fibers are still intact. I mean the rag wasn't abrasive, was it? Honestly, I can't understand how this happened. You must have a grip like a gorilla. ;) I have always gone into every job with the thought, if I screw this up, I'll replace it. I have never done any work on very expensive cues yet. If I were you, I would already, consider that shaft as bought. Since you now own it, be aggressive with it. Clean the front end of the shaft with 600 grit. There may be some sort of sealer, that is keeping the water from getting trough. Then get a steam gun and really let her have it. Don't be afraid of screwing it up, it's too late for that. ;) If that does not work, you are going to have to let the guy know. Hopefully you can get a shaft from the original cuemaker. How ever it goes, I wish you good luck.

Tracy
 
JOEY said:
black rings with cocobolo dashes in the ring. you dont think it can be fixed? just my luck, try and help someone, and im the one gettin the shaft. what can i do, its my fault.
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If the damage is as deep as you say, I don't think there is much you can do unless the owner wants a slightly thinner shaft. I can salvage the old trim rings/collars for a new shaft, and as long as the joint pin in the but is true, this works very well.
 
This is absolutely a last resort fix but it might bail you out.

You can build up a worn shaft using UV cured epoxy or clearcoat. Sand the shaft until all dirt & chalk is removed. Apply clear finish to entire shaft, with extra coats in worn area. Block sand to level. Apply additional coats as required, sanding to level the surface. When diameter is raised to desired size, polish 6" section near joint but use only 400 grit paper for the rest of the shaft.

You will have, in effect, something similar to a Cuetec: a shaft with a clear finish. The 400 grit paper will leave the finish in the stroking area less "sticky" than a finely polished, painted finish so that it feels more like bare wood.

On the plus side, the shaft will stay clean forever now that chalk can't enter the wood pores.

Just another idea to consider.
 
The reason i started repairing, and making cues was because someone gauged my ferrule, and put a ring around the shaft(tightened the collet too much) using a willard tipping machine.

I gave the shaft back to him to fix, and when he returned it, it was 12mm(was 12.7). He did not even offer to buy me a new shaft! I had to buy a new one myself because 12mm was just too small.

Unfortunately my advice would be to be honest with this person, and buy him a new shaft. Everyone makes mistakes, he may not be happy, but if he is reasonable, he will understand.

Rodney
 
sometimes ya gotta bite the bullet and hope the guy understands that you are in a bind, however Id offer to build him a shaft cheap
 
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