Ask The Cuemaker Topic

[blud]

pictures

Ah shit... I had a reply typed out, and I hit a wrong key command, and now it's gone, I’ll try to recreate...

Blud,
Would you be able to post (or email) pictures of the tool for cutting deep VEE points and the veneer jig, so I would know exactly what they are/do, so as to make sure I don't already have something like it... I have an indexer, milling machine, (getting the 90 degree bit soon, what type would you suggest; horizontal or vertical), and will be making a "table" for the indexer/tail stop that will go in the milling machine vise, so I can just off set that (repeatability), but if that is what your tool for VEE groves is. I’ll just buy one (and not taking a chance of screwing anything up ) let the good people know , I’m very interested... and I have an idea for a machine that I might go over with you via phone, or in person at the expo (if I can go) and see what you think, I want to eventually have a "shop" full of specialized machinery that I made my self (or had an experienced genius to do it for me).

Thanks

Jon

Pictures, sorry guys. I would not be selling any if the world was to see them. I stake my reputation that these are kick-ass jigs. In structions comes with them, and phone back-up if nessesary.
They are very , very "SIMPLE" jigs. They are my idea and as simple as they are, it will cost you guys as published. Sorry. I am allowed to make money. Right.......They are so simple, you guys will think I am stealing.......
My research my thing. Nuff said.
rock on guys, and order up.........
blud

 

[blud]

broach

I second Jon's request.
Also, would it include a broach type jig so one can hit the right holes on the forearm so that remilling would be easy?
Thanks again Blud. As always.
That sounds like a hell of a deal.

Joesph, No broach type jig here. Your talking about another step which has not been covered within this thread.

Maybe this will help you out.
For repeating and or re-cutting out or re-milling over the top of installed venners and or a soild inter-inlayed point [ normally the last solid inlay] that you might want another solid inlay over the top of it. No problem. The cue front must be held in a jig for indexing. [I use a 5-c collet indexer].
I use a 5/8th collet and drill a 32nd hole in one of the collet slits and drill down into the tenon. To repaet this step over and over, make sure you mark 1, slit of the 3 that are on the face of the collect. I take a file or grinder to mark this. After removing the front and to re-place, just line up the hole in the tenon with the marked slit, and install a 32nd dowel pin.
Hanger guys, nothing but a hanger.

Blud

PS,I did this a long time ago. [ about 25 years ago] Install a solid inlayed block and re-machine it out and install another, and so on and so on..Hell of a lot of work..The inlayed woods looked like venners, but in fact were soild and had no center line glued "seam"........because it was all solid... hee hee...

 

[Joseph Cues]

That makes me a ton clearer Blud. Thanks. You're a madman.
If I have any more questions, I will PM you as to not possibly revealing your trade secrets.

 

[blud]

pm's

That makes me a ton clearer Blud. Thanks. You're a madman.
If I have any more questions, I will PM you as to not possibly revealing your trade secrets.

Hi Joesph, got a lot more trade secrets, and they are secrets. I will do my best to help.
Have caught some, {PM's, hate mail} crap from someone, or several people[cuemakers] for posting ways to do things with cue building. Maybe you guys should buy cues from those whop do and will help you out.. They say that it's there craft. Right...........
hell if I was scared, I would of stayed home.................
The more cues sold, the more cues bought, [exposure]....spellin....

blud

 

[Cletus]

After seeing Blud's post asking for ivory, I have a question about this. I have heard some cuemakers only use elephant ivory while many also use mammath ivory. What I want to know is, is there any difference in these 2 ivories other than one came from a long extinct animal and another came from a still living species and the age differences. Also is there a preference since I would think mammoth ivory can be more easily moved in and out of the US since it is from a long dead species. Thank you.

 

[fast larry]

After seeing Blud's post asking for ivory, I have a question about this. I have heard some cuemakers only use elephant ivory while many also use mammath ivory. What I want to know is, is there any difference in these 2 ivories other than one came from a long extinct animal and another came from a still living species and the age differences. Also is there a preference since I would think mammoth ivory can be more easily moved in and out of the US since it is from a long dead species. Thank you.

fl responds:

Three species of mammoths (genus Mammuthus) lived on the mainland of the United States at the end of the last Ice Age. These were the Columbian mammoth (M. columbi), Jefferson's mammoth (M. jeffersonii), and the woolly mammoth (M. primigenius). Of these, Jefferson's mammoth and the woolly mammoth have been identified from the midwestern U.S.
Mammoths, mastodons and modern elephants, are members of the order Proboscidea. The mammoths are closely related to elephants, especially to the Indian elephant (Elephas maximus).

As adults mammoths stood between about 3 and 3.7 meters (10-12 feet) at the shoulder and weighed betweeen 5500 and 7300 kilograms (6-8 tons).

Their teeth were comprised of numerous enamel plates. As they were used, these plates were ground into a washboard-like surface. This surface was very effective for grinding up difficult to eat plants like grass.

Mammoths are frequently found as fossils in the midwestern U.S. Most often isolated teeth are found. Mammoth fossils are most common in areas that were covered by savannas, grasslands, or tundra during the last Ice Age. This map shows some of the important mammoth finds in the region.

Approximately 1.8 million years ago the first mammoths entered North America. These mammoths came from Eurasia; they crossed the Bering Strait at a time when sea level was lower than today. The mammoths that came from Asia belonged to a species called M. meridionalis. The descendants of this species of mammoth included both the Columbian and Jefferson's mammoths. The woolly mammoths evolved in Eurasia and came over the Bering Strait much later (less than 500,000 years ago). Approximately 10,000 years ago all species of mammoths went extinct in North America

 

[stevelomako]

fl responds:

Three species of mammoths (genus Mammuthus) lived on the mainland of the United States at the end of the last Ice Age. These were the Columbian mammoth (M. columbi), Jefferson's mammoth (M. jeffersonii), and the woolly mammoth (M. primigenius). Of these, Jefferson's mammoth and the woolly mammoth have been identified from the midwestern U.S.
Mammoths, mastodons and modern elephants, are members of the order Proboscidea. The mammoths are closely related to elephants, especially to the Indian elephant (Elephas maximus).

As adults mammoths stood between about 3 and 3.7 meters (10-12 feet) at the shoulder and weighed betweeen 5500 and 7300 kilograms (6-8 tons).

Their teeth were comprised of numerous enamel plates. As they were used, these plates were ground into a washboard-like surface. This surface was very effective for grinding up difficult to eat plants like grass.

Mammoths are frequently found as fossils in the midwestern U.S. Most often isolated teeth are found. Mammoth fossils are most common in areas that were covered by savannas, grasslands, or tundra during the last Ice Age. This map shows some of the important mammoth finds in the region.

Approximately 1.8 million years ago the first mammoths entered North America. These mammoths came from Eurasia; they crossed the Bering Strait at a time when sea level was lower than today. The mammoths that came from Asia belonged to a species called M. meridionalis. The descendants of this species of mammoth included both the Columbian and Jefferson's mammoths. The woolly mammoths evolved in Eurasia and came over the Bering Strait much later (less than 500,000 years ago). Approximately 10,000 years ago all species of mammoths went extinct in North America

Go shoot a trick shot or something.

 

[trufil]

Laminated shafts?

What is your opinion of laminated shafts?

 

[blud]

ivory

After seeing Blud's post asking for ivory, I have a question about this. I have heard some cuemakers only use elephant ivory while many also use mammath ivory. What I want to know is, is there any difference in these 2 ivories other than one came from a long extinct animal and another came from a still living species and the age differences. Also is there a preference since I would think mammoth ivory can be more easily moved in and out of the US since it is from a long dead species. Thank you.

First off, larry has no business here. He was ask to stay away, but his alter ego, won't let him stay away. We do not need his $0.02 worth.

I have used both forms of ivory you speak of. Some mammouth I have used was around 50,000 yrs old. The term "legal" is just what it implys. Legal ivory. The ivory was brought into this country many years ago. Around the turn of the centry, the upper-class had ivory in there homes and offices. It was the "in thing" to do back then.

I do not know of anyone dealing in banded-ivory. I buy legal ivory. It's not nessesary to doucment legal ivory. When I ship cues over seas, I do furnish the proper paper work, along with the cues.
I do all above board.No need to break into jail. Ain't going there.
blud

 

[blud]

shafts

What is your opinion of laminated shafts?

Laminated shafts, I dis-agree with. In my opinion, it makes the cues play to stiff. Maple shafts as we know them today, again in my opinio are much better. Laminated shafts take a lot of adjustments. You got to have some amount of flex when stricking the ball. The shaft must give.

If I were to go to a laminated shaft, it would be the pie shape, darn sure not the stacked laminated ones.

LARRY STAY AWAY. If you step in, I'll do my best to have you removed from this forum. I am sure many more will asist me in that.
blud

 

[trufil]

Laminated shafts

Laminated shafts, I dis-agree with. In my opinion, it makes the cues play to stiff. Maple shafts as we know them today, again in my opinio are much better. Laminated shafts take a lot of adjustments. You got to have some amount of flex when stricking the ball. The shaft must give.

If I were to go to a laminated shaft, it would be the pie shape, darn sure not the stacked laminated ones.

LARRY STAY AWAY. If you step in, I'll do my best to have you removed from this forum. I am sure many more will asist me in that.
blud

Thank you for your prompt response, and although new to the game I agree with you. My cue came with a laminated shaft and had to be returned because of rough spots. The company sent me a new one saying that the old one was warped. I just sent the second one back because that too warped. Two shafts in less than 9 months. It seems to me that turning laminated shafts must leave small, probably microscopic, imperfections along the edges of the stacked pieces. Solid shafts for me in the future.

 

[blud]

now that larry's gone, fire in those questions,

Now he's outta, here as he puts it, fire in those questions and we can get down to serious talk about cues and cuemaking. maybe just maybe we can have nice visits without BS. Maybe. We shall see.
blud

 

[billfishhead]

i just had a shaft made with an ivory ferrule. it plays very lively,,,,,,,,,much so more than any other shaft ive got (and i have 2 szambotis to compare it to,,,,,4 shafts),,,,,,,,why is this??????,,,,,,,,,the wood,longer, ferrule, tip ?
,,,,thx,,,,,,,,,,,Bill

 

[blud]

ivory

i just had a shaft made with an ivory ferrule. it plays very lively,,,,,,,,,much so more than any other shaft ive got (and i have 2 szambotis to compare it to,,,,,4 shafts),,,,,,,,why is this??????,,,,,,,,,the wood,longer, ferrule, tip ?
,,,,thx,,,,,,,,,,,Bill

Hi bill, in my opinion, ivory has more "life" than all of the others. It appears to me that the ball releases quicker with ivory. The tip bounces off the cue ball 3 or 4 times, with ivory it seems to not bounce as many times. There have been serveal studies preformed on this and none come with the same reports. The best report again in my opinion, is "you".......If your happy with it, pay no attention to anyone elses opinion [including mine] and or reports.If you feel your playing better, don't change.

Shaft woods, some are more dense than others. This will also contribute to quicker release times.
blud

 

[kokopuffs]

I use a Phillippi shaft, ivory ferrule and Talisman Pro Medium tip. It seems that using such a combination, the cue ball leaves the tip faster than with the same combination with a LePro tip substituted.

 

[billfishhead]

thx blud,,,,,,,,,,,i believe ive got the whole thing figured out

 

[blud]

ferrules

thx blud,,,,,,,,,,,i believe ive got the whole thing figured out

Hey Bill,
Ivory ferrules at one time were only 3/4" long. Now a days, they are 1" long. This gives them more strenght. I still grove the top [flat for the tip] with two groves or circles. I don't use a pad. Some like the pad, and it does add extra protection for hitting the cue ball real hard. The ferrule is drilled and is taped 5/16" X 18 threads, and has a cap of about 3/16" with a small weep hole, [1/32nd] for glue pressure.
I have not responded for reasons, as you can figure out.
blud

 

[billfishhead]

thx blud,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Rick Howard wouldnt even hit a ball with it,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,guess he didnt want to be embarrassed at the tourney

 

[gwvavases]

A couple questions, Blud:

I recently bought a Viking cue stick, 21 oz. I like it a lot. (I just returned to the game several months ago after a 30+ year absence and am not ready yet to pay more (than the $360 for the Viking) for a true custom cue.) I liked a 21 oz cue when I was young, and that's what I banged balls around with for a few months before I ordered my Viking, so that's what I ordered.

After getting it, I tried it without the (one ounce) weight bolt and like it better. I also like the new balance point, which shifted about 3/4" inch or so forward to the front edge of the wrap. Might like it even more with another ounce or so removed and the balance point moved forward another 3/4".

Can this be done? How? Would a cuemaker or repair person just bore out a deeper hole in the butt? (I asked Viking by email, and they replied with a canned response to discuss it with the dealer I bought it through. I'll do that, but I respect your opinion and would like to hear it first.)

Also, what is the most common balance point on a cue stick? Mine is right at the front edge of the wrap. It feels perfectly balanced if I move my hand back on the butt to the back edge of the wrap, but that position is a little out of whack for a good stroke.

Thanks.

 

[blud]

cue

A couple questions, Blud:

I recently bought a Viking cue stick, 21 oz. I like it a lot. (I just returned to the game several months ago after a 30+ year absence and am not ready yet to pay more (than the $360 for the Viking) for a true custom cue.) I liked a 21 oz cue when I was young, and that's what I banged balls around with for a few months before I ordered my Viking, so that's what I ordered.

After getting it, I tried it without the (one ounce) weight bolt and like it better. I also like the new balance point, which shifted about 3/4" inch or so forward to the front edge of the wrap. Might like it even more with another ounce or so removed and the balance point moved forward another 3/4".

Can this be done? How? Would a cuemaker or repair person just bore out a deeper hole in the butt? (I asked Viking by email, and they replied with a canned response to discuss it with the dealer I bought it through. I'll do that, but I respect your opinion and would like to hear it first.)

Also, what is the most common balance point on a cue stick? Mine is right at the front edge of the wrap. It feels perfectly balanced if I move my hand back on the butt to the back edge of the wrap, but that position is a little out of whack for a good stroke.

Thanks.

Balance points are differant from cuemakers to cuemaker. I balance mine about 1-1/8th " in front of my wrap.
This seems to work well for me.
As far as bolts, I do not use them. I install a Nylon 5/16 x 18 1" machine screw in the butt of my cues. This is not for wieght, it's only to have something to fasten the bumper to.

I can not say what to do with another brand of cue. I surly hope you understand.
blud