Ask The Cuemaker Topic

B

blud

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Mike [az house pro] and i came with a new topic. Ask the cuemaker.

He's really been busy of late.

When I mentioned this new topic on AZ, much interest started flying at me from all over the globe. It hasn't stopped.

So you good people fire away.
I'll do my best to help you folks out with your questions.
I look forward to visiting with all of you.
Please be patience with me, as I have to work also.

Thanks,

Leonard "BLUD" Bludworth

Cuemaker, designer builder of Cue machinery,[mechanical and CNC equipment] instructor of cuemaking.
 
blud said:
Mike [az house pro] and i came with a new topic. Ask the cuemaker.

He's really been busy of late.

When I mentioned this new topic on AZ, much interest started flying at me from all over the globe. It hasn't stopped.

So you good people fire away.
I'll do my best to help you folks out with your questions.
I look forward to visiting with all of you.
Please be patience with me, as I have to work also.

Thanks,

Leonard "BLUD" Bludworth

Cuemaker, designer builder of Cue machinery,[mechanical and CNC equipment] instructor of cuemaking.
Click to expand...


any idea when your new "mini" lathe will be ready for sale i could be your first customer, and will you say what the price range is going to be. thanks
 
Blud,

Here's my question. Lizard skin wraps by custom makers like yourself, Judd, Josey, and Mottey - are they real lizard skins or just imprinted leather? If they are real, is the cost about the same as leather for the material?

Thanks,

Chris
 
Joseph Cues said:
Hip, hip, hoorah!
My first question is not a technical one.
Blud, should cuemakers be aware of environmental responsibility?
I mean, what are your opinions on using ivory, exotic woods and different finishes on cues?
Thanks.
Click to expand...

Yes, I think all people, including cuemakers should protect our childrens futures.
I believe it's ok to use woods that are not on the big list, and legal Ivory is fine. Finishes or included.
blud
 
lathe

mike phelps said:
any idea when your new "mini" lathe will be ready for sale i could be your first customer, and will you say what the price range is going to be. thanks
Click to expand...

I am going to Houston next week, to visit with my machine shop guy, who builds machinery. He has much more machinery than I do, and can build the new proto-type with ease. It's about half done. I hope it will be ready for the Allen Hoppkins show in March 04. Just a month off.
Prices will range from a kick-ass repair lathe with all the goodies, for around $2,450.00, and the full blown model will go for about $4,500.00. I will also furnish video's for the operation and "how to do repairs and maybe how to build your first cue.
These two machines will have very close tolrances. real close.
blud
 
skins

TATE said:
Blud,

Here's my question. Lizard skin wraps by custom makers like yourself, Judd, Josey, and Mottey - are they real lizard skins or just imprinted leather? If they are real, is the cost about the same as leather for the material?

Thanks,

Chris
Click to expand...

I don't use the lizard skins. Never purchased them. I mainly use med-density pig skin on my new high-end cues. If I use any product for my cues, it's the real thing, or it dosen't go on a BLUD..........
I don't know what the others use.
Sorry, sir.
blud
 
Blud,

You still hear people talk about the legendary "hit" of a Balabushka (or a Szamboti) People still say they are the best playing cues. Yet George rarely (if ever) made his own blanks, made spliced cues with straight grain maple and metal or ivory joint. These characteristics are becoming less common today. I have never had the chance to play with one. Do you think they play that well? and if so what do you think his "secret" was? Are the "great playing cues" of today better then the "great playing cues" of Georges day? It seems to me that technology, and a wider variety of materials has made for better playing cues in general, what do you think?
I love cues, I think they are a really cool art form and I was just curious about your take on one of the greats. Thank you for your valuable time.
 
Blud,

Have you ever made a shaft out of exotic wood? I am thinking of having my next custom cue made with an ebony shaft. My friend has a bubings shaft and it looks and plays great. I was just wondering if there were any negatives about a shaft made from exotic wood?

Thanks and keep rockin,

Tom
 
To Tate:
Yes it is real lizard and it is much more expensive than regular cow or pig splits.

To Sharp Cat
An Ebony shaft even pro tapered will still weigh more than 6 ounces. I have done them in the past as did Paul Drexler. I don't offer them any more, I don't know if Mr. Drexler does or not.
 
first off let me say i know for a fact blud doesnt believe in phony or cheap shit........second off i wonder if some guys really use real lizard skin....they know after you pay 250.00 for this kind of wrap why the hell you gonna waste money to see if it is real....and from the leathers i have seen ....only way you could tell would be to take it off ........just think it is crazy that some guys rob you with those type of wraps.....leather is leather.....i think its just a gimmick to cheat others out of money by whats called price hiking....bluds got a system for doing wraps that is so sweet ....if everyone knew it they would do it themselves.....but honestly whos gonna run out and buy a lathe and equipment just to wrap a cue.......certain cuemakers know they have us by the testicles......and some just sell and build a quality product with out trying to kill the average man....dont make me give names on the ones i think are outrageous and the ones i think are super......juston coleman
 
Hey, Blud ! Thanks for the excellent thread idea ! :-)

I have a question: is it common to core the butt forearm and use different kind of wood (obviously wood with different density) in the forearm core and different wood on the forearm surface ? Or is the majority of butt forearms solid wood from surface to core ? I've heard that some of the cuemakers use this kind of technique to adjust the cue weight without a weight bolt.
 
Joseph Cues said:
Blud, regarding the full blown lathe, will it have easily setable taper and a threading gear? Would the router blade be on top of the wood or the side?
Thanks again.
Click to expand...


Hi Joseph, The router cutting tool would be on the side, because if it was on the top, you would have to build a very dificult up hill taper attachment. Almost impossiable to do. Can be done with a floating
"Z" axes afair and a roller bar[taper bar] that would have to be moved to set up for standard maching. Not practical.
It will also have an auto-matic feed for smooth shaft and butt turn cutting.This can be done by pushing a wheel with a gear in and out.Hanger my friend, just a hanger.
blud
 
mjantti said:
Hey, Blud ! Thanks for the excellent thread idea ! :-)

I have a question: is it common to core the butt forearm and use different kind of wood (obviously wood with different density) in the forearm core and different wood on the forearm surface ? Or is the majority of butt forearms solid wood from surface to core ? I've heard that some of the cuemakers use this kind of technique to adjust the cue weight without a weight bolt.
Click to expand...

The forearms are cored for two reasons. 1, is to help control the weight of heavy woods, 2, it's for control of the fronand handle warping. Some cuemakers also core out the handle. In fact some use a 30" core for both handle butt seleve and front.
I have been coring cue for about 25 years or so. Some I do, some I don't. It depends on weight issues and what woods I am using.
I do not use weight bolts.
In my opin, cues should be weighted with the woods your using. Adding or subtracting weight with a weight bolt, is not the way to go. It will be first, off balance, and not play as it was designed to play.
Most of your production cues come with adjustiable weight bolts. They have to do this. But for a true custom cue, please.....
blud
 
shafts

SharpCat said:
Blud,

Have you ever made a shaft out of exotic wood? I am thinking of having my next custom cue made with an ebony shaft. My friend has a bubings shaft and it looks and plays great. I was just wondering if there were any negatives about a shaft made from exotic wood?

Thanks and keep rockin,

Tom
Click to expand...

Good mornin Tom,
I never have made an exotic wood shaft for the public. I did build a couple several years back. My wife used them in her garden

I offer "ASH" shafts with my cues. These are not as clean looking as the maple clear shafts. Ash is much better than maple. They do not wrap as easily as maple. Snooker shafts are very small in dia., they are in some cases as small as 6 to 8mm. Our friends in Canada and also England, use ash for there snooker cues. They play very good and have a nice feel for the ball.
blud
 
TATE said:
Blud,

Here's my question. Lizard skin wraps by custom makers like yourself, Judd, Josey, and Mottey - are they real lizard skins or just imprinted leather? If they are real, is the cost about the same as leather for the material?

Thanks,

Chris
Click to expand...

Chris,
Lizard skin wraps from reputable cuemakers are lizard skin. I believe its a dyed monitor lizard. They come in very interesting colors. There is also the ring tailed lizard which is a black/grey/white tricolor wrap, its natural. They cost more for the skins, and they are exotic, hence the price. There is a lizard print leather, as there is ostritch, buffalo, and many other "embossed" textures. Personally I am not to happy with the way lizard wears, and I will be switching my wrap to either boarskin, or kangaroo. But some interesting textures are tiger shark, and sting ray. The ray is nice but it cannot be thinned adequately for cue use. Ernie at Ginacue maybe makes the best leathers around and his most uniques IMHO are his cork, and his elephant ear.

Joe
 
Classic Cues
What about the wear of Lizard don't you like?
Mine has been on for about three years, still looks and feels great.
 
Hi Blud,

A more general question - how do I get into making cues ? (I'm in the UK so I'll never be in competition with you!)

What are the basic tools and techniques required, what woods should I be using and where can I get them ?

Thanks, Pin
 
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