Basic tip and ferrule lathe shoot out: HarborFreight, Cuesmith, TSP&B, Brianna.

it looks like the mini-metal lathes are more rigid than the others.the only lathe i have is a 40" metal lathe but i do some work on Alex's Proper sometimes,but it isn't very rigid.for instance facing anything stouter than a ferrule would be tough.

i have been meaning to buy something for tips b/c it is a hassle on the 40" lathe,but to me rigidity and accuracy are the most important aspects.from reading the thread here,i am now assuming that the mini-metal lathe is what i want?

or are the other plenty rigid for facing and cutting?
 
Joe Blackburn has been using an emco compact 5 mini lathe for years. He uses it just for tips and ferrules at the events he works
 
Yesterday the owner of Ten Cat Billiards (Chicago) gave me a quick demo of his Unique lathehttp://www.uniqueinc.com/cue_companion that he has been using for years to do tips, sneaky petes, wraps and other small repairs. This mini portable lathe had a steady rest and large center area. He paid $1200.00 for it many years ago. Just from his quick demo I could see how simple work can be done very quickly on this machine.

Also my buddy Mike said if I bought a Unique or cue smith he would train me on it...Now I just have to figure out who in Chicago will give me the wild 5 and out for $1200.00:wink:
 
John Daminato said:
Yesterday the owner of Ten Cat Billiards (Chicago) gave me a quick demo of his Unique lathehttp://www.uniqueinc.com/cue_companion that he has been using for years to do tips, sneaky petes, wraps and other small repairs. This mini portable lathe had a steady rest and large center area. He paid $1200.00 for it many years ago. Just from his quick demo I could see how simple work can be done very quickly on this machine.

Also my buddy Mike said if I bought a Unique or cue smith he would train me on it...Now I just have to figure out who in Chicago will give me the wild 5 and out for $1200.00:wink:
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I'm in Ofallon, IL (about 15 minutes East of St. Louis)... I have something you may be interested in.
Hightower Mid-Size lathe with repair box (used)! Get ahold of me, I'm only a few hours from Chicago, I will give you more detailed description of what comes with it.

Zim
 

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I started out on a 7x10.... it was some of the most fun I ever had. With those small mini lathes, you can thread and with some modifications, you can do a lot with it. I did wraps, finished cues, and the usual tips, ferrules...... the only thing you really can't do is joint work because the spindle bore is too tiny......

If you set up a pillow block on both sides, this works as a perfect way to hold the end of the shaft or butt. I used a sleeve to hold my live center in the right side and chucked up on a joint protector......

If I had to do it all over again, I would have bought the Deluxe right out of the gate.......
 

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rhncue said:
Emco is probably the best small lathe of this size ever made. They are made in Austria and it is what all of these cheap Chinese lathes are copied from. They will run forever and although I haven't checked prices lately, in the early nineties they ran around 1600.00. They do make the Uni-mat also. By the way, the Microlux is made in the same plant by the same people (Seig) as the other mini-lathes (central machinery, Speedway and such) and the parts are almost all interchangeable between all of them.

Dick
Click to expand...

Dick knows. Emco with an M.
 
This is actually the set up I had originally intended to post earlier, but couldn't find the pics..... it doesn't take that much effort, and with a little patience and ingenuity, you can have yourself a powerful little lathe that does a lot! Good Luck, sir.....
 

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harbor freight

John Daminato said:
http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=173278
with steady rest $14.00.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=43579
I guess there is a coupon that could bring this lathe down to $320.00

Brand: Harbor Freight, type: 7" x 10" Precision Mini Lathe. Price: $413.00
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http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=173278

Brand: tsp&b Type: Basic cue repair Price: $449.00

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http://www.cuesmith.com/index.php?menu1=menu_lathes&page=cue_lathe_micro_2

Brand: Cuesmith Type: Micro cue smith II Price: $850.00

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http://www.briannaproducts.com/newlathe.htm

Brand: Brianna Type: tip and ferrule lathe Price: $1195.00

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Im not sure what criteria to judge these by and the order in priority, maybe the pro's can help me with that? I put some off the top of my mind, in any order.

1. Price
2. motor speed
3. center distance
4. size through the headstock
5. Portability
6. Customizable
7. weight
8. material made of.
9. customer service
10. Jobs that can be performed accurately.
Click to expand...

i have a friend that has a harbor freight , all he does is tips & ferrules
just for a home diy tip replace job it is good for the money.
johnqbs:anderson sc
 
SK Custom Cues said:
This is actually the set up I had originally intended to post earlier, but couldn't find the pics..... it doesn't take that much effort, and with a little patience and ingenuity, you can have yourself a powerful little lathe that does a lot! Good Luck, sir.....
Click to expand...

I first starting laughing at your setup but then realized how fvcking ingenious it is ... the whole set should be fairly economical.

Curious how you leveled/centered the steady rest and the tailstock (dead center) against the lathe? Eye ball and trial and error?

And does that metal lathe setup to do threading?
 
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Don't forget the unique products travel tipper... if all your doing is tips and ferrules and nothing else
 
gwjackal said:
Don't forget the unique products travel tipper... if all your doing is tips and ferrules and nothing else
Click to expand...

Hell with a little modification you could build a whole cue on a travel tipper lmfao....have you a foot powered lathe like the old singer sewing machines lol;)


that would be ghettorific,
Grey Ghost
 
greyghost said:
....have you a foot powered lathe like the old singer sewing machines lol;)


that would be ghettorific,
Grey Ghost
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Actually I just might be the only cuemaker in the country that has a real treddle lathe in his shop. Being a lathe builder myself, when I saw it at an antique museum, I asked the owner if it was for sale. He let me know just about anything in his museum was for sale for a price. We made a deal and I hauled it home with me. I have never built a cue with it, but it has made an interesting conversation piece. I put it on display once at a BCA trade show. I put a sign on it that said, "The Past" and one on my Deluxe that said, "The Present". I jokingly told another lathe builder who came by my booth that I had a lathe that was so far superior to anything he or I had made so far that it did not even need electricity. I thought it was funny, but he did not seem to get or like my joke even after I showed him the treddle lathe.
 
Yes, the lathe does threading. It comes with a set of extra gears. I took the center and used a tape measure to see how high I needed to go, then cut a few blocks out of a 2x4 and glued them together. I bought the pillow block bearings from my local wholesale tool, which is where I bought the machine, and just started tinkering away......

You don't have to have the centers to be dead on with this setup since you're not installing any joint pins or doing any facing.....it just has to be 'close enough'.....

Like I said before, I would've just bought from Chris Hightower if I had to do it all over again..... You just can't beat his setup..... and experience.... and class......


Hidy Ho said:
I first starting laughing at your setup but then realized how fvcking ingenious it is ... the whole set should be fairly economical.

Curious how you leveled/centered the steady rest and the tailstock (dead center) against the lathe? Eye ball and trial and error?

And does that metal lathe setup to do threading?
Click to expand...
 
cueman said:
Actually I just might be the only cuemaker in the country that has a real treddle lathe in his shop. Being a lathe builder myself, when I saw it at an antique museum, I asked the owner if it was for sale. He let me know just about anything in his museum was for sale for a price. We made a deal and I hauled it home with me. I have never built a cue with it, but it has made an interesting conversation piece. I put it on display once at a BCA trade show. I put a sign on it that said, "The Past" and one on my Deluxe that said, "The Present". I jokingly told another lathe builder who came by my booth that I had a lathe that was so far superior to anything he or I had made so far that it did not even need electricity. I thought it was funny, but he did not seem to get or like my joke even after I showed him the treddle lathe.
Click to expand...

Well dam I would have laughed brother, thats pretty funny lol. Alot of people forget how everything was MANUAL back when....human powered! I know darn well you could build a good hitting cue with no power tools, it would just be to have the proper equipment which is why equipment USED to be so well made. Gotta love old equipment and tools they have much character to them just like the workers that used them all that time ago.

Tells you alot about a man that builds fine furniture and other things with no power tools....extreme patience and tons of skill and pride to get it done, sure wasn't a walk in the park like it is today lol.

Bet Rambow or Balabuska would crap their pants if they saw a CNC do the work on a cue lol...not in a bad way tho it would just blow their minds completely away.

word,
Grey Ghost
 
I'd love to have a treddle lathe. If anyone is interested, UTUbe has much on them. In particular a Colonial chair leg demonstration with an old lathe and a shaving horse.
 
I have access to a HF 7 x 12 that is sitting in my friend's garage...

This lathe is 4 years old, never been used, and is available for my use and modification.

Suggestions for mods & accessories? Tips and ferrules mostly, maybe shaft joint collar & other shaft joint work to start...

Until now for many years all my tip work was done by hand or with a Porper Big Shaver. I do not have $3K to spend on a full Hightower or Unique. Wish I did.

Probably start with a set of these...

http://www.cuestik.com/store/product.asp?ITEM_ID=6196
 
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