Best medium tip?
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Yes, I had it changed last week and it was 45 CHF to be exact. I went with a Victory medium.
Thanks for the video, it is informative and it looks easy enough. I'm not sure that I would try it on a Revo though and risk scratching or cutting it. I'm not really using any other cues at the moment.
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Credit for the video to Dr. Dave!
BTW, the video inspired me to start investigating hand tools for tip work. I bought a couple relatively cheaply on eBay, and am thinking of converting a Tweeten tenoning machine into a tip trimmer with a depth control feature that will regulate to trim to flush with the ferrule and no more. It should be a pretty simple modification, we'll see. I am also considering making a couple of "moulding knives" to simultaneously trim the tip flush and cut a radius on the tip, one for dime and one for nickel. The tool is quite expensive new, like near $200 "street price;" I got an old and rusty one for $80 along with the cue top sander tool, too. This is really an academic exercise, as I happen to have a tool room lathe and a set of nylon collects for cue shafts, so I do mine on that. (It's nice to be able to adjust cuts to 1/10,000".) I was lucky enough to get three shafts with the nearly-new Lucasi Custom cue I bought, and my break cue uses the same shaft, so I can mount four tips at once for side-by-side comparisons. I have a box of Triangles, a couple of Kamui tips, and a couple more relatively expensive layered tips. Just have to find out what I like, what gives the best results for me.
Elkmasters are 20 bucks for a box of 50. What size ferrule? If you have a standard 11,12, 13mm then you don't need an pro tip job. You gotta take the fit as is but it won't affect accuracy.
Elkmasters are soft. Where did you see them for $20 per 50?
I discovered that you can coat them with super glue to shape 'em - top and/or sides. They firm up a little and are resilient like rubber and never turn solid. Win win for me. If you care to press 'em, you'll have a med.
I got a box of 50 from Amazon for under 20 bucks and Atlas Billiard Supply has 'em around that much regular price.
crazy8legs
Registered
What is it that you like about them vs. the layered? I used to play with a Kamui brown and now play with a G2. I think both are really good.
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I've installed that milkdud tip on a cue I built for a 12 y.o. kid I coach. I did not have much time with it just tested to see how it plays. It plays good for the money.
I've checked how it holds shape and if it mushroomed. Looks good so far and I had not noticed miscues from a kid. So it works for him so far.
My ultraskin fire tip is quite thin on my shaft so may be a few more weeks and I'll put a milkdud tip on my shaft to see how I like it.
We'll see.
I would assume, the shaggy ones would be a bit softer and the smooth would be bit harder?
boogieman
It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that ping.
Sorry for the late reply, it's been a crazy week. To me, they are much easier to maintain. They require very little maintenance, but when they do you don't have to worry about glue layers not holding chalk, delamination, etc. There's nothing wrong with layered tips but these just feel perfect, almost like an extension of your body. I've tried a few layered tips in the past, and while good, eventually the ones I tried seem to change hardness and there's not enough meat there between layers to actually give them an occasional good scuffing. With a dud, you can basically dress them how you want. They also seem to hold chalk very well. Sometimes the layered have a tendency to not hold chalk too well if the glue comes into play. Also, with duds, you can use cheap chalk and it sticks great, sometimes layered almost requires expensive chalk to hold.
EDIT: I'm not a cheapskate on pool gear, but another obvious bonus is the price. If you make them yourself they are the price of an elkmaster, if you buy them they are $5-10 or less depending on whoever is selling them. I bought a press, and even considering that was $35, I'm still way ahead after tipping my house cues and my playing cues, wife's, nephew's etc. They are basically so cheap and easy to make you can re-tip your friend's cues for like 50 cents and give them a superior playing experience. Also, it's fun to make them, lets you nerd out and let your inner mad scientist play.
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You're right about that. Most want to pay at least 40 to 60 bucks for a tip, so they feel good about themselves.
All the best,
WW
crazy8legs
Registered
Thanks for the reply. Have you heard of the Techno-Dud by Outsville? They're only $10 I think and people seem to really like them.
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boogieman
It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that ping.
Yeah, I've used them, they are good. I started making my own now though. I think the best thing about the techno duds is they are always consistent for whatever hardness you get. I don't think the "non milk scientific formula" that they use is any better or worse than regular whole milk. This isn't a pro or a con for the tips though. but They are dead consistent as I've ordered three tips from them at different times and all were super consistent. There's a fellow on here who makes the regular duds that have really good reviews but I don't remember their name as I never ordered from them. I think they have a thread in the for sale section. Either way I don't think you can go wrong.
I did use the ki-tech before, they are good tips but are a pain comparatively to technoduds/milkduds to install. Kitech requires very sharp tool, as in a new razor blade for each tip basically. Kitech also have kind of a bouncy feel to them until you break with them a few times to settle the tip in. They don't mushroom or anything, but the bounciness takes a bit to go away and feel normal.
Question: How often do you change the tip on you playing cue?
I realize when the tip gets worn down to a certain point, it needs
to be replaced. But how low can you go? At what point do you
decide it’s time to replace the tip? And with a new tip, how much
do you remove trying to shape the tip into a nickel or dime shape?
New tips need to be shaped and after being played, the tip will likely
need reshaping. In general, how much tip do you prefer to see on one
of your cues? I carry six cues in my case and switch cues so the tips on
my cue shafts last a long time and seldom need to change the tips from
becoming worn. My cue tips last a long time, literally many, many years
but due to my bad shoulders, I don’t play a lot of pool any longer but I
still play but just not nearly as much. So how long does your cue tips last?
I realize when the tip gets worn down to a certain point, it needs
to be replaced. But how low can you go? At what point do you
decide it’s time to replace the tip? And with a new tip, how much
do you remove trying to shape the tip into a nickel or dime shape?
New tips need to be shaped and after being played, the tip will likely
need reshaping. In general, how much tip do you prefer to see on one
of your cues? I carry six cues in my case and switch cues so the tips on
my cue shafts last a long time and seldom need to change the tips from
becoming worn. My cue tips last a long time, literally many, many years
but due to my bad shoulders, I don’t play a lot of pool any longer but I
still play but just not nearly as much. So how long does your cue tips last?
boogieman
It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that ping.
Mine lasts for a long time, longer if I get lazy about replacing them. I once had a tip the thickness of a dime for 6 months because I didn't want to drive 45 min to have it replaced. This was before I started doing my own tips. Recently I was on a hardness level trial so I was changing about once every month to try different hardness. I'd say on average around a year.