Best tip tool for dime radius???
- Thread starter atthecat
- Start date
After inspecting or using most of the tip tools on the market, there's only two will travel in my case. One is the Williard tool. Cheap (under $10), compact, and it has a radius gage built in. My favorites are my homemade shapers. Take a 6"-8" piece of 3/4 ID plastic pipe or aluminum tubing and saw it in half lengthwise. Using rubber cement or double-faced tape attach a strip of 120 grit wet-or-dry sandpaper. Trim off the excess paper and you're done. After use you can flush out all the chalk and leather dust under a faucet and it will last forever. A layer of sandpaper inside a 3/4 inch ID tube will put you within a few thousands of an inch of the diameter of a dime. Stay away from all the fork-shaped tip tools;They're the ones most known to damage ferrules.
Stryfe2010
Registered
Definetly a Willards, been using the shaper tapper combo for almost 20yrs now
This is the best, IMO. A perfect dime shape every time. Quick and easy.
http://trogdoncues.com/tip_shaper.htm
http://trogdoncues.com/tip_shaper.htm
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When I first started out, I tried all of those shaping tools, and to this day I swear that the ability to shape your tip with a standard metal file by rolling your shaft across your thigh (creating a hand lathe) and holding the file against the tip as you roll gives me the best results. I've found that with some of those other tools on some of the softer non-layered tips, you end up with leather 'bugers' all over your tip that need to be pushed back into your tip.
dave
dave
Nivecraft Pocket Lathe
This site sells plastic 8 inch shapers with a dime radius. http://www.pocketlathe.com/more-Products.asp?id=3
I prefer these when originally reducing a tip to dime radius. I use the Willards to scuff or touch up the shape at the pool hall. The flange that holds the paper in place will contact a 13 mm ferrule, so be careful.
This site sells plastic 8 inch shapers with a dime radius. http://www.pocketlathe.com/more-Products.asp?id=3
I prefer these when originally reducing a tip to dime radius. I use the Willards to scuff or touch up the shape at the pool hall. The flange that holds the paper in place will contact a 13 mm ferrule, so be careful.
Attachments
Ultimate gets my vote.
Put it on the ground, hold between feet an put (upside-down) cue into desired raduis. Roll quickly between palms, lighter pressure for softer tips. Works like a charm.
Put it on the ground, hold between feet an put (upside-down) cue into desired raduis. Roll quickly between palms, lighter pressure for softer tips. Works like a charm.
