Best way to do my own tips?

T

TheBasics

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Howdy All,

Would like to do my own tip replacement and shaft cleaning.
What is the best recommended set-up to do that with. A drill motor
with ????? to hold a shaft with or a portable mini lathe ????
What do I need to do this?
Have done tips by hand but sometimes, well, you know crap happens.
Trying to eliminate as much of the 'crap happens' from the process so any
and all suggestions/thoughts will be helpful.

Would go to the local 'cue guy' but that's a 250 mile round trip.

Thanks for your wisdom;

hank
 
Dave38

Dave38

theemperorhasnoclotheson
Silver Member
My suggestion would be to use the search function, as there is literally hundreds of posts covering this subject on this forum in depth. Be careful, getting into this world can suck you (and your money) in really quick.....LOL
Dave
 
T

Tom1234

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I was in your shoes 7 years ago. $45.00 to install a new Kamui tip, $10-15 for cleaning the cue shaft; you know the drill. I bought a cue lathe and couldn’t be happier with the results. As I type, I have a McDermott shaft in the lathe waiting for the epoxy to dry, replacing a tenon. To have someone do that for me would be something around $100.00. I’ve paid for the lathe several times over just by the work I can do on my own cues. The biggest plus, you can replace a tip on your player for the cost of the tip. Best of luck with your decision.
 
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T

TheBasics

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Howdy All;

Years ago I would have bought one of the Porper Lathe in a box machines.
Now days, I thinking smaller something like an attachment for a hand drill
with some kind of holding fixture and a support for the tip end of the shaft.

Back in the day (my early 50's), I could have had the time element in my favor
to break even, now (early 70's), that isn't a viable option as much. Not lookin'
to set the World afire, just would like to keep my corner comfortable is all. chucklein'.

hank
 
David in FL

David in FL

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I apologize because I know this doesn’t answer the actual question, but do you have 2 playing cues, or at least 2 shafts for one player?

Honestly, if you trust him, I’d just ship a shaft every 8 months (or whatever it is) to the guy 125 miles away. It’s back in a week, you never even knew it was gone, and it‘s done right.
 
T

TheBasics

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
David in Fl. Howdy;

125 miles away here in NM, is like time travel anywhere else. lol. To go from my bit of dirt to Alamogordo
the mail goes to Albuquerque then then to El Paso and on to Alamogordo. Has taken up to 2 weeks for the
USPS to get 'stuff' from one to the other. chucklin' Easier and less likely things don't get lost is to drive over
or do it myself.

hank
 
Biloxi69

Biloxi69

Registered
I was in the same boat as you. Went to a cue mechanic and watch him put a tip on. Went home and google some lathes and build one. Learn a lot and had fun along the way. Although it’s small, it’s still a lathe and dangerous if you don’t know what you doing. There is definitely a learning curve. I ended purchasing a cue lathe from a member here because I wanted to upgrade. Had some ideas to improve upon but retired it. I will sell it for a 100 bucks but buyer pays for shipping. I’ll throw in the some collets, mini cross slide, and tail stock that I bought for it. See pic.
 

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conetip

conetip

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Buy a cue lathe, learn to do your tips and for anyone else in the area. Win win if you ask me.
 
WilleeCue

WilleeCue

The Barefoot Cuemaker
Silver Member
Unique has a great portable machine for tip, ferrule, and other repair work.
It is called the Cue Companion.
Solid design, high quality construction, and built to last, worth every penny.
Comes with an instructional DVD showing all the things you can do with it.

Unique Products, Inc. - Cue Companion

Cue Building and Cue Repair Machinery
www.uniqueinc.com

If your repair guy is that far away you will make some money doing tips and such for all the other players in your area.
Check the bars ... they always have cues that need tips installed ... a box of 50 Le Pro tips is very cheap.
 
T

TheBasics

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Howdy All;

Anything over a few hun'ert $s and I don't break even. I also dwell in an RV so storage
is a premium. There aren't a lot of bars out here and I don't do well in places with large
populations. So, I have in the past (and still do), replace mine by hand. I'm just lookin'
for something that will help eliminate some of the usual errors that can and do happen.

Thanks for all the suggestions, if ya'll have any more then by all means post'em up.
I'll consider most anything not everything at least once. chuckle.

hank
 
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T

Tom1234

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
TheBasics said:
Howdy All;

Anything over a few hun'ert $s and I don't break even. I also dwell in an RV so storage
is a premium. There aren't a lot of bars out here and I don't do well in places with large
populations. So, I have in the past (and still do), replace mine by hand. I'm just lookin'
for something that will help eliminate some of the usual errors that can and do happen.

Thanks for all the suggestions, if ya'll have any more then by all means post'em up.
I'll consider most anything not everything at least once. chuckle.

hank
Click to expand...
Hank, I doubt I’m the only one following your quest for the best way to install your own tips. Please keep us posted on what you find that works best for you. I’ll bet there are many out there that will copy your methods and techniques. Thanks and best of luck.
 
T

TheBasics

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Tom1234 said:
Hank, I doubt I’m the only one following your quest for the best way to install your own tips. Please keep us posted on what you find that works best for you. I’ll bet there are many out there that will copy your methods and techniques. Thanks and best of luck.
Click to expand...
Tom, Howdy;

Don't expect anyone to follow me, might end up inna ditch somewheres. chuckle

What works for some may not work for me and vise-versa that's why I ask my questions.
Gather some information, do some research, try to make a somewhat informed opinion
so I can make a decision that hopefully works for me.

I've been doing my own tips since the early 80's by hand and just been tossin' the idea
around about getting something that will help me keep each one from a goof. 20, 30 or
more years ago I might have gone for a portable lathe like Porper's lathe-in-a-box back
then and been able to break even maybe even a nickel or dime ahead (actual coins).

Yea, I'll keep ya'll posted.

hank
 
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