can a quality custom cue be built without power tools?
- Thread starter smashmouth
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In my opinion, yes, a cue could be make without power tools or a lathe. If you watch the video of the home made snooker cue, they come very close to fitting your criteria (minus the power sander and the high quality bit). But that method could be refined over and over again until you get a really nice cue without using power tools.
You would likely want to butterfly splice the butt as that is the easiest method for hand work. In the snooker world, they really love saying how great their "hand spliced" cues are. Seems like machined cues (four pointers with half joints) are looked down upon.
The answer to the OP's question is yes, but it would probably cost a ton, seeing as nobody would want to put in the time to do it.
Great topic!
You would likely want to butterfly splice the butt as that is the easiest method for hand work. In the snooker world, they really love saying how great their "hand spliced" cues are. Seems like machined cues (four pointers with half joints) are looked down upon.
The answer to the OP's question is yes, but it would probably cost a ton, seeing as nobody would want to put in the time to do it.
Great topic!
I'll see if I can find the UTube video on Peradon snooker cues for you.
Lots of work with a hand plane. Not sure if they use a lathe or not for some parts.
There is one video where a guy makes a Snooker cue by hand. The end result is ok for a home built project but nothing that you would want to take to the hall with you.
Mind you, with a little practice, the guy might get better at it.
The Peradon video that I watched before showed them doing a lot more hand planing, even the shaft work.
Here is one of the guy making everything by hand.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_RJUcyvr_s
Paris Snooker Cues. The shafts are hand planed and sanded.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-R8WH8f-rnI
Lots of work with a hand plane. Not sure if they use a lathe or not for some parts.
There is one video where a guy makes a Snooker cue by hand. The end result is ok for a home built project but nothing that you would want to take to the hall with you.
Mind you, with a little practice, the guy might get better at it.
The Peradon video that I watched before showed them doing a lot more hand planing, even the shaft work.
Here is one of the guy making everything by hand.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_RJUcyvr_s
Paris Snooker Cues. The shafts are hand planed and sanded.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-R8WH8f-rnI
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My guess is the Paris video was a bit of marketing. I can't imagine that they do all their shaft planing by had only. I would think that would be seriously inefficient. They probably used them in the video give it a "hand crafted" feel.
I could be wrong, but it's just s feeling.
I would disagree with you on that one. Its a tradition that has been handed down.
They still make them that way.
If you look at the shop, they have work stations set up just for those particular jobs.
If you don't think it can be done efficiently, go to UTube and search for Japanese Joinery
and see what a Master can do with wooden hand planers and chisels.
They still make them that way.
If you look at the shop, they have work stations set up just for those particular jobs.
If you don't think it can be done efficiently, go to UTube and search for Japanese Joinery
and see what a Master can do with wooden hand planers and chisels.
RBC
Deceased
Could you?
Maybe you could.
But the real question is, Why would you?
I think it's funny when someone thinks that a cue made on hand controlled equipment, aka "hand made" is automatically better than one made on computer controlled equipment. They may be better, or worse. It depends on how well the person controls the manual equipment, and how well the person programs the computer controlled equipment.
In other words, it comes down to the person. Period!
Now, I will say this. The computer controlled equipment is certainly more repeatable and consistent than a person doing it manually.
Royce
Maybe you could.
But the real question is, Why would you?
I think it's funny when someone thinks that a cue made on hand controlled equipment, aka "hand made" is automatically better than one made on computer controlled equipment. They may be better, or worse. It depends on how well the person controls the manual equipment, and how well the person programs the computer controlled equipment.
In other words, it comes down to the person. Period!
Now, I will say this. The computer controlled equipment is certainly more repeatable and consistent than a person doing it manually.
Royce
Watch "Simple treadle lathe power for Craftsman lathe" on YouTube
Simple treadle lathe power for Craftsman lathe: http://youtu.be/diA2vERxk0k
Very doable. It would take a bit longer though. Question for the cuemakers, how many rpm's is necessary? How many rpm's do you think this treadle goes?
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Simple treadle lathe power for Craftsman lathe: http://youtu.be/diA2vERxk0k
Very doable. It would take a bit longer though. Question for the cuemakers, how many rpm's is necessary? How many rpm's do you think this treadle goes?
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You might be right on this one. I don't know the snooker market too well... I would bet they're not using cnc tapers though!
I do have a lot of respect for some of these makers, and I love the simplicity of the construction techniques.
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There was some Strad dude in the late 1600's made a pretty good fiddle without a place to plug in. I think some of his stuff is still around and in action.
bill
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Dmitry is a pretty talented boy. I have played with about 4 of his cues and loved every one, for more reasons than one.
Galip, I'm far from any cue or snooker cue authority.
When you consider that they were probably making cues at least before any of the sophisticated cue equipment was available, they were limited to a few hand tools that were suited to the job.
Its like anything else, I bet these craftsmen have been working at Paris for some time and it also took them some time to learn how to do that. But with that much practice, they could probably do it with their eyes closed.
I have to PM Joey as I think he can find the link to Bebot Bautista's videos.
he makes his cues on a much longer modified wood lathe and uses lathe chisels for much of the shaping.
He has an old dilapidated drill press that most of us would have given a ride to the land fill.
His son, designs and executes all of the extensive inlay work by hand.
By hand, I mean, he uses different sized hack saw blades, shaped and sharpened and a piece of metal which looks like a chunk of a jaw from a vice to chisel out the inlay grooves.
And Bebot makes beautiful cues. I would say that is as close as one can get to hand made, using one old wood lathe and not much else.
There used to be a ton of videos on UTube of Filipino cue makers using the most rudimentary equipment and I can't find any of them.
I'll PM Joey and see if he has any links.
If they are still available and haven't seen any yet, you will be pretty amazed. Cause these vids prove that necessity is definitely the Mother of Invention.
Galip, I'm far from any cue or snooker cue authority.
When you consider that they were probably making cues at least before any of the sophisticated cue equipment was available, they were limited to a few hand tools that were suited to the job.
Its like anything else, I bet these craftsmen have been working at Paris for some time and it also took them some time to learn how to do that. But with that much practice, they could probably do it with their eyes closed.
I have to PM Joey as I think he can find the link to Bebot Bautista's videos.
he makes his cues on a much longer modified wood lathe and uses lathe chisels for much of the shaping.
He has an old dilapidated drill press that most of us would have given a ride to the land fill.
His son, designs and executes all of the extensive inlay work by hand.
By hand, I mean, he uses different sized hack saw blades, shaped and sharpened and a piece of metal which looks like a chunk of a jaw from a vice to chisel out the inlay grooves.
And Bebot makes beautiful cues. I would say that is as close as one can get to hand made, using one old wood lathe and not much else.
There used to be a ton of videos on UTube of Filipino cue makers using the most rudimentary equipment and I can't find any of them.
I'll PM Joey and see if he has any links.
If they are still available and haven't seen any yet, you will be pretty amazed. Cause these vids prove that necessity is definitely the Mother of Invention.
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I love dimity's work, he is a true craftsman that seems to love what he does.
After checking out the links...I can only say: poccra nocn doopra.
Found it, just needs a Lotte tweaking:
I have a ton of respect for precision machinists and what they can do with a cue, but really, I could do just about all of the basic work of making a cue by hand if I had to. Maybe not working in tenths, but tolerances of 1-2 thou can be achieved by lots of practice and careful observation. The eye is incredibly accurate if trained in a systematic fashion. Most guys using machines won't get there because they don't need to. They have they machines and indicators (and, of course, their knowledge) to do that part for them, so their eye never gets "in" like a hand worker's eye gets.
It wouldn't take an incredible amount of time, either, nor would it have to be prohibitively expensive. The hand-planed snooker cues you mention are proof of this.
I have made more than a couple of the do-hickeys in the photo below. This one I made over 20 years ago, and it is still straight as an arrow is spite of years of play while in tension from the tightened hair.
They take 2-3 days to complete (how long does a Plain Jane take to make?) The work is done almost entirely by eye, with a minimum of fixtures and only a couple measurements as a starting guide. A few templates are usually used, but they aren't really necessary. A machine lathe is used to make the sterling silver adjuster button, but only to cut those two little decorative rings. The facets on the adjuster are hand-filed by eye. With a bit of practice a file and a good eye can get spectacular results.
Thousands of makers over the last two centuries have used the same basic techniques. They work, so no need to create elaborate machines to fix what ain't broke.
Bottom line is that if you have a machining background, the first thing you think when you see a cue is a machine lathe. If you grew up using fine hand tools, you'll be thinking planes, knives, spokeshaves, files... and lots and lots of sighting.
