Converting House Cues.

[PickPocket]

Hello, I've saved a few various 1pc house cues because they had good character.

How often do cue makers utilize 1pc house cues for 2pc conversion's? (Let's say only for the butt section, shaft built separately).

Also, Is it common to cut a 1pc cue just after the prongs, to potentially have enough material to turn the remaining wood into a long enough section that it could be made into a standard sized or even 30" shaft length? Say between 12 & 12.5mm at the tip?

What is the typical anticipated expense for a very basic conversion, add a joint & Ring work & perhaps butt plate, bumper. (No inlays).

 

[JC]

I made some conversions when I was starting out and they simply aren't cool enough to spend the time on other than practice for a beginner. Mostly the one piece cues with cool butt wood have funky uneven points and ugly maple ahead of them.

Lately I have been experimenting a little with some of these cues, cutting them down and using the front for a core with the splice intact as in these photos. Then find some more attractive wood for the forearm and hide the funky splice.

Here is a cue I am building as a player for myself that started out like this and the splice of the original bar cue is in the core under the bocote forearm. And the handle is the handle from the bar cue. Just having some fun with a bar cue as an experiment. Looks like it's going to be a pretty nice cue.

 

[thoffen]

I made some conversions when I was starting out and they simply aren't cool enough to spend the time on other than practice for a beginner. Mostly the one piece cues with cool butt wood have funky uneven points and ugly maple ahead of them.

Lately I have been experimenting a little with some of these cues, cutting them down and using the front for a core with the splice intact as in these photos. Then find some more attractive wood for the forearm and hide the funky splice.

View attachment 594028
View attachment 594029

Here is a cue I am building as a player for myself that started out like this and the splice of the original bar cue is in the core under the bocote forearm. And the handle is the handle from the bar cue. Just having some fun with a bar cue as an experiment. Looks like it's going to be a pretty nice cue.

View attachment 594030

View attachment 594031

Cool idea and nice looking cue.

Although, why core bocote?

 

[cueman]

When I started building cues in the 80s no one was building full splice house cue type of butt blanks, and Meucci had made what they called Sneaky Pete's popular. So most of us took house cues and saved the butt section from new and used house cues, retaper them and put a higher grade shaft on them. It was also common to use the section from the end of the points forward for a shaft if the butt part was split. Many would just take two bar cues and make one good cue out of two using those methods. Then most USA companies went out of the house cue business and others started the higher quality blank building businesses.

 

[JC]

Cool idea and nice looking cue.

Although, why core bocote?

I cored it because I wanted it to go with that handle which was a full core. That and Bocote is not on my good action list. I have had many straight grain rounds show some warp on subsequent cuts after resting.

 

[thoffen]

I cored it because I wanted it to go with that handle which was a full core. That and Bocote is not on my good action list. I have had many straight grain rounds show some warp on subsequent cuts after resting.

Not sure what "good action" means here. I only asked because I've commonly seen it praised for its tonal/playing characteristics as a cue wood. Although not bad for movement in service, there are definitely many more stable species to choose from.

 

[Michael Webb]

I made some conversions when I was starting out and they simply aren't cool enough to spend the time on other than practice for a beginner. Mostly the one piece cues with cool butt wood have funky uneven points and ugly maple ahead of them.

Lately I have been experimenting a little with some of these cues, cutting them down and using the front for a core with the splice intact as in these photos. Then find some more attractive wood for the forearm and hide the funky splice.

View attachment 594028
View attachment 594029

Here is a cue I am building as a player for myself that started out like this and the splice of the original bar cue is in the core under the bocote forearm. And the handle is the handle from the bar cue. Just having some fun with a bar cue as an experiment. Looks like it's going to be a pretty nice cue.

View attachment 594030

View attachment 594031

Nice....
Darrin Hill used to do that also.

 

[JC]

Not sure what "good action" means here. I only asked because I've commonly seen it praised for its tonal/playing characteristics as a cue wood. Although not bad for movement in service, there are definitely many more stable species to choose from.

Sounds like you understood exactly what I meant. Not bad for movement isn't good enough for me. If I start with a square and turn it round then it has some run out the next time I take a pass I'm leery. If it isn't dead nuts on the next pass it's getting a core. Ok, they're all getting a core. I've never had a cue returned warped and don't intend to start now.

The people who play with Coos Cues generally don't know tonal from bonal. Tone never helped a ball to go in a pocket and we ain't playing in the grand ol opry to entertain wine snobs. A solid hit from a straight cue is good enough for me and they do know that when they feel it.

 

[Canadian cue]

I have converted quite a few. If you are careful you can cut them in two, recut the shaft and dial in the butt to even out the points. You can even time the joint so the shaft and butt are grain matched. You just need to get a little creative at adding some length to the butt end. The better you get at taking as little as possible off the less you need to add.

 

[JoeyInCali]

The days of fat Dufferin and Valley house cues are long gone . Judd Fuller told back in the 90's, he could make 3 sneaky petes in one . Those days are long gone . I used to frequent Al Romero's little room upstairs at Hard Times . He used to have BUCKETS of chopped up Valley house cues . He sold his sneakies for less than $200.

 

[Canadian cue]

The days of fat Dufferin and Valley house cues are long gone . Judd Fuller told back in the 90's, he could make 3 sneaky petes in one . Those days are long gone . I used to frequent Al Romero's little room upstairs at Hard Times . He used to have BUCKETS of chopped up Valley house cues . He sold his sneakies for less than $200.

They may not be worth the time investment but I still enjoy the challenge of making an ordinary house cue into something special. They are great to use for experimenting on finishes. As well as learning how to even out points. Why waste time testing finishes on dowels when you can do the same on a cue. I have sold quite a few as well as given some away to friends and family. They are a great starter cue for someone just starting out in the game. Way better than some of these plastic decal cues newbies buy. My house cue bucket is only a third full now.

 

[thoffen]

Sounds like you understood exactly what I meant. Not bad for movement isn't good enough for me. If I start with a square and turn it round then it has some run out the next time I take a pass I'm leery. If it isn't dead nuts on the next pass it's getting a core. Ok, they're all getting a core. I've never had a cue returned warped and don't intend to start now.

The people who play with Coos Cues generally don't know tonal from bonal. Tone never helped a ball to go in a pocket and we ain't playing in the grand ol opry to entertain wine snobs. A solid hit from a straight cue is good enough for me and they do know that when they feel it.

What you are doing sounds very principled. I certainly wouldn't know if one thing was better than another. Just here to learn.

 

[Thunder Thighs]

The people who play with Coos Cues generally don't know tonal from bonal. Tone never helped a ball to go in a pocket and we ain't playing in the grand ol opry to entertain wine snobs. A solid hit from a straight cue is good enough for me and they do know that when they feel it.

 

[Chili Palmer]

This is how I built my first, and only cue so far, I took apart two sticks, added some rings, etc. Here are some pics I had on my phone.

I have to build another shaft. The original is warped and I didn't think it would turn out so I didn't care And I'm not sure if I'll clear it or not, I really like how it looks now.

 

[Chili Palmer]

I have converted quite a few. If you are careful you can cut them in two, recut the shaft and dial in the butt to even out the points. You can even time the joint so the shaft and butt are grain matched. You just need to get a little creative at adding some length to the butt end. The better you get at taking as little as possible off the less you need to add.

That's what I did at first but then I royally screwed up the butt (I pushed the bit in a bit too fast and it blew out the bottom of the butt) so I ended up cutting the last 6" off and then from that I cut enough for a new butt and then I cut the rest to forearm length and added a handle that was made from a different bar stick - that's why the handle is different colors and that's why I was able to put rings near the handle.

 

[Chili Palmer]

The days of fat Dufferin and Valley house cues are long gone . Judd Fuller told back in the 90's, he could make 3 sneaky petes in one . Those days are long gone . I used to frequent Al Romero's little room upstairs at Hard Times . He used to have BUCKETS of chopped up Valley house cues . He sold his sneakies for less than $200.

My buddy just picked up a new sneaky from Al Romero with rear extension for (I think) $250. It's a good looking cue. @JC will appreciate the fact that Al doesn't clear his sticks and only uses a French polish of some sort.