Cue making books

I highly recommend Chris' dvd/book combo. It is money very well spent. Watch them several times, you'll pick up on a little something more every time you watch them. I've really enjoyed mine. :thumbup:
Best of luck!
 
What books do you think are the best, and why!! Thanks for your help!!

You also want to pick up a good machinist handbook. You will refer to it constantly no matter how experienced you become. I have several of them mostly garage sale finds. My taper attachment I use for shafts and butts came right out of a book written in the 1920's. Unless I was to go to cnc there would never be a reason to change it. The basic principles remain the same in machining. You need formula guides, conversion tables and so on all that will be found in the most basic handbook. You will also find tricks, and jigs that you can make that will accomplish all kinds of jobs. Making say thin rings is not a new idea. As they say, there is nothing new under the sun. My taper attachment by the way is adjustable. I can make an endless number tapers with changes that take only a few minutes. It looks like it may have been designed for tables leg making originally. It is scissor like and I can do any joint size, taper, taper length and any combination there of and it was designed a 100 years ago maybe longer.
You have to remember that you may be making pool cues but what you are is a machinist, that is the endeavor you are striving to learn. You also need a vast knowledge of the materials you will be using but that would be the case whether you were working with a piece of brass or a piece of ebony.

Here is an example, you can also find them on ebay.

http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&ke...ooks&hvadid=3759945655&ref=pd_sl_51dx2gnbca_b
 
Last edited:
Best how to book

I have had Hightower's book for years, and I still rereference it for info, and ideas. My wonderful wife just bought The Advanced Cue Building DVDs, and the Cue Finishing Made Simple for my Christmas! I was very impressed, and can see me reviewing these just like I have his book. I highy recommend them! Good Job Chris, and thanks for the help :thumbup:
 
I have had Hightower's book for years, and I still rereference it for info, and ideas. My wonderful wife just bought The Advanced Cue Building DVDs, and the Cue Finishing Made Simple for my Christmas! I was very impressed, and can see me reviewing these just like I have his book. I highy recommend them! Good Job Chris, and thanks for the help :thumbup:


I knew that girl was raised right. All I got was socks.

To the original poster. Buy Chris' book. I have borrowed one and will buy his dvds when I get extra money
 
dont want to piss on anyone's chips but... forget books, get your arse into a workshop/tool room and belt sand away a few fingerends. If you want to build anything, ANYTHING... get you hands on tools first.

if you already know this... find some humility and ask for guidence from someone in person...

... a porn mag can do the trick but the soft skin of that special someone has no comparison. :cool:
 
dont want to piss on anyone's chips but... forget books, get your arse into a workshop/tool room and belt sand away a few fingerends. If you want to build anything, ANYTHING... get you hands on tools first.

if you already know this... find some humility and ask for guidence from someone in person...

... a porn mag can do the trick but the soft skin of that special someone has no comparison. :cool:

You are kidding right? Would you give the same advice to a doctor? Right, no one needs any education, just learn by making mistakes and then at some point you will die of old age knowing nothing. Society advances by learning from those who have gone before and adding to it. Based on your theory we would still be living in caves.
 
You are kidding right? Would you give the same advice to a doctor? Right, no one needs any education, just learn by making mistakes and then at some point you will die of old age knowing nothing. Society advances by learning from those who have gone before and adding to it. Based on your theory we would still be living in caves.

I believe his advice was learn how to use the tools first.
My advice would be to go to your local community college first and learn machining.
 
You are kidding right? Would you give the same advice to a doctor? Right, no one needs any education, just learn by making mistakes and then at some point you will die of old age knowing nothing. Society advances by learning from those who have gone before and adding to it. Based on your theory we would still be living in caves.

ok, ok. not to get into a celebrial debate here but i feel that your rebutal deserves a counter-response.

those amazing people who patch our lives back together (aka doctors) learned how to do what they do by trial and (justified + calculated) error. Modern doctors can do what they do but only because prior generations of healers had the prudance to 'see what happened' and doccument it for for future learners.

Time spent cuemakers can tell you how to join 2 pieces of wood toghther but untill you get a feel for how the blade bites or the workpiece moves in the vice you will never truly understand their skill or knowledge...

I can tell you how to knock in a 147 but i dont have that 'feel'. Higgins, O'sulivan and Hendry have the feel but i bet YOU couldn't produce a maximum by reading a "how to" book of snooker. The same applies for cue (or any other craft) making. Untill you're doing it, you're just along for the ride.

The cue makers deserve respect for their craft. They are more than a technique. They are individual personalities influenced by 1000's of people they have met through their journey. A "cue making book" wont even scrape the surface.

rant over...

cheers lads,
 
books versus Doctors

The GYN I talked to said " its true Chris is a great guy and is always available for support but when he called him for some help with a simple question about a "C" section he was told the book barely mentioned the procedure.



Happy New Year!!
 
ok, ok. not to get into a celebrial debate here but i feel that your rebutal deserves a counter-response.

those amazing people who patch our lives back together (aka doctors) learned how to do what they do by trial and (justified + calculated) error. Modern doctors can do what they do but only because prior generations of healers had the prudance to 'see what happened' and doccument it for for future learners.

Time spent cuemakers can tell you how to join 2 pieces of wood toghther but untill you get a feel for how the blade bites or the workpiece moves in the vice you will never truly understand their skill or knowledge...

I can tell you how to knock in a 147 but i dont have that 'feel'. Higgins, O'sulivan and Hendry have the feel but i bet YOU couldn't produce a maximum by reading a "how to" book of snooker. The same applies for cue (or any other craft) making. Untill you're doing it, you're just along for the ride.

The cue makers deserve respect for their craft. They are more than a technique. They are individual personalities influenced by 1000's of people they have met through their journey. A "cue making book" wont even scrape the surface.

rant over...

cheers lads,
We call that in the US "Spin" usually a follow up something stupid that one does not want to admit to.
 
get chris's book and also just start doing get some less expensive woods and try doing differant things use the book to reference each operation
books charts guides are all great to reference when doing something even
the best machinist and cue makers always at some time and point need to
go back and use something like this good luck
 
Back
Top