Cuesmith,Porper,Unique ?

[gmcole]

I'm looking @ buying a cue lathe, Hightower Delux ,Model-B, or Unique Q-builder. I have searched this site for info. Am I correct in that opinions have changed on Porpers since they outsourced production? I need to do repair work( tips,ferrules,wraps etc.) But I also want to try to develop my own shaft taper and eventually build complete shafts, index rings etc. If I do get to that point, I'm sure I would want to build, or more likely assemble, whole cues. Suggestions and opinions needed- especially if you have or have worked with all 3 lathes.
thanks-jeff

 

[FLYINGSNAIL]

I'm looking @ buying a cue lathe, Hightower Delux ,Model-B, or Unique Q-builder. I have searched this site for info. Am I correct in that opinions have changed on Porpers since they outsourced production? I need to do repair work( tips,ferrules,wraps etc.) But I also want to try to develop my own shaft taper and eventually build complete shafts, index rings etc. If I do get to that point, I'm sure I would want to build, or more likely assemble, whole cues. Suggestions and opinions needed- especially if you have or have worked with all 3 lathes.
thanks-jeff

pm sent sir please check ty.

 

[manwon]

I'm looking @ buying a cue lathe, Hightower Delux ,Model-B, or Unique Q-builder. I have searched this site for info. Am I correct in that opinions have changed on Porpers since they outsourced production? I need to do repair work( tips,ferrules,wraps etc.) But I also want to try to develop my own shaft taper and eventually build complete shafts, index rings etc. If I do get to that point, I'm sure I would want to build, or more likely assemble, whole cues. Suggestions and opinions needed- especially if you have or have worked with all 3 lathes.
thanks-jeff

Hello Jeff, I currently have a Porper Repair Lathe, and a Porper B Lathe. The Porper B, will do anything you want to do effortlessly. Another thing, this machine is closer to a Metal Lathe for holding tolerances than anything else on the Market. Over a 32 inch span my Porper B Lathe will hold a 1 to 2 thousandth tolerance using my router, and that is hard to beat.

I have used my Porper B for everything from turning to complete cue building, and short of a fully tooled metal lathe I would own nothing else.

Good luck anyway you decide to go, and have a great night!!!!!!

 

[Adonisy]

when you buy machine , machine is not only think you must care...

sometimes... you need more after-care service , in this point

you must choice Hightower Delux or Unique Q-builder

 

[manwon]

when you buy machine , machine is not only think you must care...

sometimes... you need more after-care service , in this point

you must choice Hightower Delux or Unique Q-builder

What kind of tolerance can your machine hold over a 32 " span? I am truly interested in your reply.

Thanks

 

[gmcole]

What kind of tolerance can your machine hold over a 32 " span? I am truly interested in your reply.

Thanks

Does that mean Cuesmith and Unique can't hold good tolerances?
thanks-jeff

 

[manwon]

Does that mean Cuesmith and Unique can't hold good tolerances?
thanks-jeff

I am uncertain what tolerance they can hold, I have never used one. However, through second hand information I have recieved from locals who have the Hightower Lathe over a unsupported 32" span they will not come close to the Porper Lathe which is + or - 2 thousandth.

I did this test by turning a 32" square round with my router on the tool post. After the operation I marked the head and the foot stock on the round and took measurements to find the total run out over the entire span while cutting using the screw or the automatic mode.

The reason I asked the other poster what the run out was or tolerance was so that I could compare them.

Have a good night!!!!!

 

[Adonisy]

What kind of tolerance can your machine hold over a 32 " span? I am truly interested in your reply.

Thanks

when you work with metal part , tolerance is very important
but cue is wood , tolerance is not only one choice

I thnks within 0.005'' , I can accept

 

[WilleeCue]

I'm looking @ buying a cue lathe, Hightower Delux ,Model-B, or Unique Q-builder. I have searched this site for info. Am I correct in that opinions have changed on Porpers since they outsourced production? I need to do repair work( tips,ferrules,wraps etc.) But I also want to try to develop my own shaft taper and eventually build complete shafts, index rings etc. If I do get to that point, I'm sure I would want to build, or more likely assemble, whole cues. Suggestions and opinions needed- especially if you have or have worked with all 3 lathes.
thanks-jeff

Ah yes ... another 'which lathe is the best' question.
Simply put ... there is NO simple answer!

Jeff, you aint gonna do all that with just one machine unless you are tearing down and setting up for every operation.
Machines that will allow you to change shaft profiles quickly are CNC controled and start around $8500.
Everything you want (except quick change taper profiles) can be done on a Unique CueMaker lathe with all the options but you will spend a lot of time reconfiguring the machine for each operation.

I would recomend the Porper B lathe for repair and basic cuemaking operatons and the Unique Taper/Shaper for ring making , tapering, and shaft making.
With these two machines (plus a lot of other shop equipment) you can make a very nice custom cue with fancy ring work.
Add the Unique Products Inlay machine either as a stand alone (recomended) or as an optional add on conversion to the Taper/Shaper and you move up to the next level ... inlay work.
So now you got three cue making machines ... got a band saw?

Now ... once your masterpiece is made you enter the world of finishing it and that is yet another skill/knowledge set requiring yet more equipment.

 

[WilleeCue]

Hello Jeff, I currently have a Porper Repair Lathe, and a Porper B Lathe. The Porper B, will do anything you want to do effortlessly.

What modifications did you make to taper a shaft?

What modifications did you make to cut ring groves?
The router is a side cut not an end cutter.

Wish I could make cues with no effort <grin>.

 

[WilleeCue]

What kind of tolerance can your machine hold over a 32 " span? I am truly interested in your reply.

My Unique Products CueMonster can cut a shaft within .001 of desired profile over the entire length.
With a little TLC so can my Unique Products Taper/Shaper.
Buying the right equipment is just half the equation.
Learning how to correctly use it to do what you want is the other part.

 

[gmcole]

Willee
I am well equipted for general woodworking. I was hoping I could get one "cue lathe" and accomplish my goal, even if it means alot of tearing down and setting up. I am not interested in pursuing a career in cuebuilding. If I need more than one machine, taper shaper etc., I am O.K. with that. So.. you would recommend the Porper over your Unique CueMaker for basic cue making duties? Why?
thanks-jeff

 

[blud]

saw/lathe, CNC

I'm looking @ buying a cue lathe, Hightower Delux ,Model-B, or Unique Q-builder. I have searched this site for info. Am I correct in that opinions have changed on Porpers since they outsourced production? I need to do repair work( tips,ferrules,wraps etc.) But I also want to try to develop my own shaft taper and eventually build complete shafts, index rings etc. If I do get to that point, I'm sure I would want to build, or more likely assemble, whole cues. Suggestions and opinions needed- especially if you have or have worked with all 3 lathes.
thanks-jeff

Hi Jeff, I sell a full blown CNC saw/lathe that can turn cut all your parts, from 12" up to 31".
It's COMPLETE, lap top, programs, everything you need, it bolts to the top of your 10" table saw. I also send a 10" saw blade. It sells for $3,250.00. I have 4 ready to be shipped. Can ship when I return home around the 21st.......of march..
call me at either number. I'm heading to Valley forge next tuesday.
830-232-5991 home/office
830-796-1610 cell
thanks for your time.
blud

 

[manwon]

What modifications did you make to taper a shaft?

What modifications did you make to cut ring groves?
The router is a side cut not an end cutter.

Wish I could make cues with no effort <grin>.

Willeecue how are you today, I hope all is well. I made no modifications to taper a shaft. I use the procedures some people have used for the last forty or fifty years. All I do is dial in the taper bar with the dial indicator attached to the taper bar which is standard equipment for the B-lathe.
Last I finish the shafts by hand using mandrels which I made for this purpose.

For slotting stock for rings, I use the standard router attached to the tool post, the only item I purchased separately for making rings was a few slotting saws for my router and the Arbor for the slotting saws. Currently the slotting saws I am using are 1/16, 1/8, and 1/4. Since the indexer is attached to the head stock on the Porper B those were the only additional Items I needed. The ones I am using are made by Bosch and were purchased at my local Lowe's Hardware.



When I say that this B-model lathe allows me to make cues effortlessly, this is exactly what I mean. I built my first lathe from spare parts, I then moved up to a Porper repair Lathe. I started building cues with the repair lathe, which has no taper attachment and unmodified will not allow the tool post to moved from the right side. When I took this machine to its Maxim use by modifying it, I decided to by the Porper B Lathe which truly makes thing effortless for me personally. However, I still use the repair lathe for other functions.
So, I suspect that understanding how to get maximum use out of what you have through experience is the key, but common sense never hurt's either.

 

[gmcole]

manwon'
Hightower claims an adjustable taper bar (for shafts), so once you determine your shaft taper, it's set and repeatable? Is this the same on the B lathe? Can you make indexed rings from start to finish on the B? Sorry for all the questions.-jeff

 

[manwon]

manwon'
Hightower claims an adjustable taper bar (for shafts), so once you determine your shaft taper, it's set and repeatable? Is this the same on the B lathe? Can you make indexed rings from start to finish on the B? Sorry for all the questions.-jeff

Jeff, you can do everything on the Porper B. The taper bar is adjustable for shafts or Butts and it come with a dial indicator attachment. If your want to set the taper bar and leave it alone for a single job you can do that with no problem. You can also record your adjustments using the dial indicator and by using turns on the adjustment.

The indexer is built into the headstock of this lathe, by using the indexer the billet is locked between the head stock and the foot stock and the slotts are cut with the router.

I will say this, I really have nothing against the other lathes. However, the Porper is as close to a operational metal lathe as you can get for accurate performance. It comes almost fully tooled to begin cue repair and building, in my opinion it is a much better product.

Have a good day

 

[WilleeCue]

So.. you would recommend the Porper over your Unique CueMaker for basic cue making duties? Why?
thanks-jeff

Yes, I would.

The CueMaker lathe has soft Delrin jaws that work in a collet sort of way.
That setup is both accurate and super safe for the fingers but requires a tail stock center be used to hold the material in place.
The Delrin jaws work well for most cue making tasks but do not grip well enough to hold the part on their own.
If Unique Products would come up with an optional metal chuck (like Porper or Hightower) for the CueMaker that machine would be the NUTS.
This is not a problem when working on pieces long enough to extend thru the chuck so the tail stock center can be used.

The Porper has metal jaws that will grip and align the piece like a regular metal lathe so smaller pieces can be machined (like slicing ring billetts and drilling / taping ferrules).

I have owned both the Porper B and the CueMaker.
The Porper was sold when I bought a full size metal lathe and I still use the CueMaker for cue repair and other cuemaking tasks.

 

[gmcole]

Yes, I would.

The CueMaker lathe has soft Delrin jaws that work in a collet sort of way.
That setup is both accurate and super safe for the fingers but requires a tail stock center be used to hold the material in place.
The Delrin jaws work well for most cue making tasks but do not grip well enough to hold the part on their own.
If Unique Products would come up with an optional metal chuck (like Porper or Hightower) for the CueMaker that machine would be the NUTS.
This is not a problem when working on pieces long enough to extend thru the chuck so the tail stock center can be used.

The Porper has metal jaws that will grip and align the piece like a regular metal lathe so smaller pieces can be machined (like slicing ring billetts and drilling / taping ferrules).

I have owned both the Porper B and the CueMaker.
The Porper was sold when I bought a full size metal lathe and I still use the CueMaker for cue repair and other cuemaking tasks.

Thank you-jeff