Davis Conversion by Eddie Cohen - Build Thread
Hi all,
This will be another build thread, like the one I did for my first custom, here.
That one was a custom Merry Widow by Eddie Cohen. This one will also be by Eddie Cohen, but he will be converting a custom John Davis blank for me.
A bit about the blank: The Davis blank (a short splice) will be jet black ebony into highly figured, hard curly maple, with a second splice of maple. It will be long enough to accommodate a 30" butt and the veneer colors will be (from out to in) royal purple, red, electric blue and teal.
A bit about the cue: I have some design ideas in mind, but not much is set in stone. There will be an ivory joint, a black elephant ear wrap [edit - linen], an ebony butt sleeve and inlays of diamonds (notched and slightly scalloped) and dots [edit - spears... different spears... lots of them]. The diamonds will be done in ivory [edit - the spears will be done in abalone and ivory]. The ringwork will be white, incorporate the veneer colors, some silver and will most likely be made of grained elforyn [edit - juma in the rings, not elforyn]. The butt cap will probably be grained elforyn, as well [edit - ivory Hoppe ring and bumperless]. 60", 19 oz, one predator 314-2 [edit - one of Eddie's shafts], one other shaft (still undecided) [edit - one curly maple Sugartree shaft that will be matched to this cue], matching joint caps.
I will be updating this thread with updates and photos as the process moves along.
3/10/2014 - Blank Ordered
I paid my deposit and put in the order for the Davis blank with Martin of Superior Cues. He made a suggestion that would make this blank a bit special. I like the suggestion and agreed. We are going to add a 5th, thin veneer of black on the outside. I think that this will frame out the veneer colors quite nicely. The quoted turn time was 2-3 months. Martin has been great in answering all of my questions and handling this order for me. Thanks again Martin... you're a pleasure to do business with.
5/12/2014 - Blank Update
I received a call from Martin today. He let me know that John Davis had just sent a new shipment of blanks over to him, and that my blank was part of the shipment. If all goes as planned, my blank should be in on the 23rd. Color me excited!
5/16/2014 - The Blank Is In!
All went as planned... It is in, it is in my possession and it is gorgeous. The veneer colors look better than I imagined... and these are going to POP! The package included the blank, a nice block of ebony for the butt sleeve and extra veneers for use in the rings.
I'd like to say thank you, once again, to Martin (jazznpool) of Superior Cues. He's a classy guy who is extremely easy to do business with. I'd recommend him to anyone.
5/19/2014 - The Conversion Begins
Eddie stopped by to pick up the blank, and my deposit, this afternoon. It is now in capable hands and the conversion process is under way. I'm not going to go into great detail about the design we have put together for this cue, but I can guaranty that it will not disappoint. I will, however, be keeping this thread updated with progress photos throughout the process.
Below are a few photos of the blank, the piece for the butt sleeve and the extra veneers. I was able to snap these just before Eddie came buy and confiscated them from me.
--The 3rd photo of the blank has been removed in order to comply with the maximum of 10 images per post--
5/29/2014 - Ringwork in Progress
The billets have been made, cut to size and the ring design has been finalized. Eddie knew the look I was going for, so we went through quite a few different options before choosing the ring set that he liked best for this cue. He sent me a few pictures and I agreed. Not too much, not too little and they add some color. All of my boxes are checked.
--These photos have been removed in order to comply with the maximum of 10 images per post. A good look at the ringwork is available in the Joint Cap Preview, below--
5/30/2014 - Joint Cap Preview
6/1/2014 - Hoppe Ring
I told Eddie that I wanted an ivory Hoppe ring, but I wanted it to be a bit different... "dressed up," if you will. I thought that sandwiching the Hoppe ring between elements from the ringwork. After playing around with some ideas, this is what he thought looked best. I agreed.
We tried to think of a name for it. "Mega Hoppe" and "Ultra Hoppe" weren't ringing any bells. Then it came to me... "Lord of the Hoppe Rings."
6/3/14 - Chrome Bolts are In...
and are about to be sent off to the engraver.
--This photo has been removed in order to comply with the maximum of 10 images per post. A photo of the engraved bolt will be posted soon--
6/5/2014 - Ready for Inlay and Looking Great
Note: The dots on the butt sleeve, in the 3rd photo, are nothing more than bits of dust catching the sun light. These dots are not part of the wood.
--The 1st photo has been removed in order to comply with the maximum of 10 images per post--
6/6/2014 - Inlay Test Pieces are Cut
I saw a Blackcreek cue posted on here a few months back and I fell in love with the inlay design. It was a play on a traditional scalloped diamond with a wonderful twist. When thinking about the inlays for this cue, I couldn't get that idea out of my head. However, I wanted spears... not diamonds. I sent Eddie a quick napkin sketch I did and talked it over with him. When he sent me this picture of the test pieces, I couldn't have been happier. He absolutely knocked it out of the park.
The first photo is of the test pieces cut out of plastic. The second photos show plastic outer pieces and an abalone inner piece, inlaid into the test pockets he cut into a scrap piece of maple.
--The 2nd photo has been removed in order to comply with the maximum of 10 images per post--
6/7/2014 - All Inlay Pieces are Cut
This cue will have a total of 16 abalone inlays and 32 ivory inlays.
6/15/2014 - Inlay Has Begun
Eddie sent me a nice photo, but I accidentally deleted it. That's OK... there are plenty more photos of the inlays to come.
6/23/2014 - Inlay is Finished
The cue has been taken down to its final size. It is officially ready for a final sanding/polish and the first coats of finish.
6/25/2014 - Chrome Bolts are Back from the Engraver
They are looking quite nice, as well. I have a photo, but I'd rather just show it off in the final photos. It's really difficult to do a detailed, photo-heavy build thread when you are limited to a maximum of 10 photos in a post.
to be continued...
Cheers,
Mike
Hi all,
This will be another build thread, like the one I did for my first custom, here.
That one was a custom Merry Widow by Eddie Cohen. This one will also be by Eddie Cohen, but he will be converting a custom John Davis blank for me.
A bit about the blank: The Davis blank (a short splice) will be jet black ebony into highly figured, hard curly maple, with a second splice of maple. It will be long enough to accommodate a 30" butt and the veneer colors will be (from out to in) royal purple, red, electric blue and teal.
A bit about the cue: I have some design ideas in mind, but not much is set in stone. There will be an ivory joint, a black elephant ear wrap [edit - linen], an ebony butt sleeve and inlays of diamonds (notched and slightly scalloped) and dots [edit - spears... different spears... lots of them]. The diamonds will be done in ivory [edit - the spears will be done in abalone and ivory]. The ringwork will be white, incorporate the veneer colors, some silver and will most likely be made of grained elforyn [edit - juma in the rings, not elforyn]. The butt cap will probably be grained elforyn, as well [edit - ivory Hoppe ring and bumperless]. 60", 19 oz, one predator 314-2 [edit - one of Eddie's shafts], one other shaft (still undecided) [edit - one curly maple Sugartree shaft that will be matched to this cue], matching joint caps.
I will be updating this thread with updates and photos as the process moves along.
3/10/2014 - Blank Ordered
I paid my deposit and put in the order for the Davis blank with Martin of Superior Cues. He made a suggestion that would make this blank a bit special. I like the suggestion and agreed. We are going to add a 5th, thin veneer of black on the outside. I think that this will frame out the veneer colors quite nicely. The quoted turn time was 2-3 months. Martin has been great in answering all of my questions and handling this order for me. Thanks again Martin... you're a pleasure to do business with.
5/12/2014 - Blank Update
I received a call from Martin today. He let me know that John Davis had just sent a new shipment of blanks over to him, and that my blank was part of the shipment. If all goes as planned, my blank should be in on the 23rd. Color me excited!
5/16/2014 - The Blank Is In!
All went as planned... It is in, it is in my possession and it is gorgeous. The veneer colors look better than I imagined... and these are going to POP! The package included the blank, a nice block of ebony for the butt sleeve and extra veneers for use in the rings.
I'd like to say thank you, once again, to Martin (jazznpool) of Superior Cues. He's a classy guy who is extremely easy to do business with. I'd recommend him to anyone.
5/19/2014 - The Conversion Begins
Eddie stopped by to pick up the blank, and my deposit, this afternoon. It is now in capable hands and the conversion process is under way. I'm not going to go into great detail about the design we have put together for this cue, but I can guaranty that it will not disappoint. I will, however, be keeping this thread updated with progress photos throughout the process.
Below are a few photos of the blank, the piece for the butt sleeve and the extra veneers. I was able to snap these just before Eddie came buy and confiscated them from me.
--The 3rd photo of the blank has been removed in order to comply with the maximum of 10 images per post--
5/29/2014 - Ringwork in Progress
The billets have been made, cut to size and the ring design has been finalized. Eddie knew the look I was going for, so we went through quite a few different options before choosing the ring set that he liked best for this cue. He sent me a few pictures and I agreed. Not too much, not too little and they add some color. All of my boxes are checked.
--These photos have been removed in order to comply with the maximum of 10 images per post. A good look at the ringwork is available in the Joint Cap Preview, below--
5/30/2014 - Joint Cap Preview
6/1/2014 - Hoppe Ring
I told Eddie that I wanted an ivory Hoppe ring, but I wanted it to be a bit different... "dressed up," if you will. I thought that sandwiching the Hoppe ring between elements from the ringwork. After playing around with some ideas, this is what he thought looked best. I agreed.
We tried to think of a name for it. "Mega Hoppe" and "Ultra Hoppe" weren't ringing any bells. Then it came to me... "Lord of the Hoppe Rings."
6/3/14 - Chrome Bolts are In...
and are about to be sent off to the engraver.
--This photo has been removed in order to comply with the maximum of 10 images per post. A photo of the engraved bolt will be posted soon--
6/5/2014 - Ready for Inlay and Looking Great
Note: The dots on the butt sleeve, in the 3rd photo, are nothing more than bits of dust catching the sun light. These dots are not part of the wood.
--The 1st photo has been removed in order to comply with the maximum of 10 images per post--
6/6/2014 - Inlay Test Pieces are Cut
I saw a Blackcreek cue posted on here a few months back and I fell in love with the inlay design. It was a play on a traditional scalloped diamond with a wonderful twist. When thinking about the inlays for this cue, I couldn't get that idea out of my head. However, I wanted spears... not diamonds. I sent Eddie a quick napkin sketch I did and talked it over with him. When he sent me this picture of the test pieces, I couldn't have been happier. He absolutely knocked it out of the park.
The first photo is of the test pieces cut out of plastic. The second photos show plastic outer pieces and an abalone inner piece, inlaid into the test pockets he cut into a scrap piece of maple.
--The 2nd photo has been removed in order to comply with the maximum of 10 images per post--
6/7/2014 - All Inlay Pieces are Cut
This cue will have a total of 16 abalone inlays and 32 ivory inlays.
6/15/2014 - Inlay Has Begun
Eddie sent me a nice photo, but I accidentally deleted it. That's OK... there are plenty more photos of the inlays to come.
6/23/2014 - Inlay is Finished
The cue has been taken down to its final size. It is officially ready for a final sanding/polish and the first coats of finish.
6/25/2014 - Chrome Bolts are Back from the Engraver
They are looking quite nice, as well. I have a photo, but I'd rather just show it off in the final photos. It's really difficult to do a detailed, photo-heavy build thread when you are limited to a maximum of 10 photos in a post.
to be continued...
Cheers,
Mike
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