Do you replace your own tips?

Do you replace your own tips?

  • Yes, I handle my own cue maintenance

    Votes: 55 63.2%

  • No, I leave it to better hands than my own.

    Votes: 32 36.8%
  • Total voters
    87
krupa

krupa

The Dream Operator
Silver Member
I always have a local guy replace the tips on my cues but lately I've been thinking of learning to do it myself. The local guy is great but has so much going on that I usually have to wait a week or more to get a shaft back.

So I'm wondering if I'm in the minority with not knowing how to replace tips. If you do it yourself, what tools do you use?
 
it's not that I don't want to I am the type of person that wants to have the right equipment and knowledge to get the job done right. If i had some type of small wood lathe and the tools to do it along with some type of training I would do all my own tipping along with cleaning.
 
krupa said:
I always have a local guy replace the tips on my cues but lately I've been thinking of learning to do it myself. The local guy is great but has so much going on that I usually have to wait a week or more to get a shaft back.

So I'm wondering if I'm in the minority with not knowing how to replace tips. If you do it yourself, what tools do you use?
Click to expand...

A week is bad. Most cue guys do it on the spot in 5 minutes and hand it right back.

If you do it yourself, it really is best to get a small cue repair lathe and learn how to do it right. That way you won't butcher the ferrules and shaft.

When I have to do one myself in an emergency, which is rare, I have a set of bits I use with my drill. I scrape the ferrule top with a utility knife or razor, scruff the glue side of the tip, use superglue gel to glue the tip on, wait 5 minutes, tape around the ferrule to protect it, then mount the shaft on the drill. I staple a piece of 80 grit sand paper to my workbench, then holding the shaft nearly flat with light pressure against the tip and paper, carefully sand the excess off the tip. Once roughly shaped, I switch to 150 grip then finish with 400 grit. If the ferrule gets scraped, I use 400 wet to remove any scratches. I shape the tip rough by holding it at an angle to the 80 grit and finish with a tip shaper.

Sounds long but takes about 15 minutes.
 
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I do it so seldom, like once a year, that I don't see the advantage in doing it myself.
Why risk a screwup or put myself through the hassle, when it's only $20-30 a year?
And the guy will usually throw in a cleaning on his lathe too. Can't beat that.
 
TATE said:
A week is bad. Most cue guys do it on the spot in 5 minutes and hand it right back.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I don't like waiting a week but the guy does great work. He's just got a lot of irons in the fire these days.
 
CreeDo said:
I do it so seldom, like once a year, that I don't see the advantage in doing it myself.
Why risk a screwup or put myself through the hassle, when it's only $20-30 a year?
And the guy will usually throw in a cleaning on his lathe too. Can't beat that.
Click to expand...

My guy does great work and always cleans up the shaft, works dings out, etc.

I like do to things for myself when I can and I'm always looking for something new to learn.
 
RussPrince said:
I'm a pretty hands on guy. I love doing things like this myself. Here's a link to a thread illustrating how I made my own sub $100 lathe. I get results doing tips myself as good as any pro installer I've had do a tip for me.

http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=339502

I do free tips and cleaning for all my teammates too.
Click to expand...

You must take note of your cue end holder. The heat generated at times would remove some coat of varnish at the cue end. Happened to me before.
 
x3dnd3x said:
You must take note of your cue end holder. The heat generated at times would remove some coat of varnish at the cue end. Happened to me before.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the tip. Since those pictures I have a newer end holder that holds on very tight to the cue end and does not slip to generate any heat.
 
If I happen to have the tip I need I will put it on myself. If I do not have a tip Tony at Jackson Cue will do it while I wait. I have a large metal lathe in my shop that I can spin my shaft on, with Delrin col-lets of course.
 
I'm a big DIY'er and do my own with a simple razor blade. All it takes is a little bit of patience. I had one pop off due to the glue I was using. Once I switched to two part epoxy, I haven't had an issue.

Give it a shot on a cheaper cue if you have that option and you'll find it's pretty simple. Don't be in a rush and you can easily do it as good as on a lathe. Good Luck :thumbup:
 
Yes I do NOW.. Had two bad experiences one guy dripped cyano down a shaft then decided to sand it off along with lots of wood. Second time a guy decided that sanding off the overhanging new tip should include lots of ferrule material as well. I have a long # 2 pencil shaft now. After the second experience I borrow a friends Willard and do my own. I do a much better job that the two other lunkheads..
 
I did mine by hand for years and got pretty good at it. I decided to get a midamerica lathe to start doing it as lots of people had me doing theirs at the local vfw and senior centers. Was taking too much time by hand at that point. Best decision I ever made as i can do ferrules and tenons now as well.

~Roy
 
tip

Replace mine and the players in and around along with making one of the best if not the best milk dud you can play with.....
 
I used to always do my own until I started using layered tips. I have never tried doing one of those by hand...was always afraid of the tip's layers separating when trying to cut it down with a blade.
 
I replace my own tips. I use a 13x40 metal lathe. :)

I went out and bought about $10,000 worth of cue making equipment, made around a dozen cues, then mothballed it all and went back to work at a "real job". I found out quickly it is tough to make a living as a new cuemaker, but it is a nice side hobby.
 
I'd like to see a video of what you just described.

I also use a drill and a pin to clean and wax my shafts.

Never thought to do tips with it..

TATE said:
A week is bad. Most cue guys do it on the spot in 5 minutes and hand it right back.

If you do it yourself, it really is best to get a small cue repair lathe and learn how to do it right. That way you won't butcher the ferrules and shaft.

When I have to do one myself in an emergency, which is rare, I have a set of bits I use with my drill. I scrape the ferrule top with a utility knife or razor, scruff the glue side of the tip, use superglue gel to glue the tip on, wait 5 minutes, tape around the ferrule to protect it, then mount the shaft on the drill. I staple a piece of 80 grit sand paper to my workbench, then holding the shaft nearly flat with light pressure against the tip and paper, carefully sand the excess off the tip. Once roughly shaped, I switch to 150 grip then finish with 400 grit. If the ferrule gets scraped, I use 400 wet to remove any scratches. I shape the tip rough by holding it at an angle to the 80 grit and finish with a tip shaper.

Sounds long but takes about 15 minutes.
Click to expand...
 
I've owned a Williard since 92. Paid for itself after the first year or so because there was no one in my town who did it. Except for blades, I haven't had to replace any parts and it does the job.
 
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