I would like to expermint with some rings is there anything to help me get started with the inlay, lamination, or just how it is done. I can handle the turning part.
thanks,
johnny
thanks,
johnny
Documentation on making Fancy ring work
- Thread starter Johnny95610
- Start date
A book may help
Chris Hightower has a book out on cuemaking, I bought it, and find it has some cool insights, and it does go into the different rings and which glues to use. It is a spiral bound 260 pg book. Pricey- $69.95, but because of limited sales on a specialized topic I am sure it is fair.
Chris Hightower has a book out on cuemaking, I bought it, and find it has some cool insights, and it does go into the different rings and which glues to use. It is a spiral bound 260 pg book. Pricey- $69.95, but because of limited sales on a specialized topic I am sure it is fair.
Johnny95610 said:
Good Day
I am a garage cue builder in South Texas, and started building my own rings a few months back. I use the Hightower Dlx Cuesmith lathe. One thing to keep in mind is this. You will have to build THREE (3) diferent diameter ring billets to be used to complete a cue or many cues. Depending on what final taper you decide is your "cue identity", in other words---a cue taper of 1.25 at Butt down to 0.85 at joint--(or any other taper combo).
Now the smaller ring billet (for the joint/shaft rings) will be cut round down to approx. 0.950 or closer if you like. A groove is cut to a depth of maybe 0.20" or so. You will need a good way of "indexing" your material, so that you can turn the round wood on axis 4 steps--(90 degress each turn) - or 8 steps --(45 degrees each turn), etc, etc.
Set up a router with an end mill of the diameter you want for the width, say 0.10 -0.20, plunge the depth you want--(see above for your depth), and run the router along the length of your round wood material. Cutting a long groove length wise.
Cut your inlay material to the length and width of the grovve, fill grooves with glue, insert inlay material, wrap in wax paper, wrap rubber tubing around and around the entire length, wait 24 hours, and unwrap your new ring billet.
Now for step Number 2 !!
See above, make your 2nd and 3rd diameter ring billets the same, but with a diameter of say--1.10 for your "A-joint" area and 1.35 for your Butt cap area.
Now for Step 3!!
You will now need to cut the rings, after you BORE your hole out in the middle. Depending on how you build your cues---BORE hole sizes of 0.625 or 0.624 for the joint ring(s), 0.625 or 0.75 for the "A-joint" area, and finally 0.75 for the butt area.
Now for Step 4!!
You will need other material to make plain rings of the same wood type, or linen based material to "stack" rings and make different patterns, at each area. This is where creative juices start flowing.
I will include a link here, from "Cue Crazy" who posts in "Ask The Cuemakers" forum. Some time back he posted a picture set that really showed the process in these steps, and "Kudos" go out to him.
http://colbertcues.com/slotdashchainlinkringwork.htm
Now the easy way, is just to buy them from Prathers in Oklahoma, but a "set" of ring material 3" long, and for all 3 sizes is about $ 90.00.
TIME = $$$$
Hope this helps
Richard Womeldorf
McAllen, Tx
Thank you very much. Well I dont make cues (yet) But I would like to add some ring work to my joint protectors so they match Runde dash marks.
JOhnny
JOhnny
Those were done on a hightower, and It handles the job fine. The slots are kind of deep, and don't need to be If you have a specific diameter you plan to dial them in at, but you still may have to make seperate sizes as mentioned.
They were done with just a simple dremel like this one in the pic, mounted in the tool post of the lathe. It's been said that dremels have more run out because of the plastic frame the bearings are mounted in. I guess I can see that, but if so, for this kind of billet any runout seems to be spread evenly with mine I guess, and the slots come out decent just a matter of using the correct size bit that works with the strip thickness, and you can run short slots on a test piece to find that out. Wider strips can be done with the laminate trimmer, but if I can get away with a dremel I like to because of the speed control for one, and less earaches from the porter. I have an adapter for the porter so that I can use the 1/8 shank in it, as well as larger bits.
If you were using a mill then slot cutters in different thicknesses might work really well. There's many ways to do the same task. Mine was just a case of using what I had. There are better ways I'm sure. I hope to get into making a bunch of billet to put up, for when I need it. That is if I ever get the extra time.
If I'm picturing the same runde slots you are refering to, then something like I did could work. Seems like the maple slots are longer though, but all you have to do is index in less positions, therefore creating less black slots, that in turn makes the maple slots wider. You could probably just count the # of slots on the shaft, and get an idea of how many index positions to use.
Good Luck with It,
Greg
They were done with just a simple dremel like this one in the pic, mounted in the tool post of the lathe. It's been said that dremels have more run out because of the plastic frame the bearings are mounted in. I guess I can see that, but if so, for this kind of billet any runout seems to be spread evenly with mine I guess, and the slots come out decent just a matter of using the correct size bit that works with the strip thickness, and you can run short slots on a test piece to find that out. Wider strips can be done with the laminate trimmer, but if I can get away with a dremel I like to because of the speed control for one, and less earaches from the porter. I have an adapter for the porter so that I can use the 1/8 shank in it, as well as larger bits.
If you were using a mill then slot cutters in different thicknesses might work really well. There's many ways to do the same task. Mine was just a case of using what I had. There are better ways I'm sure. I hope to get into making a bunch of billet to put up, for when I need it. That is if I ever get the extra time.
If I'm picturing the same runde slots you are refering to, then something like I did could work. Seems like the maple slots are longer though, but all you have to do is index in less positions, therefore creating less black slots, that in turn makes the maple slots wider. You could probably just count the # of slots on the shaft, and get an idea of how many index positions to use.
Good Luck with It,
Greg
