December 23, 2008 Paul’s Reply
Hi Steve
The holidays have been keeping me busy, but not in the shop. I have been thinking about a cue for you. I think I can incorporate most of your woods into a cue. If we are considering what I would call my symmetrical wrapless design (4 points front, 4 points rear, 2 pairs of criss cross bf splices in the middle), I've been thinking of the following: front and back ends of ebony, middle "handle" section of cocobolo (this would extend to be the two upper and two lower inner points). Not sure of the veneer colors, yet, but would propose sandwiching a thicker element of purpleheart between identical veneer stacks. So the total veneer stack forms a series of butterfly patterns towards the middle of the cue, while the other end of the veneers is mitered against those of the opposite side to form the points. The same veneers could be used for the points between the points, making the 4 points uniform and symmetrical, but the inner point wood can be other than cocobolo. Snakewood would fit in nicely with the coco colors here. I could use a small piece of amboyna burl at the butt sleeve. So thats all the woods you like, which I like too. The ebony and coco are heavy woods, so the weight needs to be adjusted by the use of the lighter dyed veneers and purpleheart in the veneer stacks. When the time comes, I'll send you pix of the woods and veneers I'm planning to use.
For reference to the above, suggest the classiccues website. You'll see a few variations of veneers in the pix..note that the lower pic has all veneers with no thick element between.
I will agree to an ivory butt cap provided you are aware that it is not the best material for a butt. Care must be taken as ivory is not as strong as phenolic plastics, but it is much prettier. As for engraved jp's, not sure about that yet, I would have to make a fixture to do it. I would cap the jp's with ivory and engrave the tops.
With the holiday mess cleared up, I would expect to start assembling blanks in Jan.
Have a great holiday.
Paul
December 23, 2008 My reply to Paul
Paul-
Sounds perfect. I appreciate your info on the ivory butt cap and still wish to go with that.
I just think the JP along with your design and my half-thoughts will make this cue truly mine.
By the way, I talked to my 'advisor' XXXXX. and he loved the ideas and sends his best holiday wishes to you, as do I.
Talk to you next year.
Steve
January 6, 2009 Update from Paul F.
Hi Steve
Just saying Hello and Happy New Year. I just shipped out a cue, so now I'm thinking about your cue. I"m not decided on veneer colors, or configuration, but I'll work on some combinations and send you pix to see if there is a preference you like best. I also found a fixture that I had made for indexing, and it is 24 position, so with an additional holder for the joint caps, I think I can pantograph engrave your handle in a clockface manner. Looking back at your email with the pix of cues, I realized an area of possible confusion, which I wish to avoid. I had forgotten your mention of possible butterfly splices on the shafts, and that was not considered in the price we discussed. I've only done a few of them, and consider it to be for show only. Whereas the multiple splices in the butt contribute to the structural integrity of the assembly, besides being pretty, they do nothing for the shaft. I haven't done any for the wrapless cues, and with no bf splices below the joint end of the butt, I'm not sure how the transition would look. In any case, making a shaft that way is more involved than making a typical point or bf blank, and I must start with an oversized shaft blank, which means more time. If you really want one, let me know, and when we decide on the veneer configuration of the butt, I can figure out how to do the shaft, and let you know how much it will cost.
Feel free to get back to me with any questions, and again, have a great new year.
Paul
January 6, 2009 My Reply
Thanks Paul and Happy New Year as well -
On the shafts - I am just wanting the 'plain' shafts so no need to do the butterflies. After looking at it, I think that it is actually a bit too much. Thanks for being so thorough in your response.
Looking forward to your pix. Again, I completely trust your judgment.
Steve
January 27, 2009
Hi Steve
Here are some pix of a cue to be, maybe. Front and back ends are ebony, middle section cocobolo, and I've laid out the veneers in sequence...thin white, dark red, thick purpleheart, teal, thin white. I have the lighter red that you referred to, but I don't like it that much, too bright, the teal and dark red (bordeau) being more subdued, but colorful. Will also work in some snakewood in the shorter points, and some burl in the butt. Let me know what you think. Making cues is a matter of many decisions. When I make a cue on spec, I try not to agonize over what to use, how to arrange it...it's not my last cue, so I could always make another. When I make a cue to order, or at least with some input from the customer, I have just one shot to get it right, so to speak, so I take my best guess as to what will please us both. Feel free to alter any of the above at this phase. Once I know what to do, I can start cutting and gluing.
Paul
January 27, 2009 My Reply
I think this cue is really going to pop with those woods you chose. I think the
way the purple heart fits into the mix.
Are you going to be able to do some ring work on the cue as well?
Maybe rings in the color pattern the same as the veneers.
Keep the updates coming, I really appreciate it.
Steve
January 27, 2009 From Paul
Hi Steve
Should be able to do some ringwork using the same veneer pack. Will send some pix of progress.
Paul
January 27, 2009 My Reply
Perfect. Bordered by silver and they should pop out nicely.
Take care-
Steve
January 27, 2009 From Paul
Hi Steve
Sorry, no metal rings in my cues...too great an expansion differential with the woods, don't glue well, will break thru the finish and eventually make noise. Love the way they look, but they detract from structural integrity. The white maple will set off the transitions at the ends of the ringwork, i think. Still plenty of time to decide.
Paul
February 2, 2009 Question to Paul
Your replies always make sense to me. Sounds good.
Two more questions: Do you sign your cues or have a logo?'
You mentioned that you recently completed a cue and shipped it out. Do you have any pic that you care to share of the completed cue?
Thanks,
Steve
February 2, 2009 Reply from Paul
Hi Steve
I started signing my cues several years ago, hadn't done it previously. I had always stamped a letter "F" on the end of the joint pin. A few years ago I went with a custom pin made by a friend who supplies the major billiard parts distributors, and many individual cuemakers. His metal parts are excellent and done with a precision far surpassing the needs of cuemaking. I couldn't stamp a letter on these pins because they had a centering hole in the end. What I did was inlay a round dot of material (ivory, mop, abalone, etc) and engrave a letter "F" on that...much neater. Most people that know my cues look for the F on the pin.
Attached some pix of the last cue I sent out...style similar to yours. The extra veneer points at the butt end were the result of finding a way to increase the size of a slightly undersized blank so that I could adapt it to the construction methods necessary to build the wrapless style cue. Your cue is in the assembly stage, and I like the way it looks, so far. I'll send some pix soon...you'll wonder how such a monstrosity can ever be made to look like a cue.
Paul
February 5, 2009
Hi Steve
Moving right along. The glued up square blank has to be taper turned and left oversize for some time. Then I'll start working on the ringwork and other details. I like the colors so far.
Paul
February 9, 2009
Hi Steve
So far, so good! I like the way the colors came out, and everything will be brighter after finishing. Still have to decide on ringwork, and butt sleeve (burlwood). Will probably keep the ringwork simple, so as not to distract from the lines of the cue.
Hope you like it so far.
Feel free to comment one way or another.
Paul
Paul called this the 'embryonic cue' when he titled the pic. I really liked that term.
March 30, 2009 Status Question for Paul
Hello Paul-
Just wondering if there has been any more progress as I am not really
Sure what the overall process is. I hear my blank was @ Valley
Forge and a big hit.
Thanks,
Steve
March 30, 2009 Reply from Paul
Hi Steve
The blank is ready for the next phase, it has rested long enough now. It will get another turn down to near finish size, ringwork and sleeve and ivory butt cap will be installed, ringwork and joint, shafts and jp's. I have your cue and XXXXX's to finish, and I will complete both before I start anything new. Shouldn't be too long now, about 2 more months.
I know XXXXX was at vf, but I missed seeing him. I was just getting over a case of the flu, so I was walking around in a fog, and I missed a lot.
Will update you as more progress is made.
Paul
May 2, 2009 From Paul
Hi Steve
Sending a pic of the butt sleeve and rings. That's where I worked in the burlwood.
My apologies for the delay, but I got one of those ideas that wouldn't let me rest until I followed through. I always seem to stumble on the aesthetics of ringwork, of course I agonize over color mixes and veneers for the main cue, but I seem to stall at choosing ringwork. I wanted to get a non linear (curvy) element into ringwork to accent the natural curves of b.f. splices. I figured out a way to do it that required turning the cue shop into a machine shop (one and the same, just different setups). I built a machine to accomplish the task, and it looks like it will work and open up a whole new area for me to play with. It shouldn't be too long now, and it will be done and I will complete your cue.
Thanks for your patience.
Best of luck in Vegas, and you shouldn't gamble....stick to poker.
Paul
June 5, 2009 From Paul
Hi Steve
The butt is together, shafts are started. I test hit the butt with a spare shaft...It works and hits as I expected. The dimensions are .845 at joint and 1.25 at butt. This used to be considered "skinny", but it is in the range of what is "standard" at this time. Cues measuring 1.2 or less are now considered thin. The reason I am explaining this is because the cue as it is will finish up a bit over 19.5 oz. All heavy woods were used in this, and I employed partial coring and titanium joint pin to keep weight down and maintain balance. However, I could retaper the butt to skinnier dimensions to bring the weight down more, not changing the joint diam. Probably a few more months for all the steps of final finishing.
-Paul
June 5, 2009 To Paul
Thanks for the update and the new pic.
The cue truly is a masterpiece and I love the way it all came together.
I think the ivory joint and butt cap really make your eyes focus on
the work in between.
The dimensions are great. I see no need to taper down the butt anymore. 19-19.5 is what I was looking for. What I do know about woods is the ones we talked about are
heavier so I assumed that would might be an issue.
Again, I think you have done an excellent job in matching this cue to me. I appreciate your time and responses that you have given me.
-Steve
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