Female Cuemakers
- Thread starter jgpool
- Start date
Don't be confused. To be a successful cuemaker or even a hobbyist cuemaker, you have to have a background in machining, technical aptitude in machining, or a freakish love for machining wood. If you look at the machining world, there are extremely few female machinists. So, there's a direct corrolation. In my industry, I have met literally thousands of machinists and moldmakers. Not once have I met a full-time female machinist. And I can't even remember seeing an aspiring female machinist. I'm sure they're out there. But obviously there can't be that many. It's a numbers game for sure.jgpool said:Are there any female cuemakers? I have seen some female helpers but I am not aware of any females making cues. I find this interesting. I see no reason for this. If I am wrong please educate me on this. Thanks.
And remember... even if some cuemakers don't have a background in machining, they still take steps to learn it if they're going to have any kind of fun at it.
So, combining the world of machining and the world of pool, there just aren't going to be that many women with the background necessary to even light their fire. Considering other industries that at least have some (but still very few) females like carpentry or auto mechanics, it's not a stretch to think that a female female can learn to be great cuemaker.
Fred
If you click the site below you will see pictures of Meg from Australian at Dieckman's Cueniversity. He might know of other female cuemaker [cuebuilder].
http://www.cuemaker.com/gallery20.htm
http://www.cuemaker.com/galleryoz02.htm
http://www.cuemaker.com/gallery20.htm
http://www.cuemaker.com/galleryoz02.htm
Jerry Forsyth
Well-known member
Laurie Franklin. Southwest cues. Laurie has always been the one to pick the shaft wood, even when Jerry was still alive. I do not know what physical processes she is now involved in as perrtains to the construction of the cues, but she is where the buck stops at Southwest and bears all the responsibility for the shop.
ANd when Sigel and Varner were together Toni Varner was often the one in the shop while Mike and Nick were on the golf course. (Sorry to tattle on you, Nick, but you were the one who told me the story.)
Jerry
ANd when Sigel and Varner were together Toni Varner was often the one in the shop while Mike and Nick were on the golf course. (Sorry to tattle on you, Nick, but you were the one who told me the story.)
Jerry
There are several not so well known cue making women not mentioned. But we also have to give credit to those who do one or two parts of cuemaking. Most of those fancy Andy Gilberts are pantographed by his wife. Burt Schrager's wife Pat did almost all his inlay work. Tad Kohara'a wife did much of his inlay work. Women overall don't have the interest in the machining part. But many love art and are drawn to the inlay side. I had a women contact our International Cuemakers Association asking if anyone was hiring. Said she worked for Meucci and inlaid the Taj Mahol cue. One of the most expensive cues ever built by anyone. Although my daughter works with me she avoids cue building like the plague. She has no interest in it. On the other hand my son has taken to almost all parts of cue building but favors the inlay work.
Chris
www.hightowercues.com
www.internationalcuemakers.com
Chris
www.hightowercues.com
www.internationalcuemakers.com
David and Meg are members of the International Cuemakers Association. That picture of Meg doing the inlaying shows an example of what I was talking about in my previous post. Women are the artistic backbone of many shops, but their spouses get the credit. My son has become the artistic backbone of our shop with the introduction of CNC equipment and often gets very little credit. Don't get me wrong we fuss and argue over designs all the time and most of our higher end cues are a result of that nit picking each others ideas, but in the end it is him that cuts the inlay parts and pockets.billiardshot said:
Chris
www.hightowercues.com
www.internationalcuemakers.com
He is 23. Started helping me when he was about 8. He has quit and come back many times since then. He built his first cue at age 8 I think. I had to hold his hand to help him run the irish linen on and I put the finish on for him, but he did everything else.Snapshot9 said:
Chris
www.hightowercues.com
www.internationalcuemakers.com
has anybody played with annie o's performance shaft? they make some huge claims!
worriedbeef said:
Who is THEY?
Annie is a very acomplished cuemaker that has ben making cues for many years and has built a very good reputation as such.
She has invested a LOT of time and money building equipment that allows her to measure and evaulate shaft performance.
If she says her shafts have less deflection i am sure that is something she can set up and prove to anyone wishing to pay her cue shop a visit.
BS is cheap and plentiful in the cuemaker world but Annie is a straight shooter.
http://www.annieosproshop.com
Willee
thanks for the reply. i was in a rush at the time and had to go, hence the crappy sentence which in hindsight looks a bit disrespectul.
anyway back to my original question and point. she's ultimately claiming her cue is better than a 314 shaft, which is arguably the best shaft in the world. so she's talking up her cue highly! just wondering if anybody has used one and what do they think?
John Barton
New member
Nickie Devost in Ft. Collins Colorado an make a cue from start to finish I believe.
Other than Ann Mayes I don't know of any full time women cuemakers who built up their shop and learned the craft on their own.
In the factory that makes most of our cues there are a lot of women who do run the lathes and are experts at it. I would guess that any one of these women could turn into an independent cuemaker if she had the opportunity and desire.
Other than Ann Mayes I don't know of any full time women cuemakers who built up their shop and learned the craft on their own.
In the factory that makes most of our cues there are a lot of women who do run the lathes and are experts at it. I would guess that any one of these women could turn into an independent cuemaker if she had the opportunity and desire.
John, I could be wrong here but, I think Annie had help from other cuemakers when she was first learning how to make cues.
She also has done a lot on her own.
It is my understanding she designed and built the CNC machine she uses for inlays.
Worriedbeef, i guess you could find a LOT of people to argue about what the best shaft is. First you need to define what you mean by best.
What factors defines what you are looking for in a shaft?
How would you measure that in a way that is meaningful and repeatable?
Annie built her own stroke machine and used it to work out the best materials, taper profile, and construction to end up with a shaft that SHE thinks has the best performance.
The importaint thing is that she can define, measure, and demonstrate that performance using hard science and real test equipment rather than just personal feel.
The 'best' equipment is what works best for you.
Willeecue
She also has done a lot on her own.
It is my understanding she designed and built the CNC machine she uses for inlays.
Worriedbeef, i guess you could find a LOT of people to argue about what the best shaft is. First you need to define what you mean by best.
What factors defines what you are looking for in a shaft?
How would you measure that in a way that is meaningful and repeatable?
Annie built her own stroke machine and used it to work out the best materials, taper profile, and construction to end up with a shaft that SHE thinks has the best performance.
The importaint thing is that she can define, measure, and demonstrate that performance using hard science and real test equipment rather than just personal feel.
The 'best' equipment is what works best for you.
Willeecue
John Barton
New member
Sure, Willee, but probably not much more than male cuemakers get from other cuemakers. What I meant was that her shop didn't grow out of male cuemaker's business. While she may have apprencticed so to speak as many male cuemakers have in their colleague's shops, she is a full fledged cuemaker .
GOOD TO SEE YOU BACK!!!!!!
Will trade one Willee for a hundred Jimbos any day.
GOOD TO SEE YOU BACK!!!!!!
Will trade one Willee for a hundred Jimbos any day.
The original poster asked if there were any female cue makers.
Someone linked to Annie O.
Cue maker...yes and a very good one at that.
Female...define female.
Someone linked to Annie O.
Cue maker...yes and a very good one at that.
Female...define female.
cueman said:
Does anyone have contact details for David and Meg. I tried using the link in Dieckman's site, but it didn't work. I have been thinking about another cue, and would love to support a local Aussie.
Daniel
