Finishing the cue may be the end of me

JC

JC

Coos Cues
I started building cues in 2013 so I'm about 8 years in now. I love everything about this thing except putting the finish on. I guess I didn't realize at first what an obstacle this would turn into. I have completed some very nice finishes using both Chris' cue coat and with Brite Tone. Even did a few I was happy with using CA and Solarez. I have tried a lot of them.

But what I am satisfied with is very picky. As a result almost every cue I finish is agonizing. Sanding through. Reapplying, polishing inspecting. Sanding down and starting over. It's to the point I feel like quitting because this aspect of the build is dreaded and joyless.

I feel I have gotten the woodworking aspect how I like it but I really want my cues to shine. And I'm very disheartened at this moment.

I have a half a dozen cues completed and just sitting here staring at me waiting for a finish. It's depressing me.

I recently sent three cues to Scot to finish for me out of frustration. But he and Matt are super busy and shipping is costly and iffy now days. I don't even care about profit at this time. Well actually I never did really. Just wanted to make cues folks would like to play pool with. I have discussed this here before and my pride has no problem having Scot finish them all if PA wasn't so damned far from Oregon. And his services weren't so in demand. This is the first time my cues have been sitting there for weeks since I have had him finish them.

I feel like if I don't make a breakthrough soon I may hang it up. Sorry for the pity rant but I'm at wits end.
 
I feel you on this. Finish is the part I dread the most when building cues. I've only been doing this about 4 years and I think I've found a method I like but still always interested in learning what others do. Hang in there.
 
jokers_wild96 said:
I feel you on this. Finish is the part I dread the most when building cues. I've only been doing this about 4 years and I think I've found a method I like but still always interested in learning what others do. Hang in there.
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I guess the issue may be that I have seen finishes that I don't want on my cues. People seem happy with them but I am not.

To spend 10-15 hours building a cue and months to make it so it can represent my work the way I want it to is simply wearing me down.

My day job is fixing cars. When we don't know WTF we are doing we get training. Just how it works.

Maybe I need training? And more than the internet can provide?
 
I’m not a cue maker, but I am a woodworker. I get it, but to me, it’s worth it for that first, magical split second that the finish hits a beautiful pice of wood.
 
JC said:
I started building cues in 2013 so I'm about 8 years in now. I love everything about this thing except putting the finish on. I guess I didn't realize at first what an obstacle this would turn into. I have completed some very nice finishes using both Chris' cue coat and with Brite Tone. Even did a few I was happy with using CA and Solarez. I have tried a lot of them.

But what I am satisfied with is very picky. As a result almost every cue I finish is agonizing. Sanding through. Reapplying, polishing inspecting. Sanding down and starting over. It's to the point I feel like quitting because this aspect of the build is dreaded and joyless.

I feel I have gotten the woodworking aspect how I like it but I really want my cues to shine. And I'm very disheartened at this moment.

I have a half a dozen cues completed and just sitting here staring at me waiting for a finish. It's depressing me.

I recently sent three cues to Scot to finish for me out of frustration. But he and Matt are super busy and shipping is costly and iffy now days. I don't even care about profit at this time. Well actually I never did really. Just wanted to make cues folks would like to play pool with. I have discussed this here before and my pride has no problem having Scot finish them all if PA wasn't so damned far from Oregon. And his services weren't so in demand. This is the first time my cues have been sitting there for weeks since I have had him finish them.

I feel like if I don't make a breakthrough soon I may hang it up. Sorry for the pity rant but I'm at wits end.
Click to expand...

So just curious why couldn't cues just be stained and sealed? I have an old Viking that no longer has its laquer finish and looks great.
 
JC said:
I started building cues in 2013 so I'm about 8 years in now. I love everything about this thing except putting the finish on. I guess I didn't realize at first what an obstacle this would turn into. I have completed some very nice finishes using both Chris' cue coat and with Brite Tone. Even did a few I was happy with using CA and Solarez. I have tried a lot of them.

But what I am satisfied with is very picky. As a result almost every cue I finish is agonizing. Sanding through. Reapplying, polishing inspecting. Sanding down and starting over. It's to the point I feel like quitting because this aspect of the build is dreaded and joyless.

I feel I have gotten the woodworking aspect how I like it but I really want my cues to shine. And I'm very disheartened at this moment.

I have a half a dozen cues completed and just sitting here staring at me waiting for a finish. It's depressing me.

I recently sent three cues to Scot to finish for me out of frustration. But he and Matt are super busy and shipping is costly and iffy now days. I don't even care about profit at this time. Well actually I never did really. Just wanted to make cues folks would like to play pool with. I have discussed this here before and my pride has no problem having Scot finish them all if PA wasn't so damned far from Oregon. And his services weren't so in demand. This is the first time my cues have been sitting there for weeks since I have had him finish them.

I feel like if I don't make a breakthrough soon I may hang it up. Sorry for the pity rant but I'm at wits end.
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Are you using the carbide sanding mandrels?
I hated doing finish until i got the mandrels. I still hated doing finish until I started cutting the cue .010 undersized instead of the .005 like I started out doing. So now I still don't like finishing but I don't hate it to the point of taking a few month break from building cues like I did twenty something years ago because the auto clear coats were driving me crazy.
 
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cueman said:
Are you using the carbide sanding mandrels?
I hated doing finish until i got the mandrels. I still hated doing finish until I started cutting the cue .010 undersized instead of the .005 like I started out doing. So now I still don't like finishing but I don't hate it to the point of taking a few month break from building cues like I did twenty something years ago because the auto clear coats were driving me crazy.
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Yes I have two sets of .850" mandrels and it really helps me especially on matching shafts to butts. I am only cutting .006 undersize because I'm afraid of chipping at the joint if the finish is too thick. I can lay it on thicker downstream from the joint and not notice the "bulge" which I feel is the only place thickness is critical. Maybe my thinking is wrong on this. I actually have a sound process of getting your cue coat to shine deeply but the problem I've had is getting it to the point of polishing without flaws that require reapplication. Gassing bubbles are a struggle with many woods. Even freaking flies landing in it while it spins because it takes so long to harden. Have also had a couple that peeled with oily wood within a couple of years. And I worry it's not hard enough. Although I have many cues out there with it as a finish.

Perhaps I didn't realize going in how much of the end work was non woodworking. If I could hand deliver my cues to Scot Sherbine I am quite sure I would never finish another one and live happily ever after. But that simply isn't an option for the price point of my work and the cost involved to sublet including the ever increasing cost and risk of shipping.

I have studied all the threads here on finishing and how folks are doing it. But I haven't seen most of their cues to know if the result would satisfy me or not. Honestly I have seen some very respected cue makers cues I did not like the finish on one bit. I would never mention names. Not that I can do it better obviously but I know it when I see it.
 
conetip said:
Finish always took me more time than the rest of the cue work combined.
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That's good to hear Neil. Maybe this aspect is just the way it is and I wasn't aware of it when cue building sounded like a good idea. Had I known I may have just said no thank you as I really despise the finish work.
 
JC said:
That's good to hear Neil. Maybe this aspect is just the way it is and I wasn't aware of it when cue building sounded like a good idea. Had I known I may have just said no thank you as I really despise the finish work.
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Just a suggestion my friend, if you have someone local that might enjoy that aspect of the process, maybe even someone who's adept at auto body/paint work, get them involved if they're willing. It might help alleviate some of the mental aspect. Hope you find your way forward. I have really enjoyed seeing your progression as a builder. 😎
 
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I am a bit relieved to have read this thread!

I have only made 14 cues so far, but I also dread the finish part. Takes forever and one small blemish adds hours more to the job.

Don't give up John, your Youtube videos were what convinced my to try this in the first place.

Rob
Sydney, Australia
 
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Welder84 said:
So just curious why couldn't cues just be stained and sealed? I have an old Viking that no longer has its laquer finish and looks great.
Click to expand...
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and I agree wood is beautiful in most of it's states. The market is demanding the type of look automotive clear coat provides. On the other hand the market is demanding inlays too and my cues seem to find good homes without them. I guess it comes down to what I like since my eating isn't linked to my cue building (thankfully or I would be hungry). I do like the deep shiny finish on my cues so am striving to achieve it painlessly and enjoyably which is the part that is eluding me.
 
Welder84 said:
So just curious why couldn't cues just be stained and sealed? I have an old Viking that no longer has its laquer finish and looks great.
Click to expand...
That's not gonna cut it anymore . Even Viking spent some $250K for their new automated finishing booth . They switched to electro-static finish in the late 90's.
 
JC said:
I started building cues in 2013 so I'm about 8 years in now. I love everything about this thing except putting the finish on. I guess I didn't realize at first what an obstacle this would turn into. I have completed some very nice finishes using both Chris' cue coat and with Brite Tone. Even did a few I was happy with using CA and Solarez. I have tried a lot of them.

But what I am satisfied with is very picky. As a result almost every cue I finish is agonizing. Sanding through. Reapplying, polishing inspecting. Sanding down and starting over. It's to the point I feel like quitting because this aspect of the build is dreaded and joyless.

I feel I have gotten the woodworking aspect how I like it but I really want my cues to shine. And I'm very disheartened at this moment.

I have a half a dozen cues completed and just sitting here staring at me waiting for a finish. It's depressing me.

I recently sent three cues to Scot to finish for me out of frustration. But he and Matt are super busy and shipping is costly and iffy now days. I don't even care about profit at this time. Well actually I never did really. Just wanted to make cues folks would like to play pool with. I have discussed this here before and my pride has no problem having Scot finish them all if PA wasn't so damned far from Oregon. And his services weren't so in demand. This is the first time my cues have been sitting there for weeks since I have had him finish them.

I feel like if I don't make a breakthrough soon I may hang it up. Sorry for the pity rant but I'm at wits end.
Click to expand...
Time to hang it up , no pun intended.
Send me that vertical machine .
Seriously, I think you are sanding too much and using too harsh of chemicals on base coat.
 
JC said:
Yes I have two sets of .850" mandrels and it really helps me especially on matching shafts to butts. I am only cutting .006 undersize because I'm afraid of chipping at the joint if the finish is too thick. I can lay it on thicker downstream from the joint and not notice the "bulge" which I feel is the only place thickness is critical. Maybe my thinking is wrong on this. I actually have a sound process of getting your cue coat to shine deeply but the problem I've had is getting it to the point of polishing without flaws that require reapplication. Gassing bubbles are a struggle with many woods. Even freaking flies landing in it while it spins because it takes so long to harden. Have also had a couple that peeled with oily wood within a couple of years. And I worry it's not hard enough. Although I have many cues out there with it as a finish.

Perhaps I didn't realize going in how much of the end work was non woodworking. If I could hand deliver my cues to Scot Sherbine I am quite sure I would never finish another one and live happily ever after. But that simply isn't an option for the price point of my work and the cost involved to sublet including the ever increasing cost and risk of shipping.

I have studied all the threads here on finishing and how folks are doing it. But I haven't seen most of their cues to know if the result would satisfy me or not. Honestly I have seen some very respected cue makers cues I did not like the finish on one bit. I would never mention names. Not that I can do it better obviously but I know it when I see it.
Click to expand...
.010 will stop a lot of the sanding through. Lightly wax the face of the mandrel and that will eliminate chipping when breaking loose. Seal the cue with epoxy first and that will eliminate the gassing.
 
first of all........ never finish with the sanding mandrel.............. use it to sand to size after finishing........... make a delrin mandril that is about 1/2 in to 5/8 in dia and finish with that ........ then face it and put on the mandrel.................

pm me if you want more info

Kim
 
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Had I known I may have just said no thank you as I really despise the finish work.
Click to expand...
....this aspect of the build is dreaded and joyless.
Click to expand...

Me, too!
As a lifelong pro-woodwhacker, finishing is the bugaboo of all wood manufacturing.
Main reason i focused on millwork (instead of, say, kitchens).
Main reason i only make cues for self and insistent friends or well acquainted pool associates who understand i will only do french polish.

Good luck!

smt
 
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Do Viking or other companies contract to do the finishing on others' cues? That might be a good niche business.

Ever notice on the woodworking shows that they give about 2 seconds to the finishing part?


Jeff Livingston
 
chefjeff said:
Do Viking or other companies contract to do the finishing on others' cues? That might be a good niche business.

Ever notice on the woodworking shows that they give about 2 seconds to the finishing part?


Jeff Livingston
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No. No way one can handle their volume .

Woodworking finishes are a lot easier than pool cues .
 
JoeyInCali said:
No. No way one can handle their volume .

Woodworking finishes are a lot easier than pool cues .
Click to expand...

I meant Viking doing smaller makers cues. And I meant that someone here could invest in a finishing process and do other makers' cues.

It's Monday morning....


Jeff Livingston
 
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