First cue tip install

mortuarymike-nv said:
Sanding on the ferrule on a LD shaft is a giant no no.

My point is there is no reason to sand on a shaft, if the shaft is dented then the dent is steamed out in a matter of 5 minutes. Solid maple shafts can be steamed, I wouldn't steam a laminated LD shaft .
If I want a pissed of customer, then all I have to do is sand on his shaft .
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So would you advise not using the McMagic papers from McDermott? I used these to clean up my shaft when it started sticking before I moved to a glove. I hate the look of the glove but damn it keeps the shaft clean for a lot longer period of time.

As for the OP... I would love to change my own tip because I like to experiment and I was in your shoes a few years ago when I didn't know anyone to change tips for me. I was stuck changing once a year because there were always repair booths at the tournaments I shoot.

Then I just asked the owner of the place I shoot and got a couple names and lucked out my first attempt and got one of the best. It does cost a little more to have someone do it for you but I don't trust myself enough to do it on my own. I like my cues pristine and I'm nitpicky enough that if I scratched my ferule at all I would have to have it changed. A buddy of mine sanded the crap out of his ferule exactly like the one MortuaryMike posted and it drove me nuts to even look at it lol.
 
shafts and tips

SARDiver said:
I really wasn't suggesting anything. I was curious about your opinion. I wasn't talking about problems like dents or anything. I just want the thing to slide easily when I'm shooting.

Thank you for your answer.
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In todays world of all the different kinds of shafts, what works on a solid maple shaft might just destroy a laminated LD shaft.

I use Lighter fluid to seal my solid maple shafts on my lathe.
Then I use either a synthetic car wax or Renaissance wax.
If I am playing 7 days a week then I will clean and wax my shaft twice a month.
 
Dockter said:
So would you advise not using the McMagic papers from McDermott? I used these to clean up my shaft when it started sticking before I moved to a glove. I hate the look of the glove but damn it keeps the shaft clean for a lot longer period of time.

As for the OP... I would love to change my own tip because I like to experiment and I was in your shoes a few years ago when I didn't know anyone to change tips for me. I was stuck changing once a year because there were always repair booths at the tournaments I shoot.

Then I just asked the owner of the place I shoot and got a couple names and lucked out my first attempt and got one of the best. It does cost a little more to have someone do it for you but I don't trust myself enough to do it on my own. I like my cues pristine and I'm nitpicky enough that if I scratched my ferule at all I would have to have it changed. A buddy of mine sanded the crap out of his ferule exactly like the one MortuaryMike posted and it drove me nuts to even look at it lol.
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Hi
I have never used McMagic papers from McDermott , actually I have never heard of them before now.

My best guess is the magic papers have carnauba wax on it...........
 
repair work

WildWing said:
You're right Mike, that's a hell of a mess you have to deal with, with heavy sanding by the owner on one side of the shaft. I don't know how you would true that up other than making it very thin once it goes on a lathe. Although I don't know for sure, I would bet that the owner gouged his ferrule with a razor or knife, and then sanded excessively on one side to try to correct.

As I hope I've implied, knives and blades are for carving roast beef and turkey. They're not for cue repair.

All the best,
WW
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There was no trueing that shaft up in my lathe :angry:
I ended up doing the tip by hand when it came down to getting the tip flush with the oval shaped ferrule and shaft.

This is why I preach to those who do there shafts by hand not to touch the ferrule and shaft with sand paper..
 
It's not the best job but you can live with it. Burnish the shaft with a leather belt or dollar bill to seal it. Don't break with it. Don't let it wear to normal limits. Replace before. It is not a science replacing tips. Look at the individuals doing it.

Always tape ferrule. Use sandpaper shaping or invest in a 3 in one tool. Like the ultimate cue tip tool. Some tips are cheap enough. If you wreck one replace it.
 
Seyberts is another good install video. You don't need a lot of Fancy Schmancy tools.

The ones that Seyberts uses in the video are just fine. I was the one that spent tons on every tool that I could find, only to end up using the 2 basic and cheap ones from Joe Porper that they use.

I have a Friend that will watch tv and sand. You wouldn't know that he doesn't use a lathe.

But, don't be discouraged. Yer bound to blow a few tips in the beginning.

This is one thing that you can say, "Practice Makes Perfect when it comes to a hand install.

Try a few more. Elk Master are .25 cents so won't break the bank.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhU0lYPEGKc
 
Thanks everyone who replied with alive and encouragement...luckily I have found a billiard store here in myrtle after doing some more research and I took my cue there today. I had my tip and ferrule replaced and it looks a hundred times better. Thanks to everyone who reached out via pm offering free services, AZ is truly amazing.
 

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Advise

Shughes13 said:
Thanks everyone who replied with alive and encouragement...luckily I have found a billiard store here in myrtle after doing some more research and I took my cue there today. I had my tip and ferrule replaced and it looks a hundred times better. Thanks to everyone who reached out via pm offering free services, AZ is truly amazing.
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Glade to see you happy now ,

So what advise would you give someone who plans on replacing their tip for the very first time ?
 
Lol, that is great advice. :p

But if you really want to learn to do it see if you can't pick up a bar cue or a cheap shaft somewhere, buy some cheap tips and practice. That's what I plan on doing when I can afford the Porper tool.
 
Tips

Great advise, gave you a greenie.

Practice on a bar cue next time until you know what you are doing or develop your own technic.

Best of luck,
 
Shughes13 said:
Just don't do it lol:thumbup: :grin: it cost me 12$ and about 25 minutes. Doing it at home isn't worth the risk/ anxiety of ruining your cue.
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Glad you Were able to get it taken care of....I guess my advice was not as "negative" as OTHERS thought..:rolleyes: :)

Another greenie for you sir..
 
mortuarymike-nv said:
Practice on a bar cue next time until you know what you are doing or develop your own technic.

Best of luck,
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Or buy a cheap cue for $10 and practice on it (repeatedly).
I commend you for trying. The first time we do sometime it is a disaster but it's really called a learning experience. We have to start somewhere and learn from it. Every effort gets better in time. You'll end up repairing your friends cues someday. Have fun in the process.

I currently have a lathe and start with oversized tips. When I was replacing tips with hand tools I would try to center a 13mm tip on a 13mm shaft and so on. With a few quality cue tip trimming tools you can get excellent results. Just before I was ready to glue I would place a piece of masking tape about .5mm from the flat tipping surface to keep excessive glue off of the ferrule. Would also use masking tape a few inches down the shaft so the clamp would mar the surface.
 
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A wooden dowel 36" by half inch = 13mm aprox. Cost $.40. A lot less than a bar stick. If you're an all thumbs person forget it.
 
Shughes13 said:
Thanks everyone who replied with alive and encouragement...luckily I have found a billiard store here in myrtle after doing some more research and I took my cue there today. I had my tip and ferrule replaced and it looks a hundred times better. Thanks to everyone who reached out via pm offering free services, AZ is truly amazing.
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That tip looks terrible.
It's not hard to install a new tip by hand, but you need to go about it the right way.
Use a new razorblade and lay it flat on the ferrule, turn the shaft round while while pushing the blade against the side of the tip. Get as close as possible, so you have to use as little sandpaper as possible.
 
Looks like shit, actually. A local cue guy here charges 15bux(labor) to PERFECTLY install a tip. Why f%^k one up? Cheap?
 
Shughes13 said:
This is my first cue tip install on my McDermott cue, had a lepro on it and decided to change to an elk master. Only tools I used were a utility knife, sand paper and glue. Just looking to see if I have done it right/ any advice for future installs.



Thanks,

Spencer Hughes
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hi

Well, a first attempt is a first attempt. At least you seems to be able to play with it, so ... not so bad for a 1st try. I agree, it look terrible, but not really worst that my 1st attempt >30 years ago...
In addition , you didn't choose the easiest tip to install, Elkmaster isn't easy to trim properly.

IMHO what you could do :
-don't stop to try ! trials & errors, that's the way to progress. everybody has to start one day, so ... keep to try !

- found a cheap old shaft , or an old house cue. Buy some cheap 14mm tips , the cheapest you can find . Then , try again and again on the old shaft, until you think it's decent.

- the most important tool -for now- you must have is a tool to prepare the ferrule -and the tip- before to glue , to make it absolutly flat. To make flat surfaces before glueing is the key . You'll really understand the value of this advice when one day you'll try to install a samsara/white diamond/taom .break tip...

- work slow . No hurry . Ya got free time, humm ? then take the time to do the job . don't try to make it fast. The speed will come with your experience.

About simple cheap/tools you could buy to install a tip by hand , PM me. I install my own tips without lathe for >30 years (like many carom players in europe, i am one of them)

one more time : trials and errors , that's how you'll learn.
 
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Kim Bye said:
Use a new razorblade and lay it flat on the ferrule,
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And make sure your medical insurance is up to date. Sorry to disagree...bad advice...might be ok for you but not a safe practice especially for a person trying to learn. There are some very good trimming tools made for tip repair. And not very expensive.
 
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