I know right??
Help me build my first cue!!!
- Thread starter Enigmaticul
- Start date
I know right??
Andrei,
I have tried to read all the posts here. You asked for advise, you were given it and for the most part it is all the same, slow down.
Your time off and the ability to have a Cue makers help could be used more wisely. Watch the steps he makes. If and only if he has the time, ask why he did the step that way. Maybe he will have a dedicated lathe set up to feed and cut a couple of hundred shafts down .005. Yes, there is learning to even loading them as to tight, you just ruined a shaft.
I think the key phrase you have used that is most objected to is "I don't care". This is not a good attitude to have as one who wants to make cues. You will have learned and accomplished so much more if you come out with a lot more knowledge and but a small piece of a cue to finish at a later date that you are proud of, and care about.
Inserting a Radial Pin? It sounds so easy yet can be one of the hardest parts in making the cue. You have to come in 100% dead nuts center and your tool can not have any, 0, deflection.
As a younger man I have been in your shoes. You how ever are young and have much time. Use it to learn a little at a time and absorb it. At this date and at my age I would/will still sweep a good cue makers floor all day for short 5 - 10 minutes of advice on why.
If you could come out during all your school breaks in a year with a finished cue that you could be both proud of and gained the knowledge of each step and ability to repeat you will feel better and have something to be proud of.
I have tried to read all the posts here. You asked for advise, you were given it and for the most part it is all the same, slow down.
Your time off and the ability to have a Cue makers help could be used more wisely. Watch the steps he makes. If and only if he has the time, ask why he did the step that way. Maybe he will have a dedicated lathe set up to feed and cut a couple of hundred shafts down .005. Yes, there is learning to even loading them as to tight, you just ruined a shaft.
I think the key phrase you have used that is most objected to is "I don't care". This is not a good attitude to have as one who wants to make cues. You will have learned and accomplished so much more if you come out with a lot more knowledge and but a small piece of a cue to finish at a later date that you are proud of, and care about.
Inserting a Radial Pin? It sounds so easy yet can be one of the hardest parts in making the cue. You have to come in 100% dead nuts center and your tool can not have any, 0, deflection.
As a younger man I have been in your shoes. You how ever are young and have much time. Use it to learn a little at a time and absorb it. At this date and at my age I would/will still sweep a good cue makers floor all day for short 5 - 10 minutes of advice on why.
If you could come out during all your school breaks in a year with a finished cue that you could be both proud of and gained the knowledge of each step and ability to repeat you will feel better and have something to be proud of.
"A little knowledge is a dangerous thing"
You have made a few somewhat valid points - but you have lept highly
over some important considerations.
------------------------------------------------------------------
"I want to build a cue but not from total scratch but rather a blank that has been tapered close to finish."
Bad news number 1. Making the blank is the easy part.
...................................................................................
"People in the past many years ago were building cues with little machinery and I really don't believe you need thousands of dollars to build a decent cue. Yes I do understand that with better equipment comes better results or more constant results but I will use what I have and make due.
Bad news number 2. True enough, and still a possibility.
Herman Rambo made cues that any champion could run hundreds with
using nothing more than a glorified wood lathe. I am confident I could
do the same thing today using a modified wood lathe.
The Catch. You have to know how to build a cue.
You are asking how to install a joint pin...
...............................................................................................
For some clarification:
Are you wanting to build just this one cue - or will this be the start of
something big?
Since you adamantly refuse to put in any time or effort learning anything,
your off-school time would probably be best spent in the shop of your
local cuemaker, watching him work, if he is willing.
If, after that, you can't produce a cue on your own - get a new dream.
Dale - who reminds once again, the name of this forum is:
"Ask The Cuemaker" not, 'Teach me how to be a Cuemaker"
Enigmaticul
Banned
Thanks to all
Hi Tom thanks for the advice. For some ever reason every one thinks i want to start a major business and start cranking up cues. No i don't. I just want to try to make one and see where it takes me. I really don't understand some of the guys here that are *****ing at me for whatever reason that i want to try this and that i am not prepared and my equipment is not good enough and so forth. Well of course it is not but that does mean i am not going to try. We all have to start somewhere. Many people that have responded i feel have no clue how to read what i wrote. I am not going to do this on my own. The local cue maker that has been making cues for a while is going to help. Every time we have a new member (noob) at the club ask me questions about anything that i know i pour my entire knowledge into them without regret. I thought many people how to put tips on cues manually with a porper round cutter and sand paper. I could have easily charged them but i feel privileged when i teach. I fell that some people here have a hard time letting go of the knowledge they so hardly gained and i understand if they don't want to share, but don't throw rock and "shake your head in disbelief" because if the young generation does not care about the game anymore you will have a shop full of expensive equipment a rack full of cue that you will never sell.
So again i will give my undying appreciation for the people who deserve it.
Tom - thank for offering those pieces of wood and you advice. The local cue maker will provide the wood for me so there is not need for yours but i really appreciate all the unconditional/nonjudgmental help you have been given me.
- I will take it really slow and i will watch my finders although i will stay away from a laminate trimmer because the wood we are going to start with will be already tapered to final specks. from there sand paper all the way.
- thanks to the guy who sent me the instructions how to install a radial pin. I looks complicated but i will do my best and if it does not end up "dead nutz" that is fine i am not going for perfection but for experience.
The rest that "shake their head in disbelief" will continue shaking their head when in a couple of weeks with the help of the great people that are willing to teach/help me i will present a decent cue.
Hi Tom thanks for the advice. For some ever reason every one thinks i want to start a major business and start cranking up cues. No i don't. I just want to try to make one and see where it takes me. I really don't understand some of the guys here that are *****ing at me for whatever reason that i want to try this and that i am not prepared and my equipment is not good enough and so forth. Well of course it is not but that does mean i am not going to try. We all have to start somewhere. Many people that have responded i feel have no clue how to read what i wrote. I am not going to do this on my own. The local cue maker that has been making cues for a while is going to help. Every time we have a new member (noob) at the club ask me questions about anything that i know i pour my entire knowledge into them without regret. I thought many people how to put tips on cues manually with a porper round cutter and sand paper. I could have easily charged them but i feel privileged when i teach. I fell that some people here have a hard time letting go of the knowledge they so hardly gained and i understand if they don't want to share, but don't throw rock and "shake your head in disbelief" because if the young generation does not care about the game anymore you will have a shop full of expensive equipment a rack full of cue that you will never sell.
So again i will give my undying appreciation for the people who deserve it.
Tom - thank for offering those pieces of wood and you advice. The local cue maker will provide the wood for me so there is not need for yours but i really appreciate all the unconditional/nonjudgmental help you have been given me.
- I will take it really slow and i will watch my finders although i will stay away from a laminate trimmer because the wood we are going to start with will be already tapered to final specks. from there sand paper all the way.
- thanks to the guy who sent me the instructions how to install a radial pin. I looks complicated but i will do my best and if it does not end up "dead nutz" that is fine i am not going for perfection but for experience.
The rest that "shake their head in disbelief" will continue shaking their head when in a couple of weeks with the help of the great people that are willing to teach/help me i will present a decent cue.
Enigmaticul
Banned
Ok leavig the drama and the dead weight behind
So this is where we are.
The local cue maker will provide the tapered butt part and the rings/radial pin.
I am going to do this at his shop on his equipment as well as more finishing on mine.
I have the instructions about how to install a radial pin but the cue maker is also going to help me.
Now stack leather wrap.
What are the basics for stack leather?
I have watched a lot of videos on youtube from tiger products and the idea looks pretty simple. I also tried to duplicate the that with some cheep lace leather from michels on a practice cue and got some results. I had a hard time cutting the taper because the michels lace leather is not very wide lithe the tiger products. Also the finish job so so because i did know know what to use to make the leather shiny. I feel it is easier to install a stack leather without a lot of machinery as long as you are careful.
So here are the questions.
Is there some one willing to sell me enough for a cue preferable in tan or neutral color?
What products do i need to apply in order to make the leather shine and seal?
Anything else i should know about, any tips and tricks?
Much appreciated.
So this is where we are.
The local cue maker will provide the tapered butt part and the rings/radial pin.
I am going to do this at his shop on his equipment as well as more finishing on mine.
I have the instructions about how to install a radial pin but the cue maker is also going to help me.
Now stack leather wrap.
What are the basics for stack leather?
I have watched a lot of videos on youtube from tiger products and the idea looks pretty simple. I also tried to duplicate the that with some cheep lace leather from michels on a practice cue and got some results. I had a hard time cutting the taper because the michels lace leather is not very wide lithe the tiger products. Also the finish job so so because i did know know what to use to make the leather shiny. I feel it is easier to install a stack leather without a lot of machinery as long as you are careful.
So here are the questions.
Is there some one willing to sell me enough for a cue preferable in tan or neutral color?
What products do i need to apply in order to make the leather shine and seal?
Anything else i should know about, any tips and tricks?
Much appreciated.
A slightly different perspective
Let me preface this by saying that I'm not trying to defend Enigmaticul, but from the perspective of someone that would like to build cues and has cut about a dozen house cues in half over the past several months and haven't done it right yet and has not installed one straight pin yet after several tries, I can understand what he's trying to do. If he's being honest, he's not trying to insult you guys with metric tonnes of experience, I think he'd just like to try it himself to say he did it.
Something I'll always have a very fond memory of and a great deal of pride for is that very first pin I installed, then screwed the shaft on and rolled it on my table and watched it flop around like a fish. It was comical and provided a momentary laugh at myself, but still I was proud of what I had put together. I'd never show it to anyone or actually play with it, but it does sit in my cue rack in an honored spot. It did not fall apart when I hit balls with it, so that was good. In my adventures, what I have learned is how to install some tips and ferrules and do some cleanings and some simple stuff like that, and I have managed to (from the house cue halves) make a couple of shafts that worked out OK. - Baby steps, right?
I think an important thing that Enigmaticul is doing is finding is his limitations, and one never knows - he may be a natural cue building artist. Maybe not, but maybe.
Personally I have invested in some equipment but I'd rather eat and feed my family and pay rent so building cues from scratch or even from turned dowels or something like that and spending that kind of time doing it to be good at it is a dream for me, I'll try to get to it one day, and I do hang out with a local cue maker whenever I get a chance to, but I have no false illusions that I can do what you guys do, but I'd love to help and learn and eventually try it myself, but for now, I'm tipping everything in sight and putting ferrules on anything that resembles a cue shaft, or at least the last 6" of a cue shaft.
After watching all the You Tube I can get my hands on and picking brains of just about anyone with a lathe, I have learned one really important thing, I'm still years away from producing any cue that didn't say "Valley" on the side of it before I took my tools to it, hell, I'm even years away from producing a decent cue that used to say Valley on it, but I am learning - Slowly, as I suspect Enigmaticul will learn.
He's just asking for some guidance, he not asking to borrow your equipment or for your trade secrets, just a little advice as any hobbyist might do. If you don't want to respond because (from the way I'd see it) it's too much like a lawyer giving free legal advice or a broker giving free stock tips, this is your trade and if you want to be paid for any advice it's totally understandable, after all maybe he should be asking his local guy these questions since it sounds like he's agreed to help anyway.
I respect what you artists do, and I respect you and envy you for it, I wish with all my heart that I could, but I don't have your talent. I suspect that in the end of all this, Enigmaticul will find that he's in over his head and will find an old, somewhat abused cue that needs a little work that is maybe not beyond his experience or facilities, maybe it'll take a few tries to put on a wrap, it may have a crooked ring or two, and perhaps the shaft will wind up being a 27" shaft with a ferrule and tip that are slightly "off", but as he gains experience he will learn, and the billiard world will be better for it if you all are able to help out if you can and you choose to.
If I'm out of line, please forgive me, when I first read the OP I thought to myself, "I wonder if he given any thought to what may be in store for him?" But the billiard world needs enthusiastic people. I think it may be better for all of us to have him trying to build a cue that may or may not turn out alright than to have him making bowling balls or darts or something else. I doubt that he'd ever compete with you all in the market, but I bet he'll have fun learning to do it.
Let me preface this by saying that I'm not trying to defend Enigmaticul, but from the perspective of someone that would like to build cues and has cut about a dozen house cues in half over the past several months and haven't done it right yet and has not installed one straight pin yet after several tries, I can understand what he's trying to do. If he's being honest, he's not trying to insult you guys with metric tonnes of experience, I think he'd just like to try it himself to say he did it.
Something I'll always have a very fond memory of and a great deal of pride for is that very first pin I installed, then screwed the shaft on and rolled it on my table and watched it flop around like a fish. It was comical and provided a momentary laugh at myself, but still I was proud of what I had put together. I'd never show it to anyone or actually play with it, but it does sit in my cue rack in an honored spot. It did not fall apart when I hit balls with it, so that was good. In my adventures, what I have learned is how to install some tips and ferrules and do some cleanings and some simple stuff like that, and I have managed to (from the house cue halves) make a couple of shafts that worked out OK. - Baby steps, right?
I think an important thing that Enigmaticul is doing is finding is his limitations, and one never knows - he may be a natural cue building artist. Maybe not, but maybe.
Personally I have invested in some equipment but I'd rather eat and feed my family and pay rent so building cues from scratch or even from turned dowels or something like that and spending that kind of time doing it to be good at it is a dream for me, I'll try to get to it one day, and I do hang out with a local cue maker whenever I get a chance to, but I have no false illusions that I can do what you guys do, but I'd love to help and learn and eventually try it myself, but for now, I'm tipping everything in sight and putting ferrules on anything that resembles a cue shaft, or at least the last 6" of a cue shaft.
After watching all the You Tube I can get my hands on and picking brains of just about anyone with a lathe, I have learned one really important thing, I'm still years away from producing any cue that didn't say "Valley" on the side of it before I took my tools to it, hell, I'm even years away from producing a decent cue that used to say Valley on it, but I am learning - Slowly, as I suspect Enigmaticul will learn.
He's just asking for some guidance, he not asking to borrow your equipment or for your trade secrets, just a little advice as any hobbyist might do. If you don't want to respond because (from the way I'd see it) it's too much like a lawyer giving free legal advice or a broker giving free stock tips, this is your trade and if you want to be paid for any advice it's totally understandable, after all maybe he should be asking his local guy these questions since it sounds like he's agreed to help anyway.
I respect what you artists do, and I respect you and envy you for it, I wish with all my heart that I could, but I don't have your talent. I suspect that in the end of all this, Enigmaticul will find that he's in over his head and will find an old, somewhat abused cue that needs a little work that is maybe not beyond his experience or facilities, maybe it'll take a few tries to put on a wrap, it may have a crooked ring or two, and perhaps the shaft will wind up being a 27" shaft with a ferrule and tip that are slightly "off", but as he gains experience he will learn, and the billiard world will be better for it if you all are able to help out if you can and you choose to.
If I'm out of line, please forgive me, when I first read the OP I thought to myself, "I wonder if he given any thought to what may be in store for him?" But the billiard world needs enthusiastic people. I think it may be better for all of us to have him trying to build a cue that may or may not turn out alright than to have him making bowling balls or darts or something else. I doubt that he'd ever compete with you all in the market, but I bet he'll have fun learning to do it.
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Enigmaticul
Banned
you sir almoast gave me tears of joy
I am very glad that some one at least understands where i am coming from and i could not have it explained better myself.
and now lets create a bow LOL
I am very glad that some one at least understands where i am coming from and i could not have it explained better myself.
and now lets create a bow LOL
Enigmaticul
Banned
The genesis
I wonder if the first cue that Balabuska/Szamboti/Gina/Southwest build was a "perfect wonder"?
They had to start where i am at too.
I wonder if the first cue that Balabuska/Szamboti/Gina/Southwest build was a "perfect wonder"?
They had to start where i am at too.
nope, probably not.
but i'd bet my left nut he tried doing things on his own first,
rather than.....
how did that go again?
quote
You don't learn a trade you steal a trade
Why should I make the same costly mistakes that many people made just to feel that I earned the knowledge
unquote
you'd be surprised at how much help you can get from guys that respect you for making an effort
to be blunt, you cant be told "how to..." on a forum
it's hands on , learning as you go
perhaps i dont get it ????? or am misunderstanding something ???
enlighten me /everyone as to what you have done on your own to date for this venture
and btw, GREAT AVATAR PIC!!
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I kind of figured that statement might be the down fall of this thread.
This is where Googling Cue Making Supplies will help you.
Yes, Tiger Products and a few other suppliers can sell you enuff for one stack wrap.
Again, if you go to Tiger, and see the stack Kit, you will see the supplies needed. Some of the supplies can be purchased at a shoe repair shop. Some not.
By purchasing the initial Stack Kit, you will receive a full DVD by Tony explaining how to do a Stack. If you don't care to do that, there is a partial video by Tiger on UTube that will show you the basics of it. I take it that you've already seen it. I'm not going to send you a copy of mine, I paid for it. So should you.
That sums it up about right Randy.
I do believe that your stealing days are numbered tho Buddy. Too bad as you did start off OK. Every one here is here to give a hand but they also expect you to get in there and make the same mistakes that every one makes. Thats the best way to learn. Once you screw up a couple pieces of exotic wood, you will think, Hmmmm, not going to do that again. Guess I can make rings from this piece now.
If you have the attitude that cue makers posting will take you by the hand and guide you thru every step of the cue making process, you might be in the wrong Forum. Sorry about that.
This is where Googling Cue Making Supplies will help you.
Yes, Tiger Products and a few other suppliers can sell you enuff for one stack wrap.
Again, if you go to Tiger, and see the stack Kit, you will see the supplies needed. Some of the supplies can be purchased at a shoe repair shop. Some not.
By purchasing the initial Stack Kit, you will receive a full DVD by Tony explaining how to do a Stack. If you don't care to do that, there is a partial video by Tiger on UTube that will show you the basics of it. I take it that you've already seen it. I'm not going to send you a copy of mine, I paid for it. So should you.
That sums it up about right Randy.
I do believe that your stealing days are numbered tho Buddy. Too bad as you did start off OK. Every one here is here to give a hand but they also expect you to get in there and make the same mistakes that every one makes. Thats the best way to learn. Once you screw up a couple pieces of exotic wood, you will think, Hmmmm, not going to do that again. Guess I can make rings from this piece now.
If you have the attitude that cue makers posting will take you by the hand and guide you thru every step of the cue making process, you might be in the wrong Forum. Sorry about that.
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Enigmaticul
Banned
" learn from everyone's mistakes but act on your own" Ghandy.
Your logic is flawed, why would I make the same mistake lets say installing a radial pin that some one else made? I would rather ask what mistakes he made so I don't do them. That is not pride or paying your dues that is straight up foolishness. Knowledge to me has no value if it is not shared. I made mistakes in the past to in other domains of life and if some one asks me about them I will tell them what to do to avoid those mistakes. I not going to tell them nooo go pay your dues to be part of this special club of guys who all efet up in the beginning but then with time got better. Reason Hightower put out a DVD set with all his knowledge. I would buy the DVD set in a second if I could afford it but I can't so I am asking the the people here to help me. Go ahead a be a island and pay your dues. I will put my pride aside and ask for help every time I don't know something and maybe one day people will ask me for advice and maybe one day my cues will be better then yours..........
Now start helping or get off my thread
Respectfully
Your logic is flawed, why would I make the same mistake lets say installing a radial pin that some one else made? I would rather ask what mistakes he made so I don't do them. That is not pride or paying your dues that is straight up foolishness. Knowledge to me has no value if it is not shared. I made mistakes in the past to in other domains of life and if some one asks me about them I will tell them what to do to avoid those mistakes. I not going to tell them nooo go pay your dues to be part of this special club of guys who all efet up in the beginning but then with time got better. Reason Hightower put out a DVD set with all his knowledge. I would buy the DVD set in a second if I could afford it but I can't so I am asking the the people here to help me. Go ahead a be a island and pay your dues. I will put my pride aside and ask for help every time I don't know something and maybe one day people will ask me for advice and maybe one day my cues will be better then yours..........
Now start helping or get off my thread
Respectfully
Didn't he make pool tables at one time?
No problem there El Capitaino.
Yes, what you are saying is true, the giving of good advice. But what the guys are trying to explain to you is a tad different. If you can't get your head past that then there is no explaining that will help.
Anyway, good luck with your cue that you will make in 2 weeks. Wish I could do that.
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Enigmaticul
Banned
Thanks blue hog for your advice it is much appreciated but if I had the money to buy the 200$ kit would would have and I would not ask for help here.
I am starting to see that few people in this field are actually willing to teach and help the young ones. That is fine because when the billiards world is going to die because no young ones care about pool anymore and the very very very few young kids that were interested in learning but they were pushed away by the seniors they respected and admired for their cues there will be no more stack leather wraps and points and exotic woods but a reminiscence of the golden days. Pool is dyeing and fast and me and my friends here at the university try so hard to compete with the gamers club to get more student playing pool and buying cues instead of consoles. If you the masters don't realize you are the last bastion of hope to make sure this trade will not die then we are all doomed. If I would have money I would open a free school to teach anyone intreated how to build a cue.
I am starting to see that few people in this field are actually willing to teach and help the young ones. That is fine because when the billiards world is going to die because no young ones care about pool anymore and the very very very few young kids that were interested in learning but they were pushed away by the seniors they respected and admired for their cues there will be no more stack leather wraps and points and exotic woods but a reminiscence of the golden days. Pool is dyeing and fast and me and my friends here at the university try so hard to compete with the gamers club to get more student playing pool and buying cues instead of consoles. If you the masters don't realize you are the last bastion of hope to make sure this trade will not die then we are all doomed. If I would have money I would open a free school to teach anyone intreated how to build a cue.
Enigmaticul
Banned
Some decent ones to. Lol
Well here is some help for you.
Go back and read the part of my post where I explained this NOT the
"Teach me how to Make a Cue - and Hurry The F@@K Up About It" Forum.
In short - you are such a clueless twit that you don't understand why
you are so annoying.
With exactly all the respect you deserve.
Dale(no more Mr Nice-Guy)
I'm pretty sure this guy is wasting his time studiing in school. If he would just corner a Doctor & ask him what mistakes he has made, he could probably be a Doctor, in a couple of weeks...JER
Two weeks? I could make him a first responder in two weeks.
If the guy wants to try, let him try. Why all the noise about it? Seems to me he has been defending himself and the first shot fired in anger was directly at him.
When people ask about cue making there are a few camps that respond. If they seem to want to try it on their own, they are chastised and insulted and told they are outright idiots. They are told they must first have 50K in equipment and watch all kinds of videos and read books...then apprentice under somebody for ten years. Nobody can just start making cues? Oh yeah....many have....I would note HOF maker Dan Janes and his former partner Bill Stroud. That's EXACTLY what they did. Just started making cues.
Then there are those who do ask for advice. They are told they are idiots and they should go and try it without any help first and screw up on their own first....after buying 50K in equipment and watching all the videos and reading all the books.
Pretty much everybody is right and nobody is right in this matter. The real question is why people want to jump on somebody for asking a question.
I am a professional educator of the highest caliber and I have a very serious policy. That policy is that it NEVER hurts to ask and there is NO such thing as a stupid question. And in what I do there is a helluva lot more at stake than a piece of wood.
You all well know that if he tries this the results will not be spectacular. But if he hits even one ball with some wood he put together and stuck a tip on that would be mission accomplished from what I can see.
If you don't like it or don't want to participate, why be hateful?
Just saying it does not seem very nice.
.
Okay, I will share, might not be worth much and maybe I will find myself wrong.
Your Head Stock must be turning a perfect circle inside. This will mean a dial indicator becomes a 100% gotta have. To start you may be better off to buy profesionaly machined collets such as from Chris Hightower as you need the collet to hold the wood.
You need to have a dead center and you might spend an hour or two using shims such as cigerette rolling paper at the jaws of the chuck so when you use your dial indicator on the dead center you see no movement while spinning the head stock.
Once you have this like perfect you need to bring your tailstock with live center so when pulling the tail stock live center in (taig type lathe) through a magnifier both points meet dead nuts. This can require shimming, moving and or maybe light sanding on base to bring dead nuts at 360 degrees.
Now bring your tool post up to dead center that is still dead nuts and through magnifier shim your tools up so they to are dead nuts. This is where a quick change tool post comes in handy as it is easier to adjust and you don't have to do it every single time as you have set them and are not removing them.
Like a cue playing the tightening of the tailstock before use needs to become an extension of you as to tight or to loose will make a change in dead nuts. Whenever possible (99%) use your boring bar to start any holes as your drill bit will tend to follow this,
Take a round dowel say from Home Depot for a few bucks and take a pass the length to true up your centers. Take a pass after this is done and mic your two ends. Depending on how ell you did everything both ends should read the same. Most times the further you travel from head stock to tailstock will give an indication of how far or close you are to dead nuts.
Take the dowel you have cut, put it in the head stock, shim until your dial indicator reads dead nuts and with you parting knife cut off two pieces about 2 inches long.
Take one of the pieces and put it in the chuck shimming until you are dead nuts, With the material turning touch the face of it with a pencil and pull pencil back so the face is black. Use your Right hand cutting tool and face the front off very thin, just so you see all pencil markings are off.
Pull your tail stock over and with a centering bit drill a small hole. Bring your boring bar over and bore a 5/16 hole. Bring your Tailstock over with a 5/16 bit and drill the hole through. Insert a radial or 3/8" tap, click machine on and push the tail stock into hole while turning machine off. Once it is started to thread you can zip the headstock back on and off or turn by hand and thread the hole out.
Do the same procedure with second piece of wood.
When you are done take your 3/8 threaded rod and screw both pieces on to rod. If they meet 100% flush you are now ready to try the same with collets and tapered pieces, if they don't fit 100% flush try to figure out if one or both pieces are off which you can check with your calipers from inside round to outside round in circular motion. If you failed on the cheap wood keep doing it over until you don't fail.
Even the guys with the 20K lathes and 2K chucks check with dial indicators before the drill.
I am done and probably ready to have my back side handed to me but oh well. :smile:
Your Head Stock must be turning a perfect circle inside. This will mean a dial indicator becomes a 100% gotta have. To start you may be better off to buy profesionaly machined collets such as from Chris Hightower as you need the collet to hold the wood.
You need to have a dead center and you might spend an hour or two using shims such as cigerette rolling paper at the jaws of the chuck so when you use your dial indicator on the dead center you see no movement while spinning the head stock.
Once you have this like perfect you need to bring your tailstock with live center so when pulling the tail stock live center in (taig type lathe) through a magnifier both points meet dead nuts. This can require shimming, moving and or maybe light sanding on base to bring dead nuts at 360 degrees.
Now bring your tool post up to dead center that is still dead nuts and through magnifier shim your tools up so they to are dead nuts. This is where a quick change tool post comes in handy as it is easier to adjust and you don't have to do it every single time as you have set them and are not removing them.
Like a cue playing the tightening of the tailstock before use needs to become an extension of you as to tight or to loose will make a change in dead nuts. Whenever possible (99%) use your boring bar to start any holes as your drill bit will tend to follow this,
Take a round dowel say from Home Depot for a few bucks and take a pass the length to true up your centers. Take a pass after this is done and mic your two ends. Depending on how ell you did everything both ends should read the same. Most times the further you travel from head stock to tailstock will give an indication of how far or close you are to dead nuts.
Take the dowel you have cut, put it in the head stock, shim until your dial indicator reads dead nuts and with you parting knife cut off two pieces about 2 inches long.
Take one of the pieces and put it in the chuck shimming until you are dead nuts, With the material turning touch the face of it with a pencil and pull pencil back so the face is black. Use your Right hand cutting tool and face the front off very thin, just so you see all pencil markings are off.
Pull your tail stock over and with a centering bit drill a small hole. Bring your boring bar over and bore a 5/16 hole. Bring your Tailstock over with a 5/16 bit and drill the hole through. Insert a radial or 3/8" tap, click machine on and push the tail stock into hole while turning machine off. Once it is started to thread you can zip the headstock back on and off or turn by hand and thread the hole out.
Do the same procedure with second piece of wood.
When you are done take your 3/8 threaded rod and screw both pieces on to rod. If they meet 100% flush you are now ready to try the same with collets and tapered pieces, if they don't fit 100% flush try to figure out if one or both pieces are off which you can check with your calipers from inside round to outside round in circular motion. If you failed on the cheap wood keep doing it over until you don't fail.
Even the guys with the 20K lathes and 2K chucks check with dial indicators before the drill.
I am done and probably ready to have my back side handed to me but oh well. :smile:
