Help Me Please !!!!!

Brickman

Brickman

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
OK GUYS!

I am looking for your guys advice here, please lay out ( like you are talking to a 3 year old ) the advice on what you would order to build cues? I have very little to nothing in the way of material.(* except a few house cues, and a few more coming THANK YOU WOODY OSBORNE) I have little to no money and have actually someone or actually a few people who are going to help me out , by way of buying any and all of the first cues I make so this stuff is going to be paid for......but I cant waste any money. I have lost my company for the most part and when I say NO MONEY I mean NO MONEY......but I know this is something that I need/WANT to do. So what should I order just to make plain cues? I have a couple of rolls of linen wrap , and a few 3/8-10 pins and the taps to put them in , and also some epoxy ( 2 ton from wal mart, made by crazy glue) so please give me a list of EXACTLY what you would order to make these cue? I dont really need ferrule material due to the fact that I have/am making those out of buck horn/deer horn and actually love the hit. So what kinb and size rod would you order for joint? and also what kida of finish should I use......also how do you apply the finish? I am EXTREMELY NEW TO THIS. And if you dont want to reveal want to personal secrets I understand but I have seen so much heart, and so many offers from you guys and to be honest I just really trust your advice and very much desire to become one of the master cuesmiths on here. SO if you can help me out in any way no matter how little or small with your advice and process I should do, PLEASE, let me know on this thread OK?


I AM SO APPRECIATIVE OF ALL THE ADVICE ON THIS FORUM....EVEN WHEN IT IS TO SOMEONE ELSE.....and I am hoping to really increase my knowledge and skill through this thread....and also save myself time, money and knowledge, as I cant afford to lose either right now!!!!!


PLEASE HELP.....lol :D :D
 
You should go and buy Chris Hightowers book. It would answer a lot of your questions as well as has a list of suppliers in the back of the book. There are a ton of variables in what your trying to do and build. Your best bet would be try to find a cuemaker who would sell you a small quantity of joint and but material maybe some of it pre cut and ready to install. Good luck Dave
 
I will give you a few thoughts, but you are free to disregard them since I am not building cues yet. With apologies, I also won't list each exact product to buy, that is for someone with more experience to suggest, and that also depends on your preference in the cues you want to build.

You have an uphill battle. In my opinion, to help, remove as many variables as possible at the beginning. Buy some schmelke spliced butts. Buy some finish turn schmelke shaft blanks. Learn to put on a solid ferrule and tip, and learn to put on some simple black phenolic joint collars on the butt and shaft. Learn how to install a butt cap, weight bolt, and rubber bumber. You will ofcourse have to do final tapering and sanding of the shafts and butts. You will still have to invest in and learn how to put a finish on the cue. Maybe the most important thing is learning to put a joint pin in straight, all of the components being concentric. You can practice that with your house cues. Get proficient at piecing this type of cue together before going to linen wraps, or 3 piece butts, splicing points, etc. Those things take time, trial and error, wasted materials, etc.

Starting your cue building doing buckhorn ferrules probably isn't the easiest thing to do also.

Kelly
 
Kelly_Guy said:
I will give you a few thoughts, but you are free to disregard them since I am not building cues yet. With apologies, I also won't list each exact product to buy, that is for someone with more experience to suggest, and that also depends on your preference in the cues you want to build.

You have an uphill battle. In my opinion, to help, remove as many variables as possible at the beginning. Buy some schmelke spliced butts. Buy some finish turn schmelke shaft blanks. Learn to put on a solid ferrule and tip, and learn to put on some simple black phenolic joint collars on the butt and shaft. Learn how to install a butt cap, weight bolt, and rubber bumber. You will ofcourse have to do final tapering and sanding of the shafts and butts. You will still have to invest in and learn how to put a finish on the cue. Maybe the most important thing is learning to put a joint pin in straight, all of the components being concentric. You can practice that with your house cues. Get proficient at piecing this type of cue together before going to linen wraps, or 3 piece butts, splicing points, etc. Those things take time, trial and error, wasted materials, etc.

Starting your cue building doing buckhorn ferrules probably isn't the easiest thing to do also.

Kelly
Click to expand...



Actually I havent had any problem with this, I have found it very simple to do, even polishing them to a very high gloss shine.....which has kinda given my drive and confidence a boost.....some nights I will just make ferrules

I have taken 2 of my custom cues and installed theses ferrules on them and really love the hit.....so my standard cue will prolly come with these. the hit has a alot of feel but is a little softer than the linen based which I seem to like.
 
There are some cue makers that have training programs if you have the time and money.
Bludworth is one, Arrnot is another if he still is teaching and Dieckman in one other. Also Cue Components has training. These would be well worth the money and time for you. As you are just starting out. It would cut down on a lot of your first tim screwups and you will have them. That you can count on.
There are some videos out there also. Hightower has two videos and a book. The videos are a good start but the book will take you farther. Would not hurt to have both.
Unique Products has some repair videos that can get you in the right direction. Dennis Dieckman has his new cue building video out. These are in detail. A little high but well worth the time and headachs you will save.
" one of your first lessons in cue building. Is you must learn to have Patience "
If you try to rush through or skip through anything you will have a very big fire wood pile.
Good luck
David
 
try this site to get your feet wet

http://www.cuemaker.com/
It is Dennis Diekmann's. Be sure to look at the menus on the left and go to the partial book and the essays. He gives some good advice and some ideas that will save you grief. He is also helpful and approachable. I spent and afternoon with him and walked away with a ton of ideas and plans to impliment. I also have the Hightower book and found great ideas in that as well. The more you know the more you realize there are many ways to make cues and more than one will make a great playing cue. You just need to find a workflow that suits your own equipment and facilitites. I have built a handful of cues at this point and still have my first that I play with, and love the hit and balance way more than my "nice" production cue.
To save money, you may want to decide on a plastic color for your collars and buy only that. You can use black, white , or light brown{natural}. The quality phenolics are not cheap and a set of all three may cost $600 if you buy sticks rather than small cut pieces, but in the long run it saves money. Many like schmelke will sell you a few pieces if you want to invest less and make maybe two or three cues to start.
And the big investments are in wood, and a large metal lathe, or a cuemaker lathe.
The wood is essential if you are sure you will be making many cues. You need to buy the 8/4 and 5/4 planks and start slicing them into turning squares and dowels in the slow tedious process of making a quality cue! Yes you can buy some pieces already cut or shaped, and that is how i started, as did many of us. But remember the best wood and prettiest will end up in some makers hands, he will not part with it. You will buy decent wood from many honest cue makers but the prime pieces cannot be expected to leave their hands!
The cuemakers lathe that Hightower makes is well respected but not cheap. It is well thought out and designed for cuework, way smaller and more portable than a metal lathe. Not as precise as the metal lathe perhaps, but no steep learning curve either. I have metal lathes and like them, but had to really spend time to make them suit cuebuilding, and spent a lot of money on all the detail tooling I needed, and I am sure I will spend more before this year is up! If i had a chance to buy a nice used Hightower Deluxe lathe I would jump at it, one can never have too many lathes!
My last advice it to chat with local cuemakers, and ask to see their shop. Get to know them and do not pester them but keep your eyes open and mouth mostly shut and you will find many cuemakers to be great people that love their work and are not afraid to share some wisdom!
I wish you luck and success and if i can be of any help just ask!
 
THXS GUYS

I have most of the equipment.....it is very well used but usuable, what I am looking for is advice on what joint materials to buuy....I dont really like stainless, I am more of a linene or phenolic person and was more or less asking what would be the bare necessities to make a few cues. Should I buy just a littl or buy it by the tube or rod, and what diameters and lenghts and who would yo buy from?

I am having by no choice to take this slow, as I mentioned earlier , I have pretty much lost my Job and cant afford much, so really what I need is the BARE MINIMUM.....of materials to buy.

I have a couple of guys on here who have given me some things such as house cues and such ( THXS WOODY OSBORNE ) and also CLINT PUTMAN has offered to send me some of his materials from his shop as well....I am awaiting this package right now....SO THANKS CLINT


I just dont want to buy anything I dont really need right now, and Maybe my question was too vague but I think you kinda get what I mean now....JUST THE ESSENTIALS...I also have HIghtowers video, and as soon as possible I plan on getting his book....as so many have mentioned it, so it must really be a big help....


BUT TO EVERYONE WHO REPLIED TO ME THANK YOU !!!!
 
You haven't mentioned WHAT KIND & size lathe you have. What other equipment???? You say you have someone who will be buying any Qs you make. Believe me unless you have the right equipment, so that you can put that joint screw EXACTLY in the center, no one will want them. You say you have NO MONEY, yet you want to make Qs. You'll have to have money or you might as well be asking "HOW CAN I BE A DENTIST". Believe me you have to 1st, have the right equipment & then learn this craft IN BABY STEPS. Having made many buckhorn ferrules I'll tell you that from the average antler, only the middle part of the tines is useable . The rest is junk as far as Qs go. You can't use any of the stuff that is soft & pithy. You are often lucky to get 2 ferrules from an antler. It's not practical to make that your standard ferrule material. I would be more than happy to help in any way if you give some answers to these questions...JER
 
BLACKHEARTCUES said:
You haven't mentioned WHAT KIND & size lathe you have. What other equipment???? You say you have someone who will be buying any Qs you make. Believe me unless you have the right equipment, so that you can put that joint screw EXACTLY in the center, no one will want them. You say you have NO MONEY, yet you want to make Qs. You'll have to have money or you might as well be asking "HOW CAN I BE A DENTIST". Believe me you have to 1st, have the right equipment & then learn this craft IN BABY STEPS. Having made many buckhorn ferrules I'll tell you that from the average antler, only the middle part of the tines is useable . The rest is junk as far as Qs go. You can't use any of the stuff that is soft & pithy. You are often lucky to get 2 ferrules from an antler. It's not practical to make that your standard ferrule material. I would be more than happy to help in any way if you give some answers to these questions...JER
Click to expand...

I have a full size cuesmith lathe( several years old)....not the deluxe but the same size one, and as for the horn I had plenty of it laying around because of being a deer hunter and having several buddies that hunt......but you are right very little of the horn can be used, but, out of what I have had I got 10 ferrules or so out of them and actually put 2 on my playing cues.When I said I wanted that to be my standard ferrules. you have to remember I havent made a complete cue yet and it will be somtime before I actually start making enuff to actually be called a cuemaker, so they can be my standard ferrule until I run out of them LOL LOL

As far as money I was fine until my health went south and my buisness is going with it ( masonry company ) I do Pastor full time as well, and I know how much money it takes and didnt mean for it to sound like I was crying hard mouth, I was only asking for the advice about not buying stuff that I dont need yet or just buying what is absolutely essential right now. If you have any advice then thanks.....and I know I am in for a long haul as for learning and becoming good at cue making, but I thought if I asked the questions up front to those of you that have walked the walk then maybe I wouldnt waste the money I dont have LOL.....if it came across any other way then I am sorry!

I have had most of my stuff for a little while now and have played with it everyday, and now I am trying to just take it up a step or two into some of the more skilled areas of cuemaking......but thank you for the offer of advice.
 
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My advice would be to get some old house Qs, cut one to 29", center it(you'll need a dial indicator),drill & tap the hole for the joint screw & insert the screw. Now take a finished shaft(that you've bought), drill & tap the joint hole & put a ferrule & tip on it. When you can do those simple tasks & the thing is straight, you can move on to joint rings, butt caps & the rest. UNTIL you can do these simple Qmaking tasks, don't waste money on ANY other parts. I will be surprised if you get a playable Q the 1st time. Just keep on PRACTICING till you can make the SIMPLIST of Qs, before you try anything harder. It's a slow learning process. GOOD LUCK...JER
 
I can appreciate that you have a problem in that you want to be a cuemaker and have no money so to speak.

Every Cuemaker I know has sacrificed greatly to become successful. I worked for over 7 years and put every penny I made into inventory and equipment. While I was doing this my Wife Cindy worked and supported us so we could eat and pay the bills. We had a plan, stuck to it and now I am doing what I feel like God intended for me to do with my life.

If I were in your position I would at least start out with properly introducing myself to those I was asking to help me. Brickman does not cut it in my book. If I were inclined to help you the first thing I would like to know is your name, address and phone number.

Most of us have been stung by lots of people wanting free cues, repairs and help so we are somewhat gun-shy. Even if you tell us who you are we don't know you or your reputation.

I am always willing to help those who are helping themselves but I stay away from freeloaders. It will take some time to develop a relationship with most of us cuemakers and it cannot be rushed.

Maybe you should offer yourself as an apprentice to a local cuemaker in your area. That way you could possibly learn the craft and perhaps if your sponsor were willing you could earn some shop time to work on some of your own cues. It will be a sensative relationship because you will ultimately end up in competition with your sponsor and that can cause some hard feelings down the road if things are not done properly.

I wish you success and if you need some advice I would be willing to work with you via phone not email because of the time involved.

Good cuemaking,
 
OK GUYS!

I am looking for your guys advice here, please lay out ( like you are talking to a 3 year old ) the advice on what you would order to build cues?

Find a local quality cuemaker.
Beg him to take you in as an apprentice.
Call him before you go to his shop. He might be asleep late in the afternoon b/c some cuemakers work really late or until dawn.
If he gives you the keys, clean his shop before he wakes up but don't touch his tools.
Turn squares to round for him ( he centers them though since you have no clue yet how to center woods ).
Turn dowels into cones for him to his specs ( his specs not yours b/c he might kill you if you don't ).
You want hands-on training? Good. Drive around and pick up house cues from different bars. Tip them for minimal feel.
You wanna make blanks? Bring your own wood.
You wanna assemble them? Bring your own epoxy.
Watch him do the detailed work.
Clean the shop.
Take out the garbage.
If he has available cues, sell them for him.
Take in local repair work and expect no commission.
Did I mention clean his shop?
 
BLACKHEARTCUES said:
My advice would be to get some old house Qs, cut one to 29", center it(you'll need a dial indicator),drill & tap the hole for the joint screw & insert the screw. Now take a finished shaft(that you've bought), drill & tap the joint hole & put a ferrule & tip on it. When you can do those simple tasks & the thing is straight, you can move on to joint rings, butt caps & the rest. UNTIL you can do these simple Qmaking tasks, don't waste money on ANY other parts. I will be surprised if you get a playable Q the 1st time. Just keep on PRACTICING till you can make the SIMPLIST of Qs, before you try anything harder. It's a slow learning process. GOOD LUCK...JER
Click to expand...


THANK YOU ...EXACTLY what I was askin for.:D :D
 
Arnot Wadsworth said:
I can appreciate that you have a problem in that you want to be a cuemaker and have no money so to speak.

Every Cuemaker I know has sacrificed greatly to become successful. I worked for over 7 years and put every penny I made into inventory and equipment. While I was doing this my Wife Cindy worked and supported us so we could eat and pay the bills. We had a plan, stuck to it and now I am doing what I feel like God intended for me to do with my life.

If I were in your position I would at least start out with properly introducing myself to those I was asking to help me. Brickman does not cut it in my book. If I were inclined to help you the first thing I would like to know is your name, address and phone number.

Most of us have been stung by lots of people wanting free cues, repairs and help so we are somewhat gun-shy. Even if you tell us who you are we don't know you or your reputation.

I am always willing to help those who are helping themselves but I stay away from freeloaders. It will take some time to develop a relationship with most of us cuemakers and it cannot be rushed.

Maybe you should offer yourself as an apprentice to a local cuemaker in your area. That way you could possibly learn the craft and perhaps if your sponsor were willing you could earn some shop time to work on some of your own cues. It will be a sensative relationship because you will ultimately end up in competition with your sponsor and that can cause some hard feelings down the road if things are not done properly.

I wish you success and if you need some advice I would be willing to work with you via phone not email because of the time involved.

Good cuemaking,
Click to expand...




DID HAVE CONTACT INFO HERE BUT DUE TO TELEMARKETERS CALLING MY HOUSE SINCE THIS POST I HAVE REMOVED IT


IF ANYONE NEEDS IT PLEASE PM ME FOR THE INFO



I have no desire for anyone on here to give me anything but advice, so please do not think that is what I am saying.....I dont and Wont lie to anyone on here......Actually I had another gentleman on here send me a cue a few months back , and he told me to pay him when I could, it wasnt much 100 bucks I think, and I never got to where I could but I let him know and even offered to trade him something else I had....he said no and told me to keep the cue.....it made me feel like a sack of garbage because of the way that happened.....even though I very much appreciated his heart in the matter, I still felt horrible about it........I said all of that to say this.....I ONLY WANT YOUR KNOWLEDGE and ADVICE......IF I have given any other appearance to my posts then I am sorry......I am a very open and Honest guy and sometimes my writing seems totally different from what I am actually saying.


I am the type of person that will help anyone anyway I can.... I really dont care for getting something I dont earn or havent paid for.......But the advice is really all I seek.....REALLY :D
 
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JoeyInCali said:
OK GUYS!

I am looking for your guys advice here, please lay out ( like you are talking to a 3 year old ) the advice on what you would order to build cues?

Find a local quality cuemaker.
Beg him to take you in as an apprentice.
Call him before you go to his shop. He might be asleep late in the afternoon b/c some cuemakers work really late or until dawn.
If he gives you the keys, clean his shop before he wakes up but don't touch his tools.
Turn squares to round for him ( he centers them though since you have no clue yet how to center woods ).
Turn dowels into cones for him to his specs ( his specs not yours b/c he might kill you if you don't ).
You want hands-on training? Good. Drive around and pick up house cues from different bars. Tip them for minimal feel.
You wanna make blanks? Bring your own wood.
You wanna assemble them? Bring your own epoxy.
Watch him do the detailed work.
Clean the shop.
Take out the garbage.
If he has available cues, sell them for him.
Take in local repair work and expect no commission.
Did I mention clean his shop?
Click to expand...


To my knowledge there isnt any cue makers near me. I do live Close to Joe Blackburn( 40 min away).....but he doesnt do much in the way of his shop, he makes his living from doing big tourneys on the road.

He has shown me a few things and offered to show me more , when the work, needs to be done in his shop.....it is just so hard to work out our schedules for me to see him in action......plus he doesnt build cues he repairs them.....I know he has the knowledge, but I figure the people like you guys here would know alittle more about the building side of cues because that is all you do.

I have even went as far as to offer to pay him a few months ago, to show me, I offered to work for him for free.....but here at home he may go a week without even putting on a tip ( according to him ) he does get work sent to him from all over the country ....but when he does he not the type of guy that is going to call me and say " hey come watch me do this" LOL
I would even offer to go on the tourney trail with him, and do that for free just to learn the trade, but I have twin 11 year olds with cerebral palsy and cant quite be gone away from them that long.

I have offered to trade him masonry work for the apprenticing, but to no avail.....this forum is all I get in the way of advice......

man I think I have really put way tooo much info on the web :D :D :D but like I said I am a very honest fellow.....and my only intention is to get the best advice I can, at the lowest price available :p ;) :D :D
 
off topic but relevant somehow!!

hey brickman, it may tickle you to know today i caught and released a 23.75" largemouth about a mile from home here in some souithern state! white with blue rattletrap in my little inflatble pontoon boat. i did take pics so people could see and believe cause not all are blesssed to believe not seeing. lol hey man i have some phenolic rods for joints. didn't think of them before when i went to ky. have a good one, woody
 
woodyosborne said:
hey brickman, it may tickle you to know today i caught and released a 23.75" largemouth about a mile from home here in some souithern state! white with blue rattletrap in my little inflatble pontoon boat. i did take pics so people could see and believe cause not all are blesssed to believe not seeing. lol hey man i have some phenolic rods for joints. didn't think of them before when i went to ky. have a good one, woody
Click to expand...


Woody .....man you are a hoot!!!:D :D :D :D Glad to hear you got to go fishing.

I spoke to the guy about his brunswick cue and I will get to see it tommorow and if I get pics I will send them to you, and also let him have your info.


GOOD LUCK AND GOD BLESS FRIEND......thxs again for the house cues :) :)

Let me know if I can ever do anything for you .:cool:
 
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