Homemade Tip Replacement Lathe

I used to do cue repairs for about 10 years, from 2000 to 2010 or so, until I moved and packed the lathe away. I haven't set back up in all these years. I've shaped my own tips the past few years using a single bevel Japanese blade for $12 on amazon, and a 3d printed half circle length about 6" long I made with 150 grit sandpaper held to it. I use the blade to slice the sides going around in a circle. It takes a few times around to get it really good. It honestly looks as good as when I was doing it with a lathe and a utility knife blade. If cost and quality is your main motivation, that's about $20 in parts that you can do a LOT of tips with:)
 
You can get your tip better if you get the single bevel Japanese blade. It's ballooning out now, because you used sandpaper to trim its sides. You can also get it perfectly concentric because you will be slicing a tiny portion at a time, and using the ferrule for alignment.

I'm actually surprised you didn't damage the ferrule, especially if you started with 60 grit paper.
 
iusedtoberich said:
You can get your tip better if you get the single bevel Japanese blade. It's ballooning out now, because you used sandpaper to trim its sides. You can also get it perfectly concentric because you will be slicing a tiny portion at a time, and using the ferrule for alignment.

I'm actually surprised you didn't damage the ferrule, especially if you started with 60 grit paper.
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Those look handy. I'll pick one up.
 
I machine tips to size with super sharp inserts. I take off only the last couple of thou with a utility blade.
I'm not discouraging anyone to do their own tips or make a homemade lathe, but please be careful, both with your digits and eyes and also with the shaft, especially if you are working on someone else's stuff.
I see a fair bit of damaged equipment due to people not really knowing what they are doing..
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I have a metal lathe that I made a Delrin collet for to hold my shaft. Its overkill though and I always have to clean my lathe spotless before I will put my shaft in it. (I don't wanna hear it, I don't have time for funny business) With the amount of work required I just end up taking my shaft to the cue maker about 15 miles away. it gives me an excuse to look at pool stuff and custom cues under construction. That raises an interesting question though. I put oil on my chuck, ways (weighs, wheys????) and carriage (cross feed table, cutter tool mover thingy??????) obviously when working with metals we don't need to worry about oil but what about about when working with wood? What do you use to keep your lathe from rusting? Here in the Midwest humidity it only takes a few hours for rust to start forming if they are oil free.
 
fastone371 said:
I have a metal lathe that I made a Delrin collet for to hold my shaft. Its overkill though and I always have to clean my lathe spotless before I will put my shaft in it. (I don't wanna hear it, I don't have time for funny business) With the amount of work required I just end up taking my shaft to the cue maker about 15 miles away. it gives me an excuse to look at pool stuff and custom cues under construction. That raises an interesting question though. I put oil on my chuck, ways (weighs, wheys????) and carriage (cross feed table, cutter tool mover thingy??????) obviously when working with metals we don't need to worry about oil but what about about when working with wood? What do you use to keep your lathe from rusting? Here in the Midwest humidity it only takes a few hours for rust to start forming if they are oil free.
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Have you tried waxing the lathe? That is the general method for tables and beds on woodworking equipment. I use Howard's paste wax.

You have the terms correct. The ways are what the carriage rides on. The carriage holds the cross slide and the cross slide has the tool post or tool holder.
 
DeeDeeCues said:
Have you tried waxing the lathe? That is the general method for tables and beds on woodworking equipment. I use Howard's paste wax.

You have the terms correct. The ways are what the carriage rides on. The carriage holds the cross slide and the cross slide has the tool post or tool holder.
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I have not, sounds interesting. Think I could just spray some car wax on out of a bottle and have the same effect?? It would certainly be quicker and easier. Do you leave the wax on the lathe or do you buff it off like when you wax your car??
 
DeeDeeCues said:
I don't care what happens to your cue, I don't care whether this works or not.

I am an engineer curmudgeon. Putting a demonstration of something like this that has multiple points of possible failure that could result in harm to people or property is irresponsible. While you may understand the risks, there are others who don't and may copy you.

For instance, my brother works on live electrical panels and will strip wires to put directly into outlets for testing purposes. He is a 20+ year master electrician and understand how to minimize risk while doing these things. I'm a mechanical engineer and won't do those things.
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Irresponsible huh? So does that mean you wouldn't have liked my old college mega-joule living room rail gun that I activated with a whiffle bat?

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Your brother and I should hang out.
 
fastone371 said:
I have not, sounds interesting. Think I could just spray some car wax on out of a bottle and have the same effect?? It would certainly be quicker and easier. Do you leave the wax on the lathe or do you buff it off like when you wax your car??
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I'd only be concerned if the car wax has silicon. A good carnuba wax is likely better than Howard's. I mostly use Howard's because I always have it handy...and it smells like oranges.

Buff the wax, a thin coat should do, too much will get on everything.
 
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