How Much $$ to Start Cue Making

D

Dimonis

Registered
A friend and I are considering going half and half on buying all the equipment to make sneaky petes and simple pointed cues (as a hobby, if down the road we end up with something people would shoot with then maybe we sell local).

What is the ballpark figure for the lathe and all the accessories.

What brand equipment do you favor?

I have seen several web pages advertising different lathes and videos for cue making but I don't know what I am looking for and what features are important. I dont want to spend $800 on something and then figure out that it wont do what I want it to.

Thanks for your time
 
what you might need...$$$...
Lathe...3500
band saw...500
table saw...500
grinder...200
small lathe just for tips and ferrules...500

taps/ bits cutting tools/ wrenches/ chucks/ ...1000
heaps of sand paper...500
glues...200
screws / threaded stock/ inserts/ ...300
plastic stock for ferrules...300
plastic stock for butt caps and collars...300
wood stock...2000
....and this is just maybe to get started....
 
A used 36 inch ( between center) lathe ( the spindle bore has to 1 3/8 at least) runs about a grand depending where you are and the condition.
You go from there. But, as Drexler would say, you can hand anybody surgeons' tools but that doesn't make them surgeons.
Cuemaking takes a ton of knowledge.
 
Not to discourage you but it really takes years and a lot of patience to make what is actually called quality, playable cues.
I do however wish you the best of luck.
 
Aside from the above mentioned:
disk and belt sander combo
drill Press and/or mill/drill combo and related acc
Air Compressor with oil/water separator
spray gun and related protective equipment
Variety of engineering plastics to make your own mar-free collets
A variety of precision measureing devices (dial indicator, vernier caliper, metal rulers, moisture meter)
buffing and polishing compounds
bench vise and other clamping devices.

Focus on what you're doing and how you planned to tackle it. Don't daydream or lose focus specially when you're using power equipment. Plan before you execute then focus, this can cut down on wasted time and materials and keep you from loosing some body parts (immediate: fingers and eyes, long term: lungs, eyes, skin).
 
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Hi Dimonis,
I teach cuemaking, and design, build and sell equipment. If you want, call me @ 830-232-5991
thank you
leonard bludworth
 
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