HOW TO REPLACE A CUE TIP … No Special Tools Required

[dr_dave]

Thanks very much, appreciate it. The keys are practice and patience. Everyone that looks at a tip of mine thinks I had it done by a professional with a lathe, but it's my own two hands.

All the best,
WW

I also thought the tip I installed in my video looked professionally done, and it was only my second try. With a little patience and care, the procedure works well (although, I still like some of your suggestions).

Thanks again,
Dave

 

[ShootingArts]

Razor blades, utility knifes... keep them away from your ferrule and tip. You're going to gouge them sooner or later. I've done advice on how to do tips perfect. Knives and blades are not the way to go. Here's how you go with just sandpaper and freezer tape, towel, and vice. These razor blades and utility knives give me gas pains.

All the best,
WW

It isn't the blade, it is how it is held usually. Can be the blade too but I will get around to that. If using a utility knife, go buy one of the fixed blade knives. You may still need to shim a little to have a very tight grip on the blade. If there is any wiggle in the blade I put on some eye protection and snap off an old blade even with the handle and use it as a shim. With enough handle to hold the blade exactly where you want it, the blade is much less likely to do damage. Study the bevel angle, you want to come close to matching it but a bit too much gets that big ugly! The main reason people damage ferrules and tips with a utility knife is that they are using the handles with a retractable blade. These flop around and there is no way to control the blade.

One thing, the premium blades are worth the money. Bi-metal, Kobalt or tit, they are all much sharper than standard blades. The worst blades of all are the heavy duty blades. They have a steeper bevel. They start off duller and dull faster. Before every tip install find a sharpie and put a mark on the blade. Three tips with a standard blade or premium and I toss it in the drawer to replace a rough blade. The premium blades could probably go to five or six tip installs but I'm not blowing a tip install to save a few cents. Notice I said mark first! We all are going to do things like marking a blade afterwards, we all forget. I make it the first step in my process so the blade always gets marked.

My cue lathe is in storage so I put several tips on cues around here by hand three or four months ago. The first sharp steel I saw was the two handled woodworkers draw knife. It was handy, it worked. Rather than sanding anything, I cut a few extra laps around the tip with my sharp tool until I can burnish it, no sanding required. Those tips on break cue and playing cue have held up just fine. One thing about burnishing, the only proper thing to burnish with is a new hundred dollar bill. Any new bill would work for some but I want the tip to learn early what things are all about!

I did things a bit differently for the glue up. Built the tape up to the same diameter as the tip, then made a couple of laps sticking about an eighth inch higher than the end of the ferrule so it formed a guide and cup to hold the glue to be absolutely sure that it went where I wanted it and nowhere else. A couple rubber bands give me all the pressure I want. I Stretched them and wrapped another rubber band around the rubber bands and shaft to hold tension on them.

A side note, those tip shapers are a cue builder / repairman's friend. They are great for damaging tips and often rip a layer or two off of a layered tip. The Williard shapers are so good for this that I considered giving one away with every tip install! Instead I taught people how to care for their tips. Terrible for my business, my customers extended tip life multiple times more than they were getting with a shaper.

Hu

 

[boogieman]

Other than old super glue, I always hear horror stories about popping tips. I've redone 20 or more tips and I've never had one pop. Are people just doing it wrong? I am always careful about sanding the bottom of the tip, don't put too much concern into the ferrule, other than having it clean of remains of the previous tip. I spread about a drop of super glue (usually gorilla glue brand as I have a big bottle of it) on the leather until it's fully covered with a very thin layer, basically wetting the leather. I then put one drop on the ferrule. Give a half twist as I put the two together and then use a tweeten plastic/rubber band clamp for about 2 minutes. I do the half twist because of my experience with PVC pipe, gets rid of air bubbles and voids in the glue.

I honestly can't see how tips are popping, even when I did it with store brand super glue, it never happened.

 

[dr_dave]

It isn't the blade, it is how it is held usually. Can be the blade too but I will get around to that. If using a utility knife, go buy one of the fixed blade knives. You may still need to shim a little to have a very tight grip on the blade. If there is any wiggle in the blade I put on some eye protection and snap off an old blade even with the handle and use it as a shim. With enough handle to hold the blade exactly where you want it, the blade is much less likely to do damage. Study the bevel angle, you want to come close to matching it but a bit too much gets that big ugly! The main reason people damage ferrules and tips with a utility knife is that they are using the handles with a retractable blade. These flop around and there is no way to control the blade.

One thing, the premium blades are worth the money. Bi-metal, Kobalt or tit, they are all much sharper than standard blades. The worst blades of all are the heavy duty blades. They have a steeper bevel. They start off duller and dull faster. Before every tip install find a sharpie and put a mark on the blade. Three tips with a standard blade or premium and I toss it in the drawer to replace a rough blade. The premium blades could probably go to five or six tip installs but I'm not blowing a tip install to save a few cents. Notice I said mark first! We all are going to do things like marking a blade afterwards, we all forget. I make it the first step in my process so the blade always gets marked.

My cue lathe is in storage so I put several tips on cues around here by hand three or four months ago. The first sharp steel I saw was the two handled woodworkers draw knife. It was handy, it worked. Rather than sanding anything, I cut a few extra laps around the tip with my sharp tool until I can burnish it, no sanding required. Those tips on break cue and playing cue have held up just fine. One thing about burnishing, the only proper thing to burnish with is a new hundred dollar bill. Any new bill would work for some but I want the tip to learn early what things are all about!

I did things a bit differently for the glue up. Built the tape up to the same diameter as the tip, then made a couple of laps sticking about an eighth inch higher than the end of the ferrule so it formed a guide and cup to hold the glue to be absolutely sure that it went where I wanted it and nowhere else. A couple rubber bands give me all the pressure I want. I Stretched them and wrapped another rubber band around the rubber bands and shaft to hold tension on them.

A side note, those tip shapers are a cue builder / repairman's friend. They are great for damaging tips and often rip a layer or two off of a layered tip. The Williard shapers are so good for this that I considered giving one away with every tip install! Instead I taught people how to care for their tips. Terrible for my business, my customers extended tip life multiple times more than they were getting with a shaper.

Hu

Thank you for the suggestions and advice. I've added a quote of most of your post on the how to change a cue tip resource page.

Good job,
Dave

 

[Island Drive]

FYI, I just posted a new video that demonstrates a 10-step procedure for how to replace and de-mushroom a cue tip. And no special tools are required. All you need is a block of wood, printer/copy paper, sandpaper sheets, super glue gel, a towel, Scotch Magic tape, a utility knife, and a new tip. Check it out:

Table of Contents:
- Intro [0:00]
1 - Remove Old Tip [0:35]
2 - Scrape Ferrule [1:08]
3 - Prepare Tip and Ferrule [2:02]
4 - Tape Ferrule [2:30]
5 - Glue New Tip On [2:55]
6 – Remove Tape [3:44]
7 - Trim Tip [4:04]
8 - Sand Tip [4:40]
9 - Clean Up Tip and Ferrule [6:16]
10 - Shape and Chalk Tip [7:10]
- Wrap Up [7:43]
---- process montage [8:20]

As always, I look forward to your feedback, comments, questions, complaints, and requests.

Enjoy,
Dave

No Willard tool?

 

[dr_dave]

I spread about a drop of super glue (usually gorilla glue brand as I have a big bottle of it) on the leather until it's fully covered with a very thin layer, basically wetting the leather. I then put one drop on the ferrule.

In the video, I did it the same way but added the extra drop to the center of the already-coated tip. Putting the extra drop on the ferrule instead is probably better since the tip will be moved to place it on the ferrule, but it probably doesn't matter much with gel glue.

Thanks for the input,
Dave

 

[dr_dave]

No Willard tool?

I have one, but I prefer the tool I showed in the video. It has two different sanding-cup sizes and it is long enough to support with a foot on the floor, where you can hold and spin the cue vertically with the tip down in the sanding cup. The downside is the sandpaper inserts need to be changed periodically, unlike with the Willard tool which will last forever.

Happy Holidays,
Dave

 

[logical]

I have a block of hardwood with a half dozen perpendicular 12-14 mm holes drilled in it that I use to help keep the edge square when I clean up and prep the face of the ferrule. Lay the block on the sand paper, tape up a few inches of the shaft ..I actually like blue painters tape and drop it thru the smallest hole it will go in and give it a few twists. This Tweeten tool looks nice but never felt like I needed one.

Sent from my SM-T830 using Tapatalk

 

[Bob Jewett]

I've been retipping cues by hand since 1967. My technique gradually evolved to what is shown in the video.

The block I use to position the shaft/sandpaper/cover sheet is a rectangular sharpening stone. That serves double duty when I use a pocket knife to do the trimming.

As for the rotary tool shown above, I'm afraid of it. Maybe on the dinged up house cues down at the rec center.

 

[dr_dave]

I have a block of hardwood with a half dozen perpendicular 12-14 mm holes drilled in it that I use to help keep the edge square when I clean up and prep the face of the ferrule. Lay the block on the sand paper, tape up a few inches of the shaft ..I actually like blue painters tape and drop it thru the smallest hole it will go in and give it a few twists.

Excellent idea! FYI, I've added a quote to the how to replace a cue tip resource page.

Thanks,
Dave

 

[dr_dave]

I've been retipping cues by hand since 1967. My technique gradually evolved to what is shown in the video.

The block I use to position the shaft/sandpaper/cover sheet is a rectangular sharpening stone. That serves double duty when I use a pocket knife to do the trimming.

Thanks again for sharing your great procedure. I've added a quote of your post to the how to replace a cue tip resource page. With all the additional ideas and advice people have provided (also quoted on the page), I might need to do another video in the future. That will also give me more much-needed tip-replacing practice.

Thanks again for your tip-replacing mentorship,
Dave

 

[dr_dave]

I've added a quote of your post to the how to replace a cue tip resource page. With all the additional ideas and advice people have provided (also quoted on the page), I might need to do another video in the future.

Does anybody else have any great ideas and advice to offer?

Thanks. I really learned a lot in this thread already.

 

[boogieman]

Does anybody else have any great ideas and advice to offer?

Thanks. I really learned a lot in this thread already.

Might be good to talk about various burnishing methods. Leather, brown paper bag, brown cardboard, dollar bills, heck maybe even blue jeans or even glass. I don't think it's too important what you use to burnish, but it might be good to add different methods to the resource page.

Also if you're interested in different products, that tweeten tip clamp as pictured is really inexpensive and does a good job without damaging your shaft:

 

[dr_dave]

Might be good to talk about various burnishing methods. Leather, brown paper bag, brown cardboard, dollar bills, heck maybe even blue jeans or even glass. I don't think it's too important what you use to burnish, but it might be good to add different methods to the resource page.

Also if you're interested in different products, that tweeten tip clamp as pictured is really inexpensive and does a good job without damaging your shaft:

View attachment 579602

Thank you for the suggestions. Concerning burnishing, I demonstrate paper and leather in the video, and I've already quoted info about using dollar bills on the resource page. I suspect that's probably enough in terms of options. I've tried to limit how many "devices" I list because the whole point of the video and resource page is to keep things as simple as possible without needing to purchase stuff. I think holding the shaft tip-down or wedging under a table (as demonstrated in the video), or stretching rubber bands tied to the shaft (as already quoted) are sufficient in terms of options.

Thanks for the input,
Dave

 

[WildWing]

It isn't the blade, it is how it is held usually.

Not that I doubt you, but please show us some pictures that show tips you've done by hand, with blades, better than mine. Pictures don't lie.

All the best,
WW

 

[Island Drive]

I learned a trick, from Adam Brostoski, Paramount Billiards room owner Long Beach CA 70's and on.
Adam is the father of the owner of Golden West Billiards, the tables you often see on Price is Right.
The glue burp' after the tip/ferrule are faced is what Adam showed me.
Super glue gel.
Apply proper amount to tip bottom. Apply tip to the faced ferrule, turning it around, pulling it off to make sure, both glue flat surfaces are ''wet'' before the burp.
Center the tip over the shaft, hold shaft vertically couple feet off the floor and drop/bounce it ''Once''.
Look at tip and center.
It will have a glue overhang on the ferrule/tip due to the drop, do a final ck for it being centered. Set it somewhere Vertical to dry

 

[jviss]

This is great, thank you Dave for posting, and Bob for your input to Dave. I confess it reminds me of those videos of kids in Pakistan making AK-47s with the crudest of implements, on the floor of their workshops.

I did want to mention that for a lot less money than just one of those fancy cues you can get a rudimentary cue lathe, like the "SHARPSHOOTER POOL CUE TIP LATHE," on eBay for about $250 plus shipping. Seems like a good investment if you're seriously into pool.

Also, surprised there's no mention of burnishing compounds other than water. Saliva, even, or beeswax? I got a bottle of gum trag (tragacanth). Produces a lovely, shiny burnish.

Thanks again,

jv

 

[measureman]

This is great, thank you Dave for posting, and Bob for your input to Dave. I confess it reminds me of those videos of kids in Pakistan making AK-47s with the crudest of implements, on the floor of their workshops.

I did want to mention that for a lot less money than just one of those fancy cues you can get a rudimentary cue lathe, like the "SHARPSHOOTER POOL CUE TIP LATHE," on eBay for about $250 plus shipping. Seems like a good investment if you're seriously into pool.

Also, surprised there's no mention of burnishing compounds other than water. Saliva, even, or beeswax? I got a bottle of gum trag (tragacanth). Produces a lovely, shiny burnish.

Thanks again,

jv

there was a time I did tips and ferrule replacements in N.J. on a big lathe.
I would use clear paste shoe wax on the side of the tip and spin it fast and burness it with the paper side of the sandpaper.

 

[ShootingArts]

Not that I doubt you, but please show us some pictures that show tips you've done by hand, with blades, better than mine. Pictures don't lie.

All the best,
WW

Nothing wrong with the way your tips look. I am not sure when I did these tips and I have quit being anal about tips. They looked nice when I put them on, the only thing I have done since then is roll dents in the playing surfaces to hold chalk a little better. No pictures to show. I didn't take any months ago when I put these tips on. Nothing else around here needs a tip.

There must be dozens of ways to put a tip on and get a good job. I cringed a bit when I saw Dave using that retractable blade utility knife that does sometimes cause the damage you mentioned then your post condemning blades made it seem like a good time to clear the air about blades. I believe in minimal sanding on tips, particularly layered tips. I might use sandpaper to shape the crown cutting from the center out but that is about all if I use it for that.

The problem with some of the tip shaping tools is that they grab the whole tip at once and apply force in a direction the glues were not designed to withstand. The same superglue joint that will hold up a car will break with a sharp rap or two from the side.

Hu

 

[jay helfert]

FYI, I just posted a new video that demonstrates a 10-step procedure for how to replace and de-mushroom a cue tip. And no special tools are required. All you need is a block of wood, printer/copy paper, sandpaper sheets, super glue gel, a towel, Scotch Magic tape, a utility knife, and a new tip. Check it out:

Table of Contents:
- Intro [0:00]
1 - Remove Old Tip [0:35]
2 - Scrape Ferrule [1:08]
3 - Prepare Tip and Ferrule [2:02]
4 - Tape Ferrule [2:30]
5 - Glue New Tip On [2:55]
6 – Remove Tape [3:44]
7 - Trim Tip [4:04]
8 - Sand Tip [4:40]
9 - Clean Up Tip and Ferrule [6:16]
10 - Shape and Chalk Tip [7:10]
- Wrap Up [7:43]
---- process montage [8:20]

As always, I look forward to your feedback, comments, questions, complaints, and requests.

Enjoy,
Dave

That'll work. I've done it many times without the block of wood (used a table top or the floor), without the tape (used a rubber band), no utility knife (used a razor blade) and borrowed a towel from the motel I was staying in. We didn't have super glue then. Tweetens was preferred, but Elmers glue would work just fine. Just let it set up overnight. I would turn the cue upside down in the corner on the tip and let it stand overnight. It was nice and hard in the morning for me to do the trimming. I always carried a four way file. It was a handy tool to have around. If I needed more sandpaper I would go to the nearest hardware store and buy some, usually a variety pack. I never had a utility knife, didn't need it.