Is cue making your only job?

[Jim Baxter]

I started driving truck in the mid '60s , before that I was a model maker for Boeing . I worked up to own my own truck . I '99 I started hauling cars . I would be gone 4-5 days at a time . I was building J/ps and doing some cue repair work since early '90s and driving truck . started building cues in 2001 . In 08 my wife had a couple strokes , and I eventually had to sell the truck so I could stay home and care for her . Now between SS and the cues and j/ps , thats my income . I have 2 part time employes , Christy and Chuck . Christy is my doughter in law and works 3 days a week , and Chuck a long time unemployed freind that is here when Christy is not . Not enough room in shop for 3 workers . We are producing 3-4 cues per month .

 

[mark smith]

part-time

quit nuclear industry Sep 1992

opened pool room Jan 1993

started cue repairs 1993

started cue building 1998
(100% of my income came from billiard industry for 14 years)

Arkansas Indoor Clean Air Act July 2006

opportunity to get back into nuclear industry Sep 2006 (a real blessing as it turned out)

these days i probably average 8-10 hours a week in the cue shop

still own the pool room, I have a really good guy that manages it and does all of the table work. As it turns out he is also a 12 year car painter so he inherited cue finishing also

 

[scdiveteam]

quit nuclear industry Sep 1992

opened pool room Jan 1993

started cue repairs 1993

started cue building 1998
(100% of my income came from billiard industry for 14 years)

Arkansas Indoor Clean Air Act July 2006

opportunity to get back into nuclear industry Sep 2006 (a real blessing as it turned out)

these days i probably average 8-10 hours a week in the cue shop

still own the pool room, I have a really good guy that manages it and does all of the table work. As it turns out he is also a 12 year car painter so he inherited cue finishing also

Mark,

It is almost scary how our experiences are the same concerning Nuclear Power Industry, Pool Room Owner, Cue Repair, then Cue Maker is concerned.

After 7 years, I went full time cue maker last year and moved out of my pool room and gave the business to my son.

I spent 31 years servicing 19 Nuke plants and doing project during outages before getting into the pool biz.

I am glad you went full circle and you were able to get back in as the money is always good there.

Rick

 

[Lexicologist71]

Most of my more useful knowledge came from high school wood shop classes and being an aircraft mechanic. I've been out of aviation for a few years (mostly out since 9-11-01) and am trying to get back in. Since I work hard, I haven't touched my lathe in months (aside from making car door hinge bushings for a friend).

 

[mark smith]

Rick (Esoteric)

Rick sorry I took so long to respond. Outage preps then outage but now life is back to normal. Another outage in the spring. We are a 2 unit site and are always shorthanded in the RP department so I "get" to work plenty of OT. I have not been in the cue shop since August but my 7 off starts next thursday so I will be working. Well maybe not if the weather is nice enough for yard work or motorcycling or vehicle polishing or..........
I look forward to talking to you sometime. My cell is
479-970-0056. We can discuss the nuclear bidness and the more enjoyable sawdust bidness. Mark

 

[Brickcues]

I started out making cues full time with some repair work 16 or 17 years ago. Been so long ago that I do not remember when I started. Moved to Nashville in 2001 and had to take a full time job. Got lucky as I talked to Joe Blackburn every so often and was offered his place at JOB. I have been doing repair work full time at JOB Billiards in Madison, Tn. for the last 8 years. I guess I should say part time as I only go to JOB 3 hours a day 5 days a week. I make a few cues a year just because I like to do so. I also make Dymondwood Jump and Jump/Break cues. The business has treated me well.

 

[swilliespeed]

I am in the same boat as many other posts. I have a full time 9 to 5 working in a warehouse. Wife has a full time 9 to 5 also. I started in 2005 by taking a piece of sandpaper and sanding the ferrule of a shaft in my lap. The shaft had been sanded to much that the ferrule was quite larger in diameter than the wood. Eventually working my way up to getting an old wood lathe to do finish work and sanding. Now I have a deluxe cuesmith. Who knows what will have a year or two from now. I have the luxury of having three custom cuemakers that live within a 40 mile radius of me also. My budget is very limited though. As you well know it takes about 10 grand from the start to really do this right. I buy wood and supplies a little at a time here and there. I do repairs, refinishing, and tips whenever I can get the business. I really love doing house cue conversions too. I have built and sold a few from scratch. More to come as time allows.

 

[whammo57]

Cues

All I can say is WOW... what a lot of interesting stories.

I retired retired 2 years ago and jumped in to cue building with both feet. I ordered everything I needed and drove to Chris Hightower's shop and picked it up.

I read everything I could get my hands on about cue building and bought the DVD's and "the book". I asked stupid questions on this forum and sometimes I got my assss kicked and sometimes I got some real honest help. I had one well known cue builder on this forum say that I sounded like I didn't know what I was doing.... well, no shittt, because I didn't.

Well I never was a quitter. I made my first cue about 2 months after I got my equipment. I made it in 1 week. It's ugly but it's dead straight and I still play with it sometimes. I put the pin in it 3 times before It was straight. It was the only cue I have ever made with an A joint. I fully core now.

I can't even guess how many potential cue builders fail or quit before they make even 1 cue.

I made a few cues the first year and sold them to some very good local players. In 1 year, I had 24 cues on order. I also do the repairs, tips and ferrules and an occasional shaft. My list of names waiting for a cue is on the wall and it still is around 25 long.

I have learned so much I can't believe it.... but I have really only found out what I still don't know.

Soooo to answer the original question, I build cues because I love it not because it is my only job. I haven't really made a profit yet but I am losing less money than I was,,,,,,,, LOL

Thanks to those on this forum that helped me along the way........

A special thanks to Rick,

Kim

 

[cueman]

I have been a part time cuemaker since 1988. In 1991 cue making and lathe making became my full time job. It has been that way ever since. Sometimes making lathes is full time leaving very little time for cues, usually during the winter months. Then there are times cues are almost full time and lathes part time like the late summer and early fall months.
I have had an unusual amount of cue repair work lately. And some cue sales and orders. So I have spent more time on cues lately than lathes, but that usually changes around Thanksgiving in most years and keeps me swamped until May or June with lathes to build. To make it full time as a cuemaker and repairman I would have to be a lot more active in the pool tournament and league scene than I am, since I live pretty far out from any metro area.

 

[whammo57]

I have been a part time cuemaker since 1988. In 1991 cue making and lathe making became my full time job. It has been that way ever since. Sometimes making lathes is full time leaving very little time for cues, usually during the winter months. Then there are times cues are almost full time and lathes part time like the late summer and early fall months.
I have had an unusual amount of cue repair work lately. And some cue sales and orders. So I have spent more time on cues lately than lathes, but that usually changes around Thanksgiving in most years and keeps me swamped until May or June with lathes to build. To make it full time as a cuemaker and repairman I would have to be a lot more active in the pool tournament and league scene than I am, since I live pretty far out from any metro area.

Chris,

Do you have any idea of the percentage of people that bought your cue building lathes actually became cue builders?

Kim

 

[scdiveteam]

I have been a part time cuemaker since 1988. In 1991 cue making and lathe making became my full time job. It has been that way ever since. Sometimes making lathes is full time leaving very little time for cues, usually during the winter months. Then there are times cues are almost full time and lathes part time like the late summer and early fall months.
I have had an unusual amount of cue repair work lately. And some cue sales and orders. So I have spent more time on cues lately than lathes, but that usually changes around Thanksgiving in most years and keeps me swamped until May or June with lathes to build. To make it full time as a cuemaker and repairman I would have to be a lot more active in the pool tournament and league scene than I am, since I live pretty far out from any metro area.

Come on Chris, admit it, you have elves working in your shop 24/7 and your actually Santa Clause for cue makers toys and great cues. LOL

Seriously, you schedules must be overwhelming with all you do.

Thanks for writing your book because you, DPK and Mr. Dennis D inspired me to get into cue making. As a commercial diver I was proficient in all trades performed underwater except?? You guessed it, lathe operations and machinist skills.

After reading your book, I got the bug.

Thanks Chris for what you do as a great business person and wise man to everyone who seeks your help.

Rick

 

[cueman]

Chris,

Do you have any idea of the percentage of people that bought your cue building lathes actually became cue builders?

Kim

I have no idea. But most of them come back and buy some wood to build a few cues with. So I would say most that get the Deluxe Cue Smith Cue Builders lathe at least dabble in cue building.