Lathe for tips

DeeDeeCues said:
Other than them putting the word, 'wood' in the description, I see nothing unusual about that. Any lathe that can cut metal can cut wood.
Click to expand...
You don't find the 1.5" bore unusual on such a small lathe? I have 6 lathes and the only one that takes a full butt is a 1300lb 13 inch Sheldon. I think the old heave 10s have a large bore but they are hard to find.
Most of the small mini lathes can hardly take a shaft through the headstock
 
jtompilot said:
I’m thinking about getting a cheap lathe to do my own tips. I’m looking at a few on Amazon. Onetuon Mini bench top at $130, OPHIR at $57, and Winbomgo mini multipurpose $66. Anyone have one of these? Will they work for tip installs?
Click to expand...
Hi. Go for a good one. Buy once cry once. You have nice cues. You’ll appreciate a good repair lathe. You’re welcome to try mine when you’re around or use anytime when visiting. Don’t buy cheap. You’ll hate it and burn money. Alternatively a good condition used lathe. Hightower or MidAmerica. I have both. I told my wife it makes pocketbooks and jewelry.
 
Last edited:
Texas Carom Club said:
nothing less than this type i would bother with, even these need tinkering that becomes a headache

www.harborfreight.com

7 in. x 10 in. Precision Benchtop Mini Lathe

Amazing deals on this 7In X 10In Precision Benchtop Mini Lathe at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.
www.harborfreight.com www.harborfreight.com

you can find off brands cheaper on ebay . i had one worked fine, i didnt change tips that often to want to deal with it after the initial fun wore off
Click to expand...
More for pen turning blanks and small crafty things.
 
heater451 said:
I don't know if posting from another forum site is allowed, and I'm too lazy to check, but here is a homebuild of about the same thing:

http://www.billiardsforum.com/pool-cue-repair/homemade-cue-lathe-done-dirt-cheap


I like the makeshift "ways" of the tailstock piece sliding in the wood base. Also, he is using the crutch tip to hold the shaft, which I think might be better than a screw-in adapter (basically, a joint protector with a shaft for the drill chuck to hold), I would think that crutch tip self-adjusts to a degree. (I think Fred Agnir posted something years ago, about how a shaft would even stay horizontal w/o any support, when spinning in a crutch tip on a drill. It could have been in the old BD forum though. Also, a support would obviously be needed, in order to bring any cutting pressure int play.)

Of course, the same lack of tool rest issue exists with this, but freehand shaping a tip is not so hard. A ferrule change would be a different story.

[Edit: I forgot, there is more than the one "lathe" on the page.]
Click to expand...
I suggest wearing a metal cup and face shield when operating that device
 
middleofnowhere said:
You don't find the 1.5" bore unusual on such a small lathe? I have 6 lathes and the only one that takes a full butt is a 1300lb 13 inch Sheldon. I think the old heave 10s have a large bore but they are hard to find.
Most of the small mini lathes can hardly take a shaft through the headstock
Click to expand...
I'm thinking it's fairly common on these small lathes. A few different ones I looked at were that way. I honestly believe allt of them are all made at the same place with different colors and names put on them.

I have been considering one to play with. I want a big lathe so I can learn to do my own barrel threading and chambering but not having much luck finding a decent one at the right price and I'm short on space to put it.
 
You might want to try something like this, at the other end of the shaft is an electric drill set sideways on a similar block of wood
 

Attachments

  • IMG_4411.jpeg
    IMG_4411.jpeg
    207.9 KB · Views: 95
TrxR said:
I'm thinking it's fairly common on these small lathes. A few different ones I looked at were that way. I honestly believe allt of them are all made at the same place with different colors and names put on them.

I have been considering one to play with. I want a big lathe so I can learn to do my own barrel threading and chambering but not having much luck finding a decent one at the right price and I'm short on space to put it.
Click to expand...
I have no need for a lathe but I find myself looking a like Facebook market place. Seem these people with old lathes think they are gold or something. I never see a good deal.
 
If you invest in a Cuesmith Midsize you will never regret it. If you don't, you will someday wish you had!
Resale is very near to 100%. I currently have one for sale for exactly what I paid for it. Gonna upgrade!
 
Many things aren't about the money, or having to justify it. Some just like it, or like to do it, or just like to help friends also. Heck, don't some that complain about the price actually own many custom cues? I only own one, a DZ, and it's fantastic, and have talked to a maker on here about a style I really would like to have in another done, and hopefully would be my player. Do i need it, heck no, but I have a real good understanding of what I am looking for in another custom cue, hopefully its workable on his end. I did give him a big wish list to consider and he didn't say no. Hopefully it works out, I'm getting old.
 
Last edited:
Renegade_56 said:
Most of them run on 3 phase power which most people do not have access to. They are serious overkill for basic cue maintenance and light repair.
Click to expand...
If someone wanted to get into cuemaking, has industrial shop space for a big lathe too, would you consider skipping the Hightower and looking into a proper metal lathe?

I work with wood as a carpenter and have been wanting to learn more about cue making so I can decide if I want to take it up or not.
 
muskyed said:
Many things aren't about the money, or having to justify it. Some just like it, or like to do it, or just like to help friends also. Heck, don't some that complain about the price actually own many custom cues? I only own one, a DZ, and it's fantastic, and have talked to a maker on here about a style I really would like to have another done, and hopefully would be my player. Do i need it, heck no, but I have a real good understanding of what I am looking for in another custom cue, hopefully its workable on his end. I did give him a big wish list to consider and he didn't say no. Hopefully it works out, I'm getting old.
Click to expand...
Like it Want it Can Afford it......BUY IT...you got it...

muskyed said:
My vote, a Mid America basic repair lathe for $800. I bought one a few years back and it has been a fantastic lathe for not only professionally doing tips, but also ferrule replacements, shaft cleanings, and also shaft size reductions.
Bought it for myself, and to help out friends, as those services weren't available locally, and quite honestly I just like doing things myself.
That said, I am going to be selling this in a couple months as I have ordered a large bore professional version of the Mid America lathe. Thank you SSdiver, your postings have cost me money, but please don't stop posting, I really enjoy what you post.
Click to expand...
Can accessories be added? Is it the same bed as the large bore? If so that is great way to get started.
 
bashfulQ said:
If someone wanted to get into cuemaking, has industrial shop space for a big lathe too, would you consider skipping the Hightower and looking into a proper metal lathe?

I work with wood as a carpenter and have been wanting to learn more about cue making so I can decide if I want to take it up or not.
Click to expand...
As I said before the large industrial lathes are overkill for cue making, especially if you are a true custom repair guy that may or may not make a few complete cues on occasion. I have built quite a few complete cues on a modify Todd cue repair lathe. The Mid America lathes are so easy to customize and versatile it's just crazy. Start there and IF you ever out grow it then maybe dedicated industrial equipment would be a logical step. I'd much rather have 2 cue lathes than 2 industrial lathes, and I am a retired Machinist with 46 year in industrial machining experience. Actually, my older brother is a gearhead, retired machinist as well, but over the years has accumulated quite an assortment of old machine tools including lathes, mills, and band saws and I can get any of them I want at any time. Just don't have a need for them.
 
I was always fascinated watching Ted Harris with his big lathe at the Sands Regency tournaments. He would off to the side fixing cues for players as the tournament was going on. With that lathe that he had he could do just about everything on the spot, butt re-wraps, shaft reduction, ferrules, tips you name it. He could have probably built a complete cue there if you asked him to. He really got me interested in working on cues just watching him.
 
Yes they can, you just have a smaller motor, and small bore headstock
Most everything else is based off the same platform. The large bore has a 3/4 hp motor, where as the basic repair has a 250 watt motor.Plenty for what it was designed for.
That dang SS diver kept making postings of things he was doing with bar cues and it interested me.
Also a few of the bars have asked me to help them out, with their sticks and I would like doing that.
$1600 is a bit of money, but its something i would like to do. I have fixed a one piece bar stick on my lathe before, but I had to go really slow as so much handle was sticking out. I was fine with the 3 month wait at first, but I have to admit I hope it doesn't take any longer. Need to order some other stuff in the meantime.
 
TrxR said:
I'm thinking it's fairly common on these small lathes. A few different ones I looked at were that way. I honestly believe allt of them are all made at the same place with different colors and names put on them.

I have been considering one to play with. I want a big lathe so I can learn to do my own barrel threading and chambering but not having much luck finding a decent one at the right price and I'm short on space to put it.
Click to expand...
Common? Have to be honest, this is the first one I have seen with that big a bore. 7/8 to 1" is usually the biggest on such small lathes.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top