I am going to be starting to do basic cue work like tips,ferrules,wraps,etc and am just wondering why anyone would buy a "pool cue lathe " over a professionall metal lathe like a Grizzly bench top? is it portability? ease of use? Just hoping someone can school me on this. Thank You, Steve
Lathe question
- Thread starter bruinsfan
- Start date
Length is a factor. Having over 30 inches between centers is very helpful. When you mention wrapping the first thing that comes to my mind is my pedal that allows me to control the speed. I don't think the grizzly lathe will come with that out of the box. As far as portability, yes many I would imagine buy pool cues lathes because an 85 lb lathe is easy to transport to tournaments etc. Also on a grizzly, you are going to either have to find a way to steady the stick behind the headstock or get a steady rest with a bearing so you can build collets or attach a chuck to. After trying to decide on how to do all of these some people come to the conclusion that they would like to buy something already capable of doing everything. Even more things become tough when you try to setup tapering/routers and have to build your own jigs/templates. Some people love the challenge, others I guess don't. After doing the math of the costs it could be cheaper just to buy the equipment designed to do the job.
With the Grizzly Metal lathe:
Like the person above said, you'll want 30" between centers
Its big and bulky. You'll need help moving it, possibly hiring Riggers
Shipping could be expensive
If you buy a decent sized lathe you'll need 3-Phase power requiring an additional motor, phase converter and an electrician to hook it up
The add-ons you 'll need (steady rest, QCTP, etc...) are more expensive
No foot pedal for wrapping
Have to make adapter to add a second chuck
Does have the benefit of threading
Will have a lot more torque
also will hold center much better
On the Pool Cue Lathe:
Its much lighter and easier to transport to shows
Its designed for pool cues
Most of the tooling you'll need will come with it
Add-ons are cheaper and many easily found on Ebay, AZB, CL, etc..
Cheaper in general
I would go with safer as well. A decent HP lathe could easily rip off a finger or worse. I'd think you'd have to be pretty creative to lose a finger in a cue lathe.
For $3K you could be completely up and running to build cues. Cheaper if you only want to go the repair route. The Grizzly will easily cost $3k and you'd still have to buy and/or make all the other stuff. A metal lathe comes in handy but really the only time I want one is when I want to make external threads or make tooling.
A 6' cue lathe will handle a full length one-piece bar cue. Not that I ever work on them but I am able to hold a full shaft or butt on either side of my headstock depending on what I want to do.
Holding things true in the scroll chucks is the main drawback I see. It will hold a couple thousandths but you end up having to shim when you want it really true. A Metal lathe with a good chuck should hold center perfectly through its entire opening range.
Hope that helps
Like the person above said, you'll want 30" between centers
Its big and bulky. You'll need help moving it, possibly hiring Riggers
Shipping could be expensive
If you buy a decent sized lathe you'll need 3-Phase power requiring an additional motor, phase converter and an electrician to hook it up
The add-ons you 'll need (steady rest, QCTP, etc...) are more expensive
No foot pedal for wrapping
Have to make adapter to add a second chuck
Does have the benefit of threading
Will have a lot more torque
also will hold center much better
On the Pool Cue Lathe:
Its much lighter and easier to transport to shows
Its designed for pool cues
Most of the tooling you'll need will come with it
Add-ons are cheaper and many easily found on Ebay, AZB, CL, etc..
Cheaper in general
I would go with safer as well. A decent HP lathe could easily rip off a finger or worse. I'd think you'd have to be pretty creative to lose a finger in a cue lathe.
For $3K you could be completely up and running to build cues. Cheaper if you only want to go the repair route. The Grizzly will easily cost $3k and you'd still have to buy and/or make all the other stuff. A metal lathe comes in handy but really the only time I want one is when I want to make external threads or make tooling.
A 6' cue lathe will handle a full length one-piece bar cue. Not that I ever work on them but I am able to hold a full shaft or butt on either side of my headstock depending on what I want to do.
Holding things true in the scroll chucks is the main drawback I see. It will hold a couple thousandths but you end up having to shim when you want it really true. A Metal lathe with a good chuck should hold center perfectly through its entire opening range.
Hope that helps
I think this is a very fair comparison. And if I am not mistaken this post is coming from a real machinist who has used both types of machines extensively. Another benefit to the cue lathe is customer support. Call and ask the metal lathe salesman how to cut your stitch rings properly or how to set up for doing wraps and see what kind of response you get.
That is also another good reason to get your cue lathe from an experienced cuemaker that actually uses the equipment they sell to build cues.
But as always that is just my very biased opinion.
pool cue lathe
Steve, cue lathe is adapted to make cues. Metal lathe will take several things done to it. ie. taper bar
footprint is an issue with me. My shop space is so small I'm out of room. Im sure a lot depends on the quantity of cues that you plan on building. I have both a deluxe by Hightower, and a metal lathe with a taper bar. Saves on setups which kills you in time. If you ever decide to sell either one, the moving of the big lathe will prohibit the sale and maybe or maybe not drop the value. To buy a metal lathe that is worth using I think you need to spend quite a bit more if buying new than a cue lathe buying new.
Bill
Steve, cue lathe is adapted to make cues. Metal lathe will take several things done to it. ie. taper bar
footprint is an issue with me. My shop space is so small I'm out of room. Im sure a lot depends on the quantity of cues that you plan on building. I have both a deluxe by Hightower, and a metal lathe with a taper bar. Saves on setups which kills you in time. If you ever decide to sell either one, the moving of the big lathe will prohibit the sale and maybe or maybe not drop the value. To buy a metal lathe that is worth using I think you need to spend quite a bit more if buying new than a cue lathe buying new.
Bill
Last edited:
I agree with 2 earlier posters about a cue-specific lathe being much safer than a full size engine lathe.
I've had a rag I was using to apply wax with get snapped out of my hand on my cheap wood lathe at 1500 RPM more than once. It happens,but not often.
That same little hangup with a rag could be BAD news on a 12"x36" metal lathe at the same speed due to the torque. Tommy D.
I've had a rag I was using to apply wax with get snapped out of my hand on my cheap wood lathe at 1500 RPM more than once. It happens,but not often.
That same little hangup with a rag could be BAD news on a 12"x36" metal lathe at the same speed due to the torque. Tommy D.
I think this is a very fair comparison. And if I am not mistaken this post is coming from a real machinist who has used both types of machines extensively. Another benefit to the cue lathe is customer support. Call and ask the metal lathe salesman how to cut your stitch rings properly or how to set up for doing wraps and see what kind of response you get.
That is also another good reason to get your cue lathe from an experienced cuemaker that actually uses the equipment they sell to build cues.
But as always that is just my very biased opinion.
Very biased but also EXTREMELY knowledgeable.
I've had a rag I was using to apply wax with get snapped out of my hand on my cheap wood lathe at 1500 RPM more than once. It happens,but not often.
If this is happening, you need to look at what you are doing. No matter what size lathe you are using, the rag/paper towel /sand paper, should never catch or grab.
If this is happening, you need to look at what you are doing. No matter what size lathe you are using, the rag/paper towel /sand paper, should never catch or grab.
True enuff Bryan. Chris sells a milling attachment.
It enables you to do all the common threads found in pool cues.
Now he has an add on taper bar that will allow you to do points. With all the jigs available these days for the smaller lathes,
you really don't have to make your own like you would if you owned a big lathe.
With Joey's jig, it is much easier to index than messing about with cigarette papers. May have to monkey with it more than a large lathe but it still cuts your time down considerably. Hateful little job it was before.
Your learning curve is much greater with a machine lathe. If you haven't had previous experience with a larger lathe, it would be a helpful to take some night classes for lathes and a mill.
With any of the ready built cue lathes available, just by reading Chris's book, watching the DVDs, you are ready to start using a cue lathe. Working on your cues and bar cues first of course.
Why buy an elephant gun to shoot pop cans off of fence posts.
That said, I know there are many repair men and makers, Dick, KJ, et al that use large lathes exclusively, but for the the average Joe that is going to use this as a hobby and a little extra income, you'd want to start off with a cue lathe.
If after that, you feel that you want to expand, then by all means go for the gusto.
Last edited:
Assuming you do not have experience with a metal lathe, I would recommend that you look at the cue making series of lathes.
Mainly from the point of view, very portable relative to a Metal lathe.
It is designed and made for cue making and cue repair work.
Another distinct advantage, is these machines will leave no oil or grease on the wooden parts.
As well as all the other things mentioned.
Do your home work. You need to know what you want to make with the machine, now and guess what you may want to be doing with it down the line a little.
Seldom are people disappointed with an informed decision.
There has been a lot of discussion over the years about what gear to buy, and everyone has their own opinion, machinery experience, budget , and ability to make do with what they have.
Used cue lathes do the same. Both new metal lathes and new cue lathes lose value just like everything else purchased new. I think cue lathes hold a greater percentage of their new cost than metal lathes do. I can usually pick up a several year old metal lathe for about 1/3 to 1/2 of current new price. On the other hand one of the several year old cue lathes usually brings about 2/3 of current new price.
which lathe
If you check the "ask the cuemaker" forum which is under Cues, you'll see that there is a question put to the cuemakers , "do they sit or stand using a lathe" . You'll probably read that most people stand using a metal lathe, and less using a cuelathe ie cuemaster Deluxe by HIGHTOWER
Reason being they are more dangerous to work on and command more respect. Good Reason, also that's why I bought a Belt drive over Gear.
Bill
If you check the "ask the cuemaker" forum which is under Cues, you'll see that there is a question put to the cuemakers , "do they sit or stand using a lathe" . You'll probably read that most people stand using a metal lathe, and less using a cuelathe ie cuemaster Deluxe by HIGHTOWER
Reason being they are more dangerous to work on and command more respect. Good Reason, also that's why I bought a Belt drive over Gear.
Bill
What about resale price of new cue lathe?
Last edited:
There is no resale price of a new lathe. Once it's sold it's considered used,,,,,,
Much better than metal lathe.
That has actually happened. A few years ago when I was hitting record sales and was about 5 months behind on Deluxe Cue Smith lathes people were selling used ones for about new price sometimes even higher.