As already mentioned, if you're friend is going for the table legs and so, he would be looking at a wood lathe to work with. You could do some alterations/modifications on it to be able to do you're pool cue work, but this is is not a "key ready" solution for you however.
You need to make some kind of tapering arrangement for shafts. For butts you could off set the tailstock on the lathe but you would need to make some kind of mechanical attachment to attach to, to control the cutting process.
Not rocket science but you would need to severely alter you're friends tool.
If he's well "situated", have him buying one of the mentioned metal lathes as well or Chris H Deluxe Cuesmith
Or you could look for a used lathe in the local newspaper/web shops (metal lathe).
I did start wood turning on a friends-dad's lathe when I was very young (around 12 years if I'm guessing correct). I did martial arts in those days and made me Nunchacus - two wooden "brooms" connected with a chain. Non ended up in the same dimensions on that wood lathe (I was of course a small unexperienced kid as well).
In other words you need to have some kind of tapering tool to easily make repetitive work which turns out to be the same every time.
Taking a woodworking class might help you doing nice table legs but making a pool cue is some how a mix of mechanical work/metal lathe and woodwork.
As mentioned, buy Chris H book and DVDs and you would see how the whole thing works.
Hope it helped.
N
LOL
