Leather wrap fixture questions

rhncue said:
DanO, how many different brands of wrapping machines have you got and used extensively to form this opinion? I thought long and hard before purchasing a machine and looked at many options. In fact I could have bought the De'Angelo before they were on the market for 200.00 directly from the inventor but I didn't want to spend the money at the time and was a little upset that the price had increased from the 150.00 that a friend of mine had just purchased one for. I wish I had at that time, but I never so I bought a different brand a few years later for much more money. I am quite happy with what I have and there are a number of people on this forum who have different brands and they all seem to be happy with what they are using. What a person is used to using is the best as far as they're concerned as they become familiar with it's idiosyncrasies. The reason for my question in the first place was to determine just how many brands of the fixtures that you are well enough aquanted with so as to give the advice to try and get one at ANY PRICE. That would imply to me that the De'Angelo was not only the forerunner of these fixtures, but, also were superior in some way and worth the extra cost. After all, it is only used to cut a straight line.

Dick
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I bought a De'Angelo and I love it. I'd buy it again at the same price if not more. I've only done 46 wraps in three years but that still has easily paid for it. This is the only wrap fixture I have used. Right now I see now reason to buy anything different.

From a design stand point the De'Angelo is extremely well built and does more than just cut a straight line. The main fixture assembly is 1060 grade aluminum, not cast, not stamped, but machined. The top clamp plates are doweled to the machined fixture so both sides are dead nuts centered. Hardened dowels not roll pins. The cam slide on the bottom to bring the cue up tight to the clamp plates is very clever. The leather cutting template with the convex and concave end radius's to simulate the cue cone is a major help when laying out the leather.
 
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DanO said:
I bought a De'Angelo and I love it. I'd buy it again at the same price if not more. I've only done 46 wraps in three years but that still has easily paid for it. This is the only wrap fixture I have used. Right now I see now reason to buy anything different.

From a design stand point the De'Angelo is extremely well built and does more than just cut a straight line. The main fixture assembly is 1060 grade aluminum, not cast, not stamped, but machined. The top clamp plates are doweled to the machined fixture so both sides are dead nuts centered. Hardened dowels not roll pins. The cam slide on the bottom to bring the cue up tight to the clamp plates is very clever. The leather cutting template with the convex and concave end radius's to simulate the cue cone is a major help when laying out the leather.
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Dano, the Unique is built to the same standards and materials. About the only difference between the 2 is the way they hold the cue in place and there is no way to over tighten and damage or mar a cue with the Unique. I once again state that the only thing these fixtures do is hold the cue so that a straight cut can be made and nothing else. The leather concave and convex ends are cut on a table with a template, the wrap is glued in place on another holder of your choice. The fixture has nothing to do with that. I'm not trying to knock the De'Angelo in any way, shape or form but I also don't see where it can possibly do a better job especially for ANY PRICE as you said.

Dick
 
rhncue said:
I once again state that the only thing these fixtures do is hold the cue so that a straight cut can be made and nothing else.
Dick
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Dick, I have only used the Unique Products fixture.

The unique uses a hardened steel cutting guide held precisely in place with pins so you can cut the leather seam one side at a time while it is flush on the cue like it will be when you glue it down.
Cutting it this way will butt the ends of the leather perfectly.
Overlapping and cutting the leather seam both layers at once will leave the top piece a bit long.
Even with a fixture it is NOT a no brainer and some skill will still need to be learned to cut the perfect seam every time.
Using a fixture is easier and faster than doing it by hand.
But then, I dont know if you can still call it a hand made cue. :grin:
 
Originally Posted by iusedtoberich
"Why do you guys think 400 is too much for a wrap fixture? With just 4 to 6 wraps it would have paid for itself. What other major tool do we buy that pays for itself so quickly. I bought the Unique and although I haven't used it yet, it is very well made and seems worth the money."

Well, that may be true if you're getting your wraps and other mtrls. for free and are also willing to work for free. In the meantime, you've got $400 tied up that's not doing anything for you. Fortunately, they don't rust.

I'm not trying to knock anyone's product or dampen anyone's dreams, but it just seems to me that it's a lot of money for something that only allows you to cut a straight line in leather. The first time I saw one, I couldn't believe that was all it did.
A couple of spring clamps and a straight edge will do the same thing for about $5.
You should be able to make that back pretty quickly.
I don't know, maybe it's the 'investment factor'.

The key to any good wrap job is the talent and technique, not some high-dollar fixture. I did use a fixture just one time to see what all the interest was. I didn't like it and couldn't see the need. I'm sure the guys that have/use them, like them real well and that's fine. For me anyway, I don't see a need to spend the money.
 
KJ Cues sez: The key to any good wrap job is the talent and technique said:
No doubt talent and technique are important. Having cue leather of reasonable temper (firmness) split to a consistent wrap channel thickness might be even more crucial to a highly professional leather wrap installation.

IMO, the Unique jig is an improvement over the DeAngelo and is easier to use. 3 thumb screws to hold the cutting rail versus 5 socket cap screws for the DeAngelo. The teflon blocks with springs work better to safely secure the cue than the slideing mechanism of the DeAngelo, IMO (I have experience with the DeAngelo, Unique, and Migliore). The shorter aluminum template with knob is also easier to use. Nothing wrong with the DeAngelo though. Before the DeAngelo was available a few makers I know made their own jig. One was made with a hinged steel steel rail and a wood box with felted V channels to hold the cue. Works great. Probably cost under $10 for materials to build it.

Martin
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I made my own , tired of waiting for the price to come down or a new one to come out with the right price. one afternoon in the shop is all it took , I did take the time to plain and square all the wood pieces and pined the plates. maby $25.00 in parts.
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Thanks, it works just like the Unique products jig . it has 2 plates instead of 1 , easer to build with 2. darrin motocue hill
 
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