Making a sneaky pete from a blank
- Thread starter 7Baller
- Start date
So you bought a cue blank to build a cue you don't know how to build. I mean you need a lathe to install pins and joint/butt collars if any. And to turn the blank to whatever size you want. There's a lot more that goes into that but that's about as basic as it gets. Depending on what finish your gonna use you might need equipment or tools for that. I feel your about to open a can of worms you might not be ready for. I wish you the best on your journey here. Oh, you can always check youtube to see the process too.
I won’t be building it myself, I’m just trying to understand the level of expertise required so I know who I can ask. There aren’t any cue builders in the country where I live but there are guys who repair cues who’d be able to install a pin and turn the blank down. Just wondering what else would need doing.
I asked a machine shop with a lathe to cut a house cue in two and install a pin and insert and viola, I have a sneaky pete. In your case, you would need to taper the blank, install a pin and refinish the cue and match it exactly to the dimensions of your shaft
It sounded like you were gonna build it. Yeah just cause they can repair something might not mean they can build it. Where you located at.
For that blank ($300+ probably) you should ship it to a reputable cue maker. You will want a nice finish to bring out the wood grain and color, which a hack would botch. The resale value of the cue will also be decent with that blank if it is professionally done, versus zero if it’s done poorly.
RidgeRaider
Well-known member
To someone that knows what they're doing, it's about as easy of a job they could get.
To someone that doesn't know what they're doing, they're probably going to wreck your blank lol.
Either send it to a known cue maker and get on their waitlist, or take a chance on a lesser known maker and ask to see some of their previous work and if it's good stuff, then proceed. Not many other options.
To someone that doesn't know what they're doing, they're probably going to wreck your blank lol.
Either send it to a known cue maker and get on their waitlist, or take a chance on a lesser known maker and ask to see some of their previous work and if it's good stuff, then proceed. Not many other options.
The level of expertise needed is no different than the cuemakers own work, so I would look at their other work first..
It's a quality blank, so you want someone with skills to match that work. As a side note I highly recommend you go with a joint collar from whatever material that suits the blank, it adds a lot of extra strength.
It's a quality blank, so you want someone with skills to match that work. As a side note I highly recommend you go with a joint collar from whatever material that suits the blank, it adds a lot of extra strength.
I don't think collars are needed except for looks. I've had a lot of sneaky style cues over the years and all but maybe one were true, no-collar sneakies and not one ever split or showed any signs of stress/cracking. I know a couple guys still using original Meucci sneakies and the only thing ever needed was to replace the shit ferrules.
Your milage may vary I guess, I have seen qute a few chipped sneakies, but your'e right, it's not the end of the world and if it happens it's certainly possible to fit a joint collar and do a refinish. My mind just always goes to durability, so If I can make something stronger, I prefer to do so. Just as I turn 1" bumpers down to 3/4" so that the buttcap recess has more material.
The Devil is in the detail. The hardest part in finishing a nice blank is knowing when its seasoned well enough that it wont move after its turned. Centering the blank so the points end up even as well as having it balance and weigh what you like is also a consideration. Finishing the blank and installing the pin is no different then any other build.
How do you season a blank and for roughly how long? And what can cause the points to end up uneven?
Thanks.
That is a tricky question. It is more of a judgment call depending on wood species, where the blank was made and where it its going to live it's life. Going from a moist environment to dry one or the opposite, the wood will likely move. So you need to give the wood time to acclimate. Once the wood has stabilized it probably wont run true when you spin it between the original centers. That is where the skill comes in, you have to re-establish the centers so as the points will run true when it's turned down. Your best bet is to talk with the maker of the blank and get his thoughts on how long it should sit relative to your local climate and then find a maker who has experience centering full splice blanks. This has been my experience, I have finished quite a few house cue conversions as well as purchased full splice blanks. It has been my observation that figured maple forearm blanks tend to move much more than straight grain maple ones. Another approach is to core from the front of the cue as deep as you can and insert a stable core soon after receiving your blank. I am going to assume your blank should be straight and the points centered when it left the shop but a quick check with a dial between centers will tell you that pretty quick. Adding the core will stabilize and shorten the time you need to let it sit so long as the woods were properly dry when you received it. That is how I would approach it anyway. Finishing full splice blanks may not be rocket science but it does have a few considerations and specific knowledge gained through doing a few IMO.
I have never had a Sneaky with a split or crack at the joint, but I have seen other people with cues like that.
Maybe they abuse their cues.
RidgeRaider
Well-known member
I think it's from them whacking it on tables / dropping the cue and it hitting the joint area. Or tightening the shaft on too much.
I've made / owned wood on wood sneaky's for a while, and never once felt like they were ask risk of cracking.
I've seen people crack phenolic joints, of course wood will crack too, but if the cue is for me, I know I won't crack it.