Metal strip inlays ...

[WilleeCue]

I wanted to do some metal inlayed rings but could not find a source for the aluminum strips needed to make up the billets.
Aluminum looks as nice as silver when polished just before finishing and is a lot easier on the cutting tools than the harder metals.
So ... I bought a small metal shear and made them myself.

If any cuemaker wants some of them I will sell them 4 strips for $1.
The strips are .031" thick so they fit the slot made by a .0312" end mill just right. They are 12" long and .150" deep.

The photo shows a pen blank with the aluminum strips and a ring billet is made the same way.

 

[billiardbum]

Bill - Why don't you buy silver sheets, and do the same? Have you ever tried? Great idea by the way. Jim

 

[WilleeCue]

I have tried silver sheets in the past but silver is a bit harder and a lot more expensive than hard aluminum.
If it looked any better perhaps the extra cost would be justified but to me it looks the same.
Silver for the sake of Silver is OK in cues costing a thousand dollars or more as it adds to the brag factor but I aint there yet.
Silver strips can be bought at jewelery supply stores and from Atlas Billiard Supply but if any cuemaker wants to buy some Gold or Platnum sheets and send them to me I will strip them out for a low fee.
I will do my best to keep the shrinkage low. <grin>

Willee

 

[Cue Crazy]

I wanted to do some metal inlayed rings but could not find a source for the aluminum strips needed to make up the billets.
Aluminum looks as nice as silver when polished just before finishing and is a lot easier on the cutting tools than the harder metals.
So ... I bought a small metal shear and made them myself.

If any cuemaker wants some of them I will sell them 4 strips for $1.
The strips are .031" thick so they fit the slot made by a .0312" end mill just right. They are 12" long and .150" deep.

The photo shows a pen blank with the aluminum strips and a ring billet is made the same way.

Did You sell some of these on ebay a year or 2 back? If so I think I may have bought a stack from you, and they were cut very nicely. I've used both sterling and aluminum rings, and the aluminum does turn easily, as well as friendly on the tools. It does'nt look to shabby for a lower cost material either when polished off.

Greg

 

[WilleeCue]

Yeah I think I did sell some of them on ebay last year.

 

[DaveK]

..... aluminum .... does'nt look to shabby for a lower cost material either when polished off.

It's about as reflective as you can get. Mirrors are often made from aluminum, it's that good. My only concern would be that it also has a rather large coefficient of expansion.

Dave

 

[Cue Crazy]

It's about as reflective as you can get. Mirrors are often made from aluminum, it's that good. My only concern would be that it also has a rather large coefficient of expansion.

Dave

Yes, they can be shined up very nicely. I have fixed ring work with them on a lot of imports, although can't say how much of the problem was from expansion, inferior glues, or collar materials, (probably all of the above). I do like to undercut rings a bit just to be safe, and that seems to work well for Me. This is washer type rings, I haven't tried the strips yet, but they do look nice.

Greg